United News of Bangladesh

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam on Wednesday said the Awami League’s politics had been permanently ended in Bangladesh through the mass uprising. “The fascist Awami League was defeated on August 5. The people of Bangladesh, students and young people sacrificed their lives and shed blood to overthrow fascism,” he said. He alleged that the Awami League’s recent activities were part of diplomatic efforts by a neighbouring country to keep Bangladesh under pressure. Nahid made the remarks while talking to journalists at Rajbari Pourashava auditorium around 12:30pm, ahead of a meeting with party leaders and activists from five districts in the greater Faridpur region over the upcoming local government elections. He said the struggle against the Awami League was ideological and would continue against those he described as remnants of fascism. “Fascist forces, authoritarian elements and new extortionists and corrupt groups are now becoming intertwined,” he said. Nahid expressed doubt that the upcoming local government elections would be held peacefully, alleging that hundreds of people had been killed or injured in infighting within the ruling party. He also alleged that the Election Commission and police administration had been politicised, making a fair election difficult under the current circumstances. He said the 11-party alliance would submit specific proposals to the Election Commission to ensure fair local government elections. Commenting on remarks by the Inspector General of Police concerning journalists, Nahid said journalists had performed their duties by publishing accurate information and that legal measures were available if any report was found to be incorrect. He said the police chief or other responsible officials should not make such remarks against journalists. Nahid also alleged that police, administration officials and political leaders were involved in drug syndicates, saying the crime could not be eliminated without dismantling the networks and ensuring accountability. The meeting was organised by the NCP’s Rajbari district unit, with participation from leaders and activists from Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur and Shariatpur districts. NCP Senior Joint Member Secretary and Political Council member Sarjis Alam spoke as the chief speaker. He said the party had launched region-based coordination meetings under Nahid Islam’s leadership and was working to form NCP convening committees in all 4,600 unions across the country by November 30. The party was also screening candidates for chairman posts in unions where it had support, he said, adding that candidates were being selected at district, upazila and union levels. Sarjis alleged that the ruling party was obstructing the NCP’s organisational activities in different parts of the country, preventing the administration from taking action in some cases. NCP Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb, Organising Secretary Abdullah Mohammad Hossain, Assistant Organising Secretary for Dhaka Division (South) Hasibur Rahman Apu, and Publicity and Publications Secretary Syed Jamil attended the meeting as special guests.  

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Organiser (Southern Region) and lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah on Wednesday painted a dire image of the state of citizen's rights under the BNP, comparing the situation to North Korea under the Kim dynasty and alleging the BNP government has detained 30 people solely for expressing their views during its eight months in office. "People are not being able to express their opinions. Anyone who speaks against the government is being detained," Hasnat said while addressing a public outreach programme at Gulistan in the afternoon. Hasnat said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had stated before the election that he believed in the freedom of dissent, but no evidence of that is visible now. "The Prime Minister made such remarks to win the election and win over the public. In reality, there is no basis to his words," he said. Drawing a comparison between Bangladesh's current situation and North Korea, the NCP leader said, "In that country, there is only one party, one person comes to power, and after casting votes for him, people must come out and appear happy by smiling and applauding. The BNP is heading in that direction. People are being detained the moment they speak of their sufferings." Criticising the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hasnat said, "During the Awami League's rule, there was a 'Prime Minister's man'. Now there is a 'Home Minister's man'. This IGP, who came from abroad, is working in the interest of the Home Minister. No one likes him anymore." Warning that people's freedom of speech cannot be curtailed by any means, and that no extrajudicial killings will be tolerated in Bangladesh, he demanded the removal of the IGP.

Voting in the by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency will be held on Thursday, with the Election Commission (EC) completing preparations to hold the election in a free and fair manner. Election materials, including ballot boxes, have been delivered to polling centres under tight security. According to the EC, the constituency, which fell vacant after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was elected President, has a total of 516,138 voters. Voting will take place at 185 polling centres having 989 booths. Five candidates are contesting the by-election. BNP candidate Mirza Faisal Amin is running with the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ symbol, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md Delwar Hossain is contesting with the ‘Scales’ symbol. The other candidates are Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Hafez Dr Md Khademul Islam with the ‘Hand Fan’, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan's Md Abdul Alim Nizami with the ‘Banyan Tree’, and Bangladesh Congress candidate Hussain Muhammad Omar Faruk with the ‘Coconut’ symbol. Although the Awami League is not visibly participating in the election, its supporters constitute a significant voting bloc in the constituency. Political observers believe their eventual voting choices, including whether they vote for a particular candidate or abstain, could influence the outcome. The approximately 1,40,000 Hindu voters have also drawn attention in the final electoral calculations, with the candidates' ability to secure their support potentially affecting the margin of victory. Returning Officer Md Kamrul Islam said closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed at every centre to ensure fair and peaceful voting. A total of 5,300 members of law enforcement agencies have been deployed, alongside magistrates, to maintain law and order. Necessary security measures have been taken to ensure that voters can exercise their franchise without fear or obstruction, Kamrul added. Voters have also expressed hope that the election will be conducted in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere, allowing them to cast their ballots without fear or pressure. The district administration has barred outsiders from staying in Thakurgaon-1 constituency from 8:00am on October 27 to 4:00pm on October 30 to ensure a peaceful and impartial by-election.

BNP-nominated candidate Eliza Zaman is set to be elected unopposed in the by-election to reserved women’s seat No. 23 in the 13th Parliament, as she is the lone candidate whose nomination paper was declared valid. Eliza Zaman was the only aspirant to submit a nomination paper before the deadline expired on Monday afternoon, and the Election Commission published the list of the lone validly nominated candidate on Wednesday. Her nomination paper was scrutinised on Tuesday, according to a notification signed by Md Moin Uddin Khan, returning officer for the reserved seats and EC joint secretary on Wednesday. Eliza Zaman is also a joint convener of Pirojpur district BNP and the organising secretary for the Barishal division of the party’s women’s wing, Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal. According to the Election Commission’s schedule, November 1 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature. Though voting is scheduled for November 12, the balloting will not be required. Now Eliza Zaman is set to be declared elected unopposed without a formal vote if she does not quit the race by November 1. Earlier, on October 1, BNP reserved-seat MP Ferdousy Ahmed Mishti resigned after being instructed to step down by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The Parliament Secretariat issued a gazette notification declaring the seat vacant on the same day. The development came amid allegations of her involvement in an attack, vandalism, looting and demolition at the Radda MCH-FP Centre, a maternal and child healthcare facility in Mirpur. The health centre was attacked and vandalised around midnight, with allegations that ruling party leaders and activists at different levels were involved. Mishti, however, denied any involvement in the incident.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami-led 11-party alliance on Wednesday warned of a nationwide movement if the Thakurgaon-1 by-election scheduled for Thursday (October 29) is not held fairly.  “If the situation takes a different turn in Thakurgaon by-election, the movement across Bangladesh will reach an intense stage,” Alliance’s coordinator AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad told reporters in the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Earlier, an 11-party alliance delegation, led by Azad, met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin to raise their concerns and observations regarding two issues –-Thakurgaon by-election and upcoming local government elections.    During the meeting, the alliance reiterated its demand for the withdrawal of Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Khairul Islam, arguing that merely keeping him away from election duties is not enough to prevent his alleged influence on the election. It also demanded a departmental inquiry into the allegations against him. The delegation submitted written complaints over alleged attacks, intimidation and obstruction of their campaign activities in the Thakurgaon-1 constituency which fell vacant after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir assumed office as the President. Azad, also an assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, said the alliance demanded the removal of the UNO, but the Election Commission (EC) has only barred him from election-related duties without withdrawing him from his post. “We had asked for the UNO to be removed, but he has not been removed. The Election Commission has only kept him away from election activities. We have insisted that he must be withdrawn and departmental action taken against him,” he said. Azad warned that if Thursday’s election is not neutral, the alliance will consider the EC’s actions merely an eyewash. “Tomorrow’s election will determine whether we participate in the local government elections. If the election is not fair, the movement will spread across the country,” he said. Azad, assistant secretary general of Jamaat, expressed concern over the safety of Hindu voters in the constituency. He said the alliance urged the EC to bring the polling, vote counting and the announcement of results under the surveillance of CCTV cameras and take immediate action if irregularities are detected. Referring to the 1994  Magura-2 by-election, the Jamaat leader said the election triggered a movement that eventually led to the fall of the BNP government in 1996. He informed that the EC told them that adequate law enforcement personnel  have  already been deployed in the election area and assured the delegation that it will take action if irregularities occurred. About the upcoming local government elections, the delegation expressed concern over uncertainty of timeframes and the possibility of government influence.   

BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday said the mismanagement and looting witnessed in the power sector under the ousted Awami League government must not return, stressing the need for accountability and transparency to prevent a recurrence. “We need to take steps and ensure their smooth implementation so that the chaos and mismanagement we witnessed in the power sector in the past do not recur,” Rizvi said. He made the remarks as the chief guest at a public dialogue organised by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and CAB Youth Parliament at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). The ousted Awami League government enacted the indemnity law to create opportunities for lootings in the power sector, he said. “Keeping in mind that there would be plunder in the name of various projects, including quick rental power plants, they enacted an indemnity law so that no one could file a case over activities in this sector. This clearly shows their ill intention,” he said. Rizvi said accountability is essential in every sector and department in a truly democratic society. “Every sector and department must be held accountable in various ways. The media should be able to write articles about any sector, criticise it and discuss its merits and shortcomings. The government and the relevant department must then clarify their positions,” he said. Such accountability, he added, ensures public participation in governance and makes the government more transparent. He cited the difficult living conditions of people on Dharla and Brahmaputra river chars in Kurigram, including Nageshwari, saying many residents remained deprived of electricity despite claims of 100 percent electrification in the country. He also referred to electricity shortages in rural areas in recent times, saying the issue is not merely whether electricity connections were installed but whether people could actually use the service. Rizvi said similar problems existed in urban slums, where poor families often shared electricity to support their children's education. He said identifying extreme poverty solely by examining electricity consumption among existing users would be difficult, as many poor people either lacked access to electricity or had to share it. Rizvi said the prospects for rooftop solar power and other renewable energy sources are gradually opening up. The BNP secretary general said energy security was an important agenda item at the meeting between the Prime Minister and Japan held on Tuesday, referring to agreements worth one trillion yen. He said the government has been in office for seven to eight months and that implementing its plans would take time. He said the government offered incentives to those who supplied surplus electricity to the national grid after meeting their own needs, adding that such initiatives could also create employment opportunities. CAB General Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan chaired the dialogue. CAB Energy Adviser Professor M Shamsul Alam  along with the teachers and students involved in the research also attended.

Prime Minister’s Political Assistant Rashed Khan on Tuesday alleged that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar held a secret meeting with a senior Indian intelligence official and released photo, video claiming to support his allegation. Rashed claimed that on October 16, after Maghrib prayers, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, party leader ATM Masum and one other person met a senior Indian intelligence official at a house in the capital’s Baridhara area. In another post on Tuesday night, Rashed claimed that the Jamaat delegation, travelled in the vehicle to Hotel Six Seasons to meet the Indian intelligence official before switching to another vehicle to leave the place. “I also have details of that vehicle,” he said. Referring to a statement issued by Jamaat in response to the allegation, Rashed said the party had issued a “light” rejoinder, prompting him to share a picture of the vehicle in response. “They (Jamaat) can come to me and collect the vehicle’s registration number and the house number as well, if they want,” he wrote. Jamaat’s statement said the party maintains diplomatic relations with foreign countries while upholding the dignity of the state. Questioning the statement, Rashed asked whether Jamaat was trying to portray the intelligence official as a diplomat to evade the allegation. He also questioned why Jamaat’s rejoinder was so weak, saying that if the party believed there was a conspiracy to tarnish its image and that of Mia Golam Parwar, it should file a defamation case against him. Earlier, Rashed shared the video on his Facebook account on Tuesday evening. In the accompanying post, he claimed that Mia Golam Parwar and other members of the Jamaat delegation were seen leaving in the vehicle after meeting the Indian intelligence official. “After the meeting with the Indian intelligence official, Mia Golam Parwar and the Jamaat delegation came out in this vehicle. I am saying again that Mia Golam Parwar can file a defamation case against me if he wants,” Rashed wrote. Rashed had made the same allegation in a social media post on Monday (Oct 26). Rashed questioned why Jamaat leaders, who publicly speak against India, would hold a secret meeting with an Indian intelligence official. He said a meeting with an Indian diplomat and one with a senior intelligence official were not the same thing. Addressing Jamaat leaders, Rashed said he hoped Mia Golam Parwar would clarify the alleged meeting if he believed in ethical politics. Otherwise, he said, the incident could create the impression that Jamaat was involved in a conspiracy against the state. Rashed also alleged that Jamaat is planning to launch a movement in collaboration with the Awami League.

Terming the Awami League a 'club of fascism' rather than a political party, Leader of the Opposition and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday said the party has lost all moral and democratic rights to practice politics in Bangladesh. "If politics means public welfare, nation-building, ensuring social justice, and eliminating discrimination, the Awami League possesses none of those qualities. Therefore, they have no right to do politics in Bangladesh," he said. He made these remarks while addressing a discussion and views-exchange meeting with the family members of the victims of the October 28, 2006 "logi-boitha" clashes, arranged by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the IDEB Bhaban in the Capital. The Jamaat chief issued a stern warning against those attempting to rehabilitate the Awami League. “Some quarters are pampering them. Do not play with venomous snakes, this very snake will strike and finish you. No one should even daydream about the return of fascism in Bangladesh,” he said. He questioned how those who ordered indiscriminate shootings on unarmed youth and turned mothers' laps empty could ever return to the political arena to receive wreaths. Recalling the 2006 ‘logi-boitha’ clashes at Paltan, he said the Awami League has historically relied on state-sponsored terrorism, bloodshed, and unlawful killings to cling to power from the 1972–75 era to the last 15 and a half years. He alleged that the party withdrew the 2006 murder cases upon assuming power through backdoors, only to later judicially execute top Jamaat leaders in what he called ‘false cases’ decades later. “They must bear the consequences of their misdeeds. We will see the end of this trial,” he said. Reiterating that Jamaat will never compromise on the blood of the martyrs, the opposition leader demanded exemplary, fair trials for all perpetrators of political killings. He also called on the current administration to respect the public mandate for fundamental political change and proceed with constitutional reforms to ensure fascism never resurfaces.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque on Tuesday warned that the 11-party alliance would launch tougher programs if the government continued to show little willingness to cooperate with the opposition and address public demands. “We are playing a responsible role with a spirit of cooperation with the government, both inside and outside parliament. But we do not see any sincerity on the government’s part in accepting the opposition’s cooperation,” he said. He made these remarks at a press briefing following a meeting of the alliance’s top leaders at the official residence of the Opposition Leader on Mintoo Road in the capital. He urged the government to understand public expectations and take necessary steps to address their concerns. The alliance also expressed concern over the Election Commission’s neutrality ahead of the upcoming local government elections. Alleging that partisan considerations had influenced the appointment of the commission’s secretary, he said the move had raised questions about its impartiality. He also voiced concern over the commission’s role in the Thakurgaon-1 by-election. “The Election Commission must act neutrally. If there is any deviation in ensuring people’s voting rights, the 11-party alliance will not remain silent,” he said, adding that the alliance could announce major programs against the commission. The alliance called on people from all walks of life to join its Dhaka-Khulna-Kushtia long march on October 31, demanding implementation of the referendum verdict, justice for the July mass killings, an end to corruption and extortion, control of rising prices and improvements in law and order. The march will begin with a rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka at 7am and conclude in Kushtia after programs at different locations along the route. He said the alliance had sought cooperation from law enforcement agencies and the administration to ensure the march proceeded peacefully, adding that the authorities had assured them of cooperation. The meeting was chaired by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, and attended by National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam and Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, among others.

National Citizen Party (NCP) senior joint convener and lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah has urged police officers not to carry out unlawful orders from senior officers for the latter's personal benefit or political interests. In a video message posted on his Facebook page, Hasnat made “a clear appeal to our brothers in the police force”, saying they were under no obligation to take any action that violates the law and established rules and regulations. “Do not become instruments for the personal gain of any ambitious, corrupt, or politically backed senior officer by carrying out their unlawful orders,” he said. He reminded them that they had not taken an oath to act against the public, violate citizens’ fundamental rights or take part in extrajudicial killings. “Their oath is to uphold the Constitution, the law and the security of the people,” he said, adding that it was not their duty to fulfil the political ambitions of any individual or protect the illicit empires and political agendas of senior officers. Hasnat also expressed respect for police personnel at the grassroots level who, through their hard work, intelligence and professionalism, were striving to restore public trust in the force, ensure public safety and rebuild the institution. He urged them not to let their efforts and sacrifices go in vain because of a few ambitious officers whom he called “new-age Benazirs”, in reference to ex-IGP Benazir Ahmed, who faces a raft of corruption charges. He urged them to remain aware so that the actions driven by the thirst for power and personal interests of a handful of officers should not tarnish the image of the entire police force.