United News of Bangladesh

Austrian Ambassador to Bangladesh, stationed in New Delhi, Dr Katharina Wieser, met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday. The meeting, which lasted for about an hour, began at 12:30 pm at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP media cell. Honorary Consul of Austria to Bangladesh and BNP Chairperson’s Foreign Advisory Committee Member Tasvir Ul Islam was  present at the meeting. Focus on elections to tackle conspiracies: Fakhrul     The discussions reportedly covered various issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and Austria, Sayrul said, without elaborating on specific topics.  

BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Friday said the primary responsibility of the current interim government is to restore democracy in Bangladesh by holding a credible and national election. Speaking at a discussion, he also said Sheikh Hasina fled to India like a coward in the face of a student-led mass uprising on August 5. “'The young people who became eligible voters at the age of 18 in Bangladesh have been denied the right to exercise their franchise for the past 16 years," he said. The BNP leader said their party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has guided the people of the country with proper direction to reclaim their right to vote through a long struggle. "The primary duty of the interim government is to hold a free, fair, and impartial election in the near future. Insha'Allah, democracy — for which lakhs of people sacrificed their lives during the 1971 Liberation War — will be restored in Bangladesh through that election," he said. The Jatiyatabadi Baul Dal organised the programme on the premises of Shah Ali Shrine in the city's Mirpur area, marking 'National Revolution and Solidarity Day' to commemorate the 'civil-military uprising' of November 7, 1975. Tarique vows to curb power abuse, autocracy if BNP returns Dr Moyeen, a BNP Standing Committee member, said the people of Bangladesh participated in the Liberation War with the dream of establishing democracy and securing the basic and democratic rights of the people, including the right to vote. He lamented that the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, established the one-party Baksal rule in 1975 by abolishing democracy and snatching all the rights of the people. The BNP leader said during its 16 years in power, the Awami League fed the new generation the 'tablet of Baksal' and taught them distorted history by altering the curriculum. “But it didn’t work. Had it worked, the July-August mass uprising led by the students would not have occurred. The youth have created a new history on August 5, as they were not misled by the fabricated history of the Awami League,” Dr Moyeen said. The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh believe in the rule of law, truth, fairness, and justice. “They do not support falsehood, injustice, repression, imprisonment, or false charges. We are on the path of truth, and we will remain so in the future.” He said when the Pakistani occupation forces attacked unarmed Bengalis on March 25, 1971, the then Army Major Ziaur Rahman revolted and declared the country’s independence. “But the Awami League, which claims to be the pro-liberation force, acted as a fleeing political entity. They have no valid grounds to claim to be a pro-liberation force." He also said the Awami leaders fled the country across the border to find safe shelter and save their lives. "In exactly the same way, Sheikh Hasina, the head of the autocratic regime, fled the country like a coward on August 5 this year, just as her predecessors did during 1971.'"

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday said his party, if returns to power, will build Bangladesh in such a way so that no one, not even the Prime Minister, can abuse power or emerge as an autocrat. Speaking virtually at a seminar from London, he also said their party will transform the country into a democratic and humane nation, ensuring people’s basic human rights, freedom of expression and press freedom. BNP demands overseas treatment for critically injured July uprising victims “We want to ensure, and will do our utmost, so that no person, not even the Prime Minister, will be able to abuse power and become a dictator in future Bangladesh,” the BNP leader said. He also said from the highest levels of the state to every level of government, accountability and the rule of law would be upheld, ensuring that no one is above the law. Despite differences in political ideologies, Tarique noted that a unity had already been forged among democratic political parties in the country to build a democratic Bangladesh. “We are all united in our commitment to rebuild Bangladesh in such a way that autocrats or fascists will never be able to raise their heads again,” he said. Tarique also expressed the BNP’s vision of a Bangladesh where no one could infringe upon the rights and freedoms of any citizen. “We all want a safe and secure Bangladesh where people's aspirations are reflected, and where an elected and accountable government ensures people's ownership and participation.” During Sheikh Hasina's fascism, the BNP leader said, the nation had witnessed the so-called politics of development, which was primarily based on corruption, misrule, and criminalisation.  “In contrast, if BNP forms the government through the people's vote, you will witness the politics of people's empowerment and partnership, guided by our 31-point outline. Rule of law, human rights and freedom of speech will be the basis of our state governance,” he assured. The BNP organised a seminar on its 31-point outline for the reform of the state structure at a city hotel. Diplomats from various foreign missions stationed in Dhaka, members of civil society, and representatives from different political parties attended the seminar. Tarique said almost all the reform proposals currently being discussed in the country are included in BNP’s 31-point outline. “I understand the purpose of reform as not merely changing a few sentences of the Constitution, but transforming the fortunes of the people. To ensure that a dictatorial system does not repeat in Bangladesh, he said BNP wants to include a provision in the constitution that no one can serve as Prime Minister for more than two consecutive terms. The BNP leader also said his party wants a balance of power between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. “We aim to introduce a bicameral parliamentary system to ensure the representation and participation of society's intellectuals in the governance of the state.” He said an inclusive, liberal, and democratic Bangladesh must be built. “We all have a long way to go in unison. The pace of this march must be swift but steady, with specific goals.” Tarique said his party wishes to restore freedom of expression for every citizen, regardless of their political affiliation. “Just like two decades ago, during the BNP government, the media in Bangladesh could fearlessly criticise the government and even draw cartoons.’ He recalled that a section of the media had published baseless reports about the then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and him, conducting a media trial and propaganda campaign. “But we didn’t gag any media, harass anyone, or send any editor to jail in return. In the future, Tarique said, BNP will ensure the freedom of expression for all citizens, particularly human rights activists, journalists, and social influencers. “But we expect an impartial and responsible role from the media. He also promised that BNP would eliminate extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, excessive use of force, politically motivated cases and trials, mass arrests without warrants, gross human rights violations, and the culture of fear that has been fostered over the last 16 years. “We will strive to ensure the human rights and fundamental freedoms of every citizen in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations,” the BNP leader said. He claimed that in the three months following the fall of fascism, BNP had taken numerous initiatives to modernise politics, all of which have been nurtured by the grassroots of BNP across the country. The BNP leader said whenever anyone has committed crimes in the name of BNP, the party has taken swift organisational action as soon as it became known. Tarique also said Awami League leaders and activists were involved in crimes such as murder, assault, rape, and extortion during the 16-year rule of Sheikh Hasina, yet no action was taken against them by the party. “As recent incidents show, even after the killing of more than one and a half thousand democracy-loving people in the mass upsurge, no leader of the Awami League has shown any remorse or self-criticism,” he said. Speaking at the programme, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said his party, along with over 50 other parties, had prepared the 31-point state reform proposal during the simultaneous movement against the fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina. He noted that the interim government, formed following the ousting of Hasina's regime, has already established various commissions to oversee state reforms. “We believe the reform proposals that may emerge from these commissions will closely align with the 31-point outline. Therefore, we have decided to present the 31-point framework to the public once again,” the BNP leader said. On July 13, 2023, the BNP unveiled a 31-point outline aimed at "reforming" the constitution and state system, as well as ensuring the economic emancipation of the people. This proposal was developed in consultation with other parties that had participated in the simultaneous movement against the Awami League government.

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s Dhaka University unit has announced its full committee comprising 242 members. Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahos, a student from the 2010-11 session of the university, was made the President and Nahiduzzaman Shipon, a student from the 2011-12 session,  made the general secretary. This information was shared through a press release on Thursday. According to the release, following the decision of the central committee of JCD, the full committee for its Dhaka University unit has been formed. JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir approved the committee. Other key positions include organising secretary Nur Alam Bhuiyan Emon, office secretary Mallik Wasi Uddin Tami and  publicity secretary Tanveer Hasan.

Amid outrage among injured patients from the July mass uprising at NITOR, a BNP delegation visited the hospital on Thursday and demanded that those who were critically wounded be sent abroad for proper treatment The party also called upon the government to quickly provide each victim of the movement with the promised financial assistance from the July Smriti Foundation. “We urge the government to immediately identify those who are in critical condition and cannot be treated in the country, and to send them abroad as soon as possible. In particular, those who have lost their sight or have injuries that cannot be treated here should be sent overseas for proper care,” said BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed. Earlier, Salahuddin, along with BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Health Affairs Secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam, visited the hospital and spoke to the aggrieved patients. On Wednesday, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum was forced to leave the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) while visiting victims of the July uprising amid outrage. She was accompanied by British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook. Later, a group of protesters, injured during the July mass uprising and now undergoing treatment, blocked the road in front of NITOR, demanding proper care. Speaking to reporters after the visit, Salahuddin said, "We heard that the Health Adviser and the British High Commissioner came to this hospital but could not meet all the patients, which created resentment among them." He said the patients had informed them that, apart from treatment, they had not received any other support from the government. Read: Health Adviser Nurjahan leaves NITOR amid outrage “We understand that they need assistance beyond treatment. Many have said that they have not yet received the promised one lakh taka. We urge the government, which has taken responsibility, to provide this assistance to them as soon as possible,” the BNP leader said. He said their party Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman provided Tk five lakh on Wednesday night and instructed them to visit the hospital in light of the evolving situation.   Salahuddin mentioned that they gave the money to BNP Health Affairs Secretary Rafiqul Islam to distribute among the wounded patients based on their needs.   He said that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other party leaders had visited the hospital and provided financial assistance to the victims of the July movement. Read more: Health Protection Act still pending since 2014: Health Adviser “We will continue this care and support from our party. If we are given the responsibility of running the country, we will take steps to rehabilitate the families of those who were killed and injured during the mass uprising,” the BNP leader promised. Salahuddin also questioned how the fascist Awami League and their cohorts can freely roam and think of doing politics in Bangladesh again after committing genocide.

A three-member BNP delegation, led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, held a meeting with Megan Bouldin, the US Embassy’s chargé d'affaires in Dhaka, on Thursday. The hour-long meeting began at 10 am at Bouldin’s Gulshan residence, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He said Fakhrul, along with BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Organising Secretary Shama Obed, went to the US envoy's house at her invitation to have tea. Sayrul said the discussion covered the issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and the United States, during the meeting.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday alleged that the deposed autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina often issues various threats against the country and its people, much like an invisible female ‘ghost’. While inaugurating a free eye care camp at Banani in the capital, he said the people of the country will never accept a bloodthirsty person like Hasina, whom they ousted through a mass movement. “You (Hasina) were an illegal Prime Minister. Now, you have become a female ghost. The threats of a female ghost can be heard, but they remain invisible,” the BNP leader said. He said that audios containing Hasina’s various threats often go viral, but it remains unclear from where she is issuing these threats. “You once said you were very close to the country, but now you have no trace, like a female ghost living in a tree.” Rizvi said Sheikh Hasina fled the country, but her anger still has not subsided. “Why should her anger subside, when Bangladesh was a goldmine for the Sheikh family? She has lost that goldmine.” He said the members of the Sheikh family and their allies have siphoned off vast amounts of money from Bangladesh through plundering. Rizvi apologises for remarks on removal of Mujib's portrait The BNP leader said that Hasina’s remarks, revealed through the audio clips, show she is desperate to reclaim her lost fortune. “The audio clips also expose that she feels no regret, no sorrow in her heart; she is not saddened.” He said that Sheikh Hasina abandoned her companions and fled with her sister like a selfish person in the face of the student-led mass uprising. Under the guidance of BNP Acting Chairman, 'Amra BNP Paribar' organised the free eye care camp with renowned ophthalmologists to provide eye services to people who lost their vision or suffered eye injuries during the July-August mass movement, as well as to assist the poor. Rizvi also said Hasina has long been playing a bloody game with the people of Bangladesh and is still trying to continue it. “But once the throne of looters and fascists collapses, it cannot be fixed. Otherwise, figures like Hitler, Mussolini, and other autocratic rulers could rise again. A bloodthirsty killer like Sheikh Hasina has no chance of returning to power in this country. You are a bloodthirsty woman who has quenched her thirst by spilling the blood of children,” he said. The BNP leader said Sheikh Hasina had given Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty as a hostage to neighbouring countries just to cling to power. “Now, the only demand of the people is that all agreements signed by Sheikh Hasina from 2009 to August 5, 2024, should be made public by the interim government. Only then can we see the extent of the damage she has done to the country.” Rizvi also stated that Sheikh Hasina has no patriotism and has always been more inclined to favour India.

Stating that various plots are afoot against the country, BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Zainul Abedin Farroque on Wednesday warned the interim government not to take any steps that could lead the people of the country to turn it down. “We’ve given you (govt) our support, and it will continue until the election is held. But don’t follow a path or take any step that will lead the people to reject you,” he said. The BNP leader issued this warning while addressing the introductory meeting organised by the Dhaka North City unit of Ulema Dal at Bhasani Bhaban in the city’s Nayapaltan area. Farroque, also a former opposition chief whip in parliament, said their party wants the reforms and the election roadmap to proceed together. He said the government must implement the electoral system reforms to ensure a credible election. “But you should carry out reforms that are supposed to be undertaken by the people's representatives.” The BNP leader also said their party demands the government to announce a specific date for the election, make preparations for the polls, and reconstitute the Election Commission. “We want both the reforms and the election. But you (govt) must remain alert to ensure that the election is not delayed by falling into the trap of controversial individuals,” he said. Farroque said their party’s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, has already categorically said BNP wants a free, fair and credible election where people can freely exercise their right to vote and elect their representatives. “Our leader Tarique Rahman also told us to be patient, and we have that patience. But if the result of that patience is that controversial people take over the administration and the Awami League’s ghost’s continues to run the ministries, that can’t happen. You must clarify and address that,” he said. Farroque said they are receiving indications of a plot to put the interim government in a difficult position and embarrass it. “When Donald Trump was elected president in America, the next day, she (Sheikh Hasina) asked (her followers) to take to the streets with Trump's photo. These are conspiracies. We must stand against these plots.” He also said many people sacrificed their lives, and many others sustained injuries in the student-led mass movement to free the country from the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina. “The conspiracy has not stopped. We must remain vigilant. No more dictatorship will be allowed in this country. We’ll build a democratic country together.”

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the country's most urgent need is now a free, fair and acceptable election, as various conspiracies and campaigns are being orchestrated against the nation. Talking to journalists at his residence in Thakurgaon district town, the BNP leader said that the proportional representation electoral system is not feasible in the context of Bangladesh. “We’re not concerned about Awami League’s participation in the upcoming election. Our worry is about when the next election will be held, as the current interim government has not yet presented any roadmap for the polls,” he said. Those who may create controversies shouldn’t be given charge: Fakhrul Fakhrul also said the government has formed a committee to reform the electoral system, which has already sent the BNP a letter. “We’re working on it and will provide our feedback very soon. What we have emphasised is that, in the current context, what is most needed in Bangladesh is a free, fair and acceptable election.” He said they have repeatedly talked about the need to make the electoral system suitable for elections and create a level playing field.  “An elected government and an elected parliament are crucial to addressing the country's political and economic crises. This is the point we have been stressing again and again." The BNP leader said India, which has provided shelter to Sheikh Hasina, the main architect of fascism, is carrying out various harmful campaigns against Bangladesh. "We should be cautious about this, or else, as a nation, we will face great danger.” Fakhrul said the number of advisers to the interim government has reached 21, as there are no specific rules regarding the number of advisers. “They can be appointed as needed to run the country,” he explained. The BNP leader said the decision on who will be appointed as an adviser, or who will not, is entirely the responsibility of the Chief Adviser, Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus. “However, I would like to request him to be careful in ensuring that controversial people are not inducted into the advisory council,” Fakhrul said. Stating that the fascist Awami League government has successfully divided the nation, the BNP leader said, "We want to eliminate this division and create a united nation. In a democratic society, there will be different opinions. But on the fundamental issues of Bangladesh's independence, sovereignty, democracy, and people's rights, there must be unity.” He also said the interim government must be given time, as it is not possible to clear 17 years of mess in 17 days or 17 months. "For this, those of you who are in the government have less responsibility. When a democratic government comes, that parliament will carry out those tasks.” The BNP leader also said the interim government should not focus on all reforms, but rather only on those necessary for the election. "The rest of the reforms should be carried out by the elected parliament. That’s why we’ve been saying that the election must be held within a reasonable time frame, and the government must present a roadmap for it." He explained that the main responsibility of this government is to create a level playing field for the election, ensuring that everyone can cast their vote and participate in the process. “The issue of vote rigging must be eradicated, and measures should be taken to ensure that. At the same time, impartial people should be appointed to oversee the election process, the judiciary must be made independent, and the administration must be neutral,” Fakhrul observed. He also pointed out that it is a very difficult situation for ordinary people to cope with the rising prices of daily essentials. "The current government should give more attention to this issue. We hope that there are highly capable individuals within the government. I expect the government to take all the necessary steps to bring the market back to normal," he added.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged the government to refrain from appointing those whose actions may provoke controversies. “We must remember that the opportunity created through the recent student-led mass movement towards reforming the state must not be missed. Missing this opportunity would endanger our identity as a nation,” he said. Fakhrul made the remarks at the inauguration of the Shaheed Zia Memorial Football Tournament, organised by the Lalmonirhat District BNP at Borobari College on Tuesday. Rizvi apologises for remarks on removal of Mujib's portrait "By Allah’s grace, on August 5, 2024, we achieved a second victory over fascist forces through this movement. We have taken an oath to stand against imperialism, together with people," he asserted. He called for a strong movement if necessary, noting that the current government, which came to power during a crucial phase of the student-led movement, is not like previous caretaker administrations. Fakhrul stressed the importance of both elections and reforms across various sectors. “The government should be given time, and we must demonstrate patience while cooperating with them,” he added. BNP’s organising secretary and former Deputy Minister Asadul Habib Dulu presided over the event. Bangladesh Football Federation President Tabith Awal, former national football team captain Aminul Islam, BNP’s Assistant Organisational Secretary Abdul Khaleq, and Rural Development Affairs Secretary Farhad Hossain Azad were, among others, present.