United News of Bangladesh

BNP Secretary General and Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir fell ill on Thursday while attending the inauguration ceremony of the Rath Yatra at ISKCON Swamibagh Ashram in the capital. He started feeling unwell at the end of his speech at the programme, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. Govt committed to religious harmony, equal rights for all faiths: Fakhrul At one stage of his address, Fakhrul said, "I am sorry, I cannot finish my speech because I am feeling unwell. At the end, I would just like to say, ‘let us all move Bangladesh forward together’." The BNP secretary general was immediately taken home, Sayrul said, adding that he is currently taking rest at home on the advice of physicians. He urged everyone to pray for Fakhrul's speedy recovery.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Thursday said every commitment of the July National Charter will be implemented to the letter, upholding the non-communal spirit that defined the July uprising. He made the comment while inaugurating Rath Yatra at the Madhab Angan of Jashomadhab Mandir at Kayetpara in Dhamrai upazila of Dhaka district. The chief whip said the people of Bangladesh, after a long struggle, witnessed the dawn of a new era in July 2024, one built on non-communal values. Referring to the Prime Minister, he said Tarique Rahman has declared that Bangladesh has no minorities, and that Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians are all citizens with equal rights.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said the government is committed to promoting religious harmony and ensuring equal rights for people of all faiths, rejecting any attempt to create religious divisions. "We do not want to create any religious division. We want to work with everyone and move forward together," he said while inaugurating the Rath Yatra and addressing a discussion at the ISKCON Swamibagh Ashram in the capital as the chief guest. Govt taking steps to build clean, planned and livable Dhaka: Mirza Fakhrul Fakhrul, also local government, rural development and co-operatives minister, said people of all religions – Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians – fought together in the 1971 War of Liberation to achieve the country's independence, but alleged that "a particular evil force" repeatedly tried to undermine that spirit of unity. "Even today, there remains traces of that. We all have to unite, build resistance and work together in a united manner," he said. Expressing gratitude to the Hindu community, the BNP leader said the government will always remember the support they extended during the last national election. Referring to religion-based politics, he said religion has often been used to create divisions in Bangladesh's politics, but BNP does not believe in such politics. Mentioning various welfare programmes, Fakhrul said the government has introduced initiatives such as the Family Card and Farmers’ Card, and has also taken steps to support religious institutions. He said the government has introduced allowances for imams and muezzins of mosques, priests of temples, caretakers of Buddhist temples and the church clergy. "This is something no one had ever imagined. The government wants everyone to practise their religion freely and wants Bangladesh to work equally for all rather than favouring any particular religion," the BNP secretary general said. He also said before attending the Rath Yatra programme, he participated in another meeting, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, with representatives from ethnic minority communities living in the plains. Fakhrul said the Prime Minister ensured representation of all religious communities among the women members of parliament and noted that Anna Minj, MP, a representative from the Santal community, was among those present at the meeting. According to him, Tarique Rahman reiterated that the government will continue working for the socio-economic development of every section of society. The BNP leader concluded his speech saying, "Let us all move Bangladesh forward together."

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam on Wednesday said ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has no legal avenue left to appeal her death sentence in a case filed for committing crimes against humanity during the July 2024 mass uprising, and the verdict must now be implemented. He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled “Smritigathay Julai Biplober Dinguli” (Memories of the Days of the July Revolution), organised by Jatiya Chhatra Shakti's Dhaka University unit at the Professor Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium to mark the 2nd anniversary of the July uprising. Hasina will return 'only to face execution of verdict': Nahid Islam Referring to a recent interview in which Hasina said she would return to Bangladesh and surrender in December, Nahid, also opposition chief whip, said, “Whether Sheikh Hasina comes in December or any other time is something the Bangladesh government must determine. But the moment she arrives, she must be arrested from the airport and her verdict must be executed.” He noted that the government has already made it clear that there is no scope for Hasina to surrender on her own, though he accused Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed of leaving a deliberate ambiguity, a "trap", by suggesting the question of appeal would be left to the legal process. “There is no scope for appeal. The verdict against Sheikh Hasina allowed 30 days for appeal, and no one filed one on her behalf within that period. So, there is no scope for any appeal in her case now,” the NCP leader said, adding that his party wants visible progress on the trial from the government. Turning to campus issues, he called for resolving DU’s electricity crisis, waterlogging problems, and student welfare concerns, while urging a democratic environment on campus. Nahid also questioned the process for appointing the university's vice chancellor, saying DU and other autonomous universities need a transparent and participatory selection process for VCs and teachers to build research-based, democratic institutions. On the events of July 15, he demanded that a list of those involved in attacks that day in 2024 be published and that action be taken against them, along with any teachers accused of endorsing or legitimising the violence. As part of the 2nd anniversary observance, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti's DU unit also organised a drawing competition for children, with prizes distributed to the winners after the discussion.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday announced a 151-member fully-fledged committee for its Cumilla city unit, making Udbatul Bari Abu as president and Md Yusuf Molla Tipu as general secretary. The party also announced a nine-member advisory council for the unit. The information was disclosed in a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. According to the press release, Nazrul Islam VP has been made senior vice-president, while Khalilur Rahman Biplob has been appointed senior joint secretary. The 151-member committee includes multiple vice presidents, joint secretaries, organising secretaries, office secretary, publicity secretary, treasurer, subject secretaries, assistant secretaries and members. The nine-member advisory council is comprised of Begum Rabeya Chowdhury, Fazlul Haque Fazlu, Farid Uddin Ahmed, Nurul Islam, Abdul Kader Jilani, SA Bari Selim, Farhad Akhtar Md Shahriar, Dr Mosleh Uddin Ahmed and Prof Dr Nilufa Parveen.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the government has undertaken various initiatives to transform the capital into a clean, planned and livable city. He made the remarks while addressing a seminar titled "Urban Waste Management is the Responsibility of All of Us" as the chief guest at the auditorium of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). Jamiruddin Sircar’s contributions to politics, state to be remembered with respect: Fakhrul Speaking at the seminar, the minister said waste management has long remained a major challenge for Dhaka due to the city's growing population as the country's principal economic hub. He said the government's or city corporations' efforts alone would not be enough to ensure a clean city, stressing the need for active public participation and responsible civic behaviour. "If every citizen performs their responsibilities from their respective positions, the desired improvement in waste management can be achieved," he said. The minister said Dhaka reflects a blend of urban and rural cultures and underscored the importance of strengthening civic discipline and public awareness to develop a modern urban culture. Referring to AI-based traffic management, he said people are capable of following rules when effective monitoring and awareness measures are in place. "As compliance with traffic rules is increasing through proper supervision and awareness, similar positive changes can also be achieved in waste management," he said. The government is implementing various initiatives in line with the Prime Minister's directives to make waste management more modern, effective and citizen-friendly, saying their success would require coordinated efforts by the government, city corporations and the public, he said. Besides, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam, who was present at the seminar, said city corporations should be transformed into self-reliant and fully functional institutions to overcome long-standing institutional weaknesses and coordination gaps in urban management. Such a move would help bring RAJUK, WASA, power utilities, traffic police and other agencies involved in urban development under a unified legal and coordination framework, he said. State Minister for Youth and Sports, Md Aminul Haque said tackling the challenge of urban waste management requires collective efforts rather than relying solely on the government. He called for turning small initiatives at the individual and family levels into a broader social movement. Meanwhile, DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan said the city corporation has been carrying out its public service activities with the support of responsible and conscious citizens. He said the DNCC would work in coordination with other agencies to prevent waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall in the future. The administrator also said cooperation from residents would be essential to free the 29 canals under the DNCC from encroachment and carry out excavation and rehabilitation works to ensure smooth water flow. He pledged to work with local residents to remove encroachments from Mirpur canals and urged citizens to dispose of waste only at designated places instead of dumping it indiscriminately. He also stressed the need for improved drainage infrastructure and keeping drains free from waste to eliminate urban waterlogging.

Police arrested 13 leaders and activists of Awami League, which faces a ban on its activities, during a procession on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar on Tuesday. According to police, around 35-40 leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies, carrying banners and sticks, brought out a procession in the Bhanga Bridge area on the highway around 1:00pm when a routine police patrol spotted them. Police chased the group and managed to arrest 13 of them, while others escaped by swimming across a nearby water body, police said. Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain of Savar Model Police Station said most of those arrested are residents of Savar municipality. The arrestees were identified as Sagar Molla, Mohammad Ali, Raju Ahmed, Olil Mia, Rajib Sarkar, Pradip Kundu, Shahid Hossain, Ratan Kumar Rajbanshi, Moksedur Rahman Sohag, Hridoy Hossain, Jibon Saha, Mokammel Hossain and Sajib Mia. Police said the former four work as drivers for rent-a-car service provider at Savar Bus Stand, while the remaining nine are leaders and activists of the Awami League and its associate organisations, said Inspector (Investigation) of Savar Model Police Station Nur Mohammad.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and PM’s Adviser on political and industrial affairs Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday suggested postponing the ongoing HSC examinations considering the prevailing flood situation across the country. He made the suggestion while speaking to journalists during his visit to flood-affected areas in Chattogram's Banshkhali upazila. “Would there have been any loss if the HSC examinations were postponed for a few days? Students are falling into floodwaters while trying to go to schools and colleges to sit for exams. The Education Minister should pay attention to this situation. This is an extremely difficult situation,” Rizvi said. He said it is heartbreaking that a child or a teenage student could be unable to reach an examination centre due to floods or could even lose life while attempting to attend the exam. “I stand in solidarity with the expectations of people and urge that the examinations be postponed for a few days immediately. Let the water recede, and the examinations can be held again,” he said. During the visit, Rizvi also called upon everyone to stand beside people affected by landslides and floods. He said relief assistance must reach the affected people so that no one remains hungry. “Livestock have also been washed away. Overall, I saw a preliminary estimate that the losses are around Tk 30 crore. The actual figure may be higher,” he said. “The government is monitoring the situation continuously. The Prime Minister has already held virtual meetings with local administrations and civil surgeons. He has learned about the local situation and the condition of floodwaters and has given necessary instructions,” Rizvi said.

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on Monday urged the Ministry of Education to postpone the ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations, along with other board and university examinations, considering sudden floods, excessive rainfall and ongoing disaster situation across the country. JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir in a statement urged the ministry to take an urgent and compassionate decision to address the concerns of students and guardians amid the disaster. They said, according to media reports, 267,918 families in seven districts have already been fully stranded by floodwaters, while 1,022,963 people have been severely affected. The JCD leaders said many educational institutions in the affected areas are currently being used as shelters, while roads have been submerged, making travel to examination centres extremely risky and difficult for students. “If the examinations are postponed temporarily at this moment, it will ensure the safety and relief of students,” they said. The statement said many students in flood-affected areas have lost their textbooks, notebooks and necessary documents due to the disaster. “Taking examinations in such a situation will put students from flood-hit areas at a psychological disadvantage, which may negatively affect their results,” the statement added. At the same time, the JCD leaders instructed leaders and activists of the organisation to actively participate in disaster response efforts by providing humanitarian assistance for examinees and affected people in flood-hit areas and standing beside local administrations.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit on Monday said the government would continue to stand by people affected by the devastating floods in Chattogram and the Chattogram Hill Tracts. “We know you have been passing through immense suffering for the last seven days. We pray that these difficult times end soon,” he said while distributing relief among flood victims at Keochia Union in Satkania upazila of Chattogram. Flood: Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar rail services resume after 5 days He assured the affected people that the government would ensure the delivery of food assistance to every flood-hit family, according to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources . “The government will reach every affected person and every family struggling with the disaster. We will ensure that food reaches all those in need,” he said. The state minister said the government’s support would not end with emergency relief. Once the floodwaters recede, financial assistance will be provided to repair damaged houses, he said. He also said the government would take measures to help farmers whose croplands have been destroyed, owners of fish enclosures washed away by floodwaters and those who suffered losses of livestock so that they could recover and return to normal life. The state minister also thanked the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Air Force for their role in reaching remote flood-affected areas. He said the Army had facilitated access to isolated locations, while the Air Force had delivered food supplies directly to people stranded by the floods.