United News of Bangladesh

A Barishal court has ordered police to register a case against leaders and activists of Gono Odhikar Parishad over the vandalism of Jatiya Party’s (JaPa) office in the city. Central President of Gono Odhikar Parishad Nurul Haque Nur and General Secretary Rashed Khan have been named as prime accused in the case filed under the Speedy Trial Act. JaPa’s district General Secretary and lawyer for the case, MA Jalil, said the incident took place on the night of May 31, when Gono Odhikar Parishad activists attacked and vandalised JaPa’s office on Fakirbari Road in the city. “After the incident, our party members went to the police station to file a case, but police refused to accept it. Later, we submitted a written complaint to the court. On Thursday, the court ordered the officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station to record the complaint as a case,” Jalil said. He added that the complaint, along with the court order, was sent to the police station around 11 am. Duty Officer SI Dolly received the documents. Jatiya Party postpones tomorrow’s rally Apart from Nur and Rashed, the case also accuses Gono Odhikar Parishad’s district President HM Shamim Reza, district General Secretary HM Hasan, city General Secretary Farhad Hossain, along with 25 named and 70 to 80 unidentified activists of the party. Reacting to the development, Gono Odhikar Parishad’s Barishal city General Secretary Farhad Hossain said, “We are not aware of any case being filed in court over the vandalism of JaPa’s office. However, if there is such a case, we will face it legally.” Kotwali Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman said, “We have not yet received any documents from the court regarding the case. If the duty officer has received them, we will get those in due time.”

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said the fascists and their allies must be ousted from the judiciary first in a bid to ensure the actual independence of the judiciary in the country. “To make judicial independence truly effective, fascists must be ousted from the lower and upper judiciary,” he told reporters in the afternoon after the ninth day of the second round of reform dialogue at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Salahuddin alleged that certain collaborators of fascist forces are still in the lower judiciary, who unlawfully punished political activists, journalists and people from all classes and professions through night court sessions. “We should not protect these fascists (judges) anymore. We want a judiciary -- both of the upper and lower tiers-- free from allies of the fascists,” he said. He said job termination, transfer or departmental actions are sufficient against the allies of the fascists rather they will have to be tried for their individual criminal liability. “Their individual criminal liability must be fixed. It’s not enough to just terminate their jobs — they must also be held accountable and tried for their criminal offenses,” he added. BNP slams BTRC’s draft telecom policy, calls it inappropriate before polls Only then, Salahuddin argued, can genuine judicial independence be implemented. “Otherwise, if these fascists remain in both tiers of the judiciary, they will continue to be the sole beneficiaries of whatever reforms we undertake to ensure the independence of the judiciary. That is our clear position.” He warned that if the judiciary is run by them, even the strictest of laws will be misused. Many of these fascist collaborators — some involved in serious crimes, even crimes against humanity — are easily securing bail from the district level court to the High Court. These things (granting bails) are done by the allies of the fascists. BNP extends maximum support for national reform consensus: Salahuddin The BNP leader said they want a judiciary to be completely independent --constitutionally and legally-- and one whose benefits are enjoyed by the people. “But first, these fascists must be removed from the judiciary,” he said.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam on Thursday warned that those attempting to revive the old culture of terrorism will face consequences like those faced by autocrat Sheikh Hasina, as the spirit of the July warriors remains alive. “An attempt is being made to bring back the old culture…we are seeing that again. Those who carried out the July people's uprising are still awake, still on the streets. If anyone thinks that they can bring back the old occupation and the politics of old terrorism, then their fate will also be like that of the dictator Hasina,“ he said while addressing a street rally in Nilphamari district town on the third-day of their ‘July March’. Expressing frustration over the fulfillment of July expectations, he said many desires have not been yet fulfilled post the uprising, vowing to continue their fight. Recalling the contribution of all walks of life to oust the Sheikh Hasina government, he said the discrimination-free country is yet to be established despite sacrificing thousands of lives. Nahid said they did not need to form a political party if all demands were met post the uprising. Regarding the justice for the July victims, those who, including Sheikh Hasina and her collaborators carried out genocide must be tried, otherwise pains of the martyr families will not wipe out. No support for old appointment practices in constitutional bodies: Nahid "There must be fundamental reforms, and we must move towards elections through these reforms. Bangladesh needs a new constitution. The Awami League and the ‘Mujibbadi constitution’ must be discarded. There is no point in retaining a constitution that is not the constitution of people,” he said. Party’s chief organiser (southern region) Hasnat Abdullah, senior joint convenor Samanta Sharmin, senior joint member secretary Dr Tasnim Zara, and joint chief organiser (northern region) Abu Sayed Leon were, among others present. Chief organiser (northern zone) Sarjis Alam conducted the event.

Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle on Thursday said her country is keen to support Bangladesh in holding a free and fair national election. “There has been discussion on the election in Bangladesh with importance. Australia is providing significant assistance in this regard, particularly to the Election Commission, and they are continuing with that support,” said BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. He said Australia wants to see a fair and credible election take place in Bangladesh. “Australia will continue its support in this regard.” Khosru made the remarks while briefing reporters after the Australian High Commissioner paid a courtesy call on BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The hour-long meeting that began around 4pm was held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office. Apart from Amir Khosru, BNP Organising Secretary Shama Obaed was also present at the meeting. During the meeting, Khosru said discussions were held on various issues, including bilateral relations between the two countries, trade and commerce, and the election. “There was a discussion on the relationship between the two countries. The areas of potential cooperation, particularly in sectors like education and agriculture, were discussed,” he said, adding that they also talked about increasing Australian investment in Bangladesh. “The issues faced by Bangladeshi immigrants in Australia also came up for discussion, along with possible ways to solve those problems,” he said. Khosru said they also discussed the overall political situation in Bangladesh and the country’s progress towards democratic transition following a political change last year. Khosru said the people of Bangladesh, especially the youth, had been unable to exercise their right to vote in the last three elections. “So, the people across the country are now eagerly waiting to cast their votes.” He said both Australia and BNP believe there will be a huge voter turnout in the next election, and voters of all ages and genders will go to the polling stations with enthusiasm. “It will be a good election through which an elected government will come to power, helping to move forward the transition to democracy.” Replying to a question, Khosru said the Australian envoy did not offer any suggestions regarding the reform process in Bangladesh. “As before, BNP is taking the lead in initiating reforms this time.” He said BNP presented a 31-point reform proposal with a pledge to implement it by forming a national government. The BNP leader said all previous elections in Bangladesh had been held in a fair and credible atmosphere under neutral caretaker governments. He said there was no reason for concern about the upcoming national election, as political parties and the people were committed to ensuring a stable environment for voting.

BNP on Thursday voiced concerns over the BTRC’s recently drafted ‘Telecommunication Network and Licensing Regime Reform Policy 2025’, saying that unilaterally enacting such a national policy ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election would be inappropriate. “BNP believes that it won’t be appropriate to unilaterally enact such a nationally important policy at this time, especially considering the upcoming national elections,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. He conveyed the party's observations on the policy during a press conference at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office. “BNP has taken note of the recent initiative by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) regarding the 'Draft Telecom Network and Licensing Reform Policy 2025'. While this initiative is commendable, we express apprehension about making hasty decisions in such a nationally important sector at this moment,” Fakhrul said. He said the objectives of the policy are to simplify the licensing process, encourage technological advancement, and increase digital inclusion for the rural population which are certainly positive aspects. The BNP leader, however, said analysing the draft policy, some serious issues can be found that could hinder equitable and sustainable development in the telecom sector. BNP extends maximum support for national reform consensus: Salahuddin “BNP, with a constructive mindset, is highlighting the potential weaknesses, ambiguities, and certain clauses within this draft that could unduly benefit large Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) – which might harm Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and local entrepreneurs,” he said. Fakhrul said it is necessary to ensure caution, transparency and participation of relevant stakeholders in formulating such national-level telecom policies. “With the national election ahead, hasty decisions should not be made.” He said his party pledged to continue working towards equitable development through digital connectivity and safeguarding national digital security and sovereignty. Narrating the potential problems and challenges of the draft policy, the BNP leader said if the restriction on ownership across multiple services’ sectors is lifted, major mobile operators may establish monopolistic control in several areas. “This will reduce competition and push smaller companies further behind.” He also said that SMEs could face a financial crisis if the draft policy is implemented. “Following deregulation, especially in the absence of clear guidelines on the assets and liabilities of local ISPs or small telecom operators, these smaller entities could fall into serious financial difficulties.” Fakhrul said there is also a lack of clarity about the limit on foreign ownership, which could discourage investment and affect the stability of the sector. “Loopholes in cross-ownership could allow large companies to take over even more of the market.” He urged the government to hold open discussions with all stakeholders, including SMEs, technology experts, and consumer organisations, before finalising such an important policy. “A full analysis of the financial and social impact of the proposed policy should also be carried out. It is especially important to consider the possible harm to SMEs and local businesses, job losses and the overall impact on the economy,” the BNP leader said. He warned that the draft policy favours large companies by giving them easier access to ISP and NSP licences. This could sideline SMEs, reduce competition and create monopolies, which would harm the wider economy. Fakhrul said the policy does not provide clear guidance on satellite broadband and new digital services, which could confuse investors. He also said the limits of enterprise services are unclear, especially when it comes to where mobile operators’ fibre-based business connections should be restricted. “This lack of clarity in the policy could lead to disputes and inequality,” he added. BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan alleged that the government did not consult with relevant experts or political parties before formulating such a policy. “We do not support making such an important policy hastily before the election,” he said.

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said his party has extended the highest cooperation to achieve a national consensus on reform initiatives. “We have so far provided maximum cooperation to build a national consensus,” he said while briefing reporters after the eighth day of the second-round dialogue between the National Consensus Commission and the political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. Salahuddin said the BNP has constructively engaged with the reform proposals on various issues. “From the very first day, we’ve agreed on many issues,” he said. Focusing on his party’s support to different reform proposals, he said BNP agreed with others to change the article 70 of the constitution in bid to ensure that MPs can freely vote even other than some specific bills including finance money bills and no-confidence motions. About the parliamentary committees, he said the BNP proposed that key oversight committees like the Public Undertakings Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Privileges Committee, and Estimates Committee should be chaired by opposition MPs. Besides, opposition MPs should be picked up proportionately for the chairmanship of other parliamentary committees. Salahuddin said the BNP agreed to a proposal to slap a 10-year cap for any person to serve as Prime Minister in their lifetime. “We’ve endorsed that no person can serve as the Prime Minister for a maximum of 10 years in their lifetime,” he said. No scope for major electoral reforms, PR without Parliament: Khosru Dismissing speculations that BNP is unwilling to compromise on reform issues, he said BNP gave detailed responses to all 131 recommendations from the Constitutional Reform Commission. “We’ve agreed with most and opposed only a few,” he said, adding that other parties have not submitted such a comprehensive response. He said BNP wants a strong, functional Ombudsman office with a dedicated secretariat and expanded legal authority. The BNP leader said his party agreed with almost 100 percent recommendations from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) reform commission. “We’ve expressed a different views regarding one out of 47 recommendations,” he said. Out of 208 recommendations from the Public Administration Reform Commission, BNP agreed with 127 and partially disagreed with 16. It outright opposed only a few impractical ideas, like forming provinces, he added. About Judicial Reform, BNP supported 62 of 89 recommendations, he said adding that his party expressed support for full independence of the judiciary but agreed partially on a few procedural issues, such as prosecution services. Regarding electoral reform, he said BNP agreed with more than 140 out of the 243 election-related proposals. The party raised objections to other recommendations as the electoral reform report contained some recommendations hypothetical, repetitive or conflicting with the constitutional independence of the Election Commission. About Wednesday's reform discussion, Salahuddin reaffirmed BNP’s stance for restoration of the 90-day caretaker system to conduct the national election, with a potential one-month extension in case of emergencies (act of God). Defying proposals from some political parties for holding both the national election and all local government elections under a 4-month caretaker government, he said “If caretaker governments are to oversee all local elections, they’ll have to stay for five years, which is absurd.” He said the local government elections are held at four levels—Union Parishad or Municipality, Upazila, District and City Corporation— at least six months is required for holding elections in each level. Since their terms expire at different times, it can’t be a function of the caretaker government. Establishing elected govt now key task, says BNP’s Nazrul About the demarcation of the parliamentary constituencies, the BNP leader said consensus was achieved over a proposal for the formation of a special committee for delimitation of constituencies. “It is I who placed the proposal,” he said. As per the proposal, a clause will be incorporated in the Constitution allowing formation of a specialised committee after each census for delimitation purposes. However, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher at a press briefing said his party wants the local government elections would be held under a 4-month caretaker government. About Wednesday's talks, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz at a press briefing said there is no disagreement among political parties regarding the reinstatement of the caretaker government system. He, however, said the structure of the caretaker government will be discussed later to reach an agreement over it. He said the parties agreed on taking both immediate and long-term measures for constituency delimitation. As an immediate measure, an expert committee — comprising individuals with appropriate expertise —will be formed (or modified if already in place) with assistance from the Election Commission to determine parliamentary constituencies for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, based on the committee’s recommendations. Khaleda calls for upholding unity, quick steps to institutionalise democracy On long-term arrangements, Riaz said a provision will be added to the end of Article 119(1)(g) of the Constitution—after the word “and”—stating that “an expert committee will be formed by law” to revise parliamentary boundaries after every census or within a maximum of 10 years. The structure and responsibilities of this committee will be defined by amending Section 8(3) of the National Parliament (Constituency Demarcation) Act, 2021, revised in 2025. Representatives from 30 political parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens’ Party (NCP), took part in the dialogue.

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday said there is no scope to make a major decision to introduce the Proportional Representation (PR) system for elections without an elected parliament. “There is no mention of the Proportional Representation system in our 31-point proposal. Those who are talking about such a major change in the election system cannot do it without the next parliament,” he said. Khosru, a BNP Standing Committee member, made the remark while talking to reporters after holding meetings at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan with four political parties and alliances--Bangladesh Jonodhikar Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Am Janatar Dal and Gonotantrik Bam Oikya. He recalled that when the country shifted from a presidential to a parliamentary system, all major parties in parliament agreed together and passed it there. Tarique urges BNP to stay vigilant against election conspiracies “If any party wants elections to be held under a proportional system… With respect to their opinion, I must say that they should take this idea to the people, get a mandate in the next election, and then raise it in the next parliament. Any fundamental change must be placed before the people through elections and passed in parliament,” the BNP leader said. At this stage, Khosru said the proportional election system is not even a subject for discussion. In response to a question about reforms, he said BNP has already mentioned where it has reached consensus — such as the proposal for a bicameral parliament, and the idea that no one can be Prime Minister more than twice. “These are basically BNP’s proposals. So, in fact, there is already a lot of consensus.” “But we must remember that it’s not possible to agree on everything. We are not forming a one-party state (Baksal)… The issues where there is agreement will go forward through consensus. For the rest, each party will go to the people, seek their opinion, and act accordingly,” he observed. Earlier, Khosru, along with BNP Standing Committee Member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Vice Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu, held separate meetings at the Chairperson’s office.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday urged his party leaders and activists to remain alert against any conspiracy aimed at preventing voters from exercising their rights to elect public representatives through the ballot in the next national election. “We want this message to reach everyone that we want around 12.5 crore voters of Bangladesh in the coming days to be able to express their opinions through the ballot. We must stay alert so that no one can conspire against this,” he said. Addressing the triennial council of the Patuakhali district unit BNP virtually from London, Tarique said they often hear whispers and rumours about attempts to obstruct the election. “As followers of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, all our leaders and workers across Bangladesh must remain aware of these issues.” The BNP leader said many of their leaders and activists have sacrificed their lives, been maimed, killed, persecuted and tortured to establish the people’s right to vote over the last 17 years. “So, we must make sure that no one can conspire against this right. We must stay alert.” He also expressed the hope to see BNP leaders and activists on the country’s soil soon and urged them not to do anything that could harm the party’s image. “If you do something that people dislike, every leader and activist--even the party itself --will have to bear its negative impact. That’s why I urge every leader and activist in all 64 districts of Bangladesh not to indulge in any activities that may cause public resentment against us,” Tarique said. He directed party leaders and workers at all levels to win public trust through their good work and positive behaviour. “Why should any of our colleagues do anything that may harm the party? If you see any of your colleagues doing something that could damage the party’s image or erode public trust, it is your duty not to let it happen,” the BNP leader said. As members or leaders of the country’s largest political party, he said everyone must act responsibly and live up to people's expectations. Tarique said it is the responsibility of every BNP member not only to strengthen the foundation of democracy but also to ensure that neither they nor any of their colleagues do anything that could damage the party’s reputation. Patuakhali BNP holds district council after 23 years “Everyone must keep this in mind. Today, I give every leader and activist of the party this sacred responsibility. It is everyone’s duty to protect the party’s reputation at any cost. Those who damage the party’s image must not be given any kind of indulgence or protection,” he said. As a major political party, Tarique said people expect BNP to take responsibility to ensure that no harm is caused to people’s lives and property. “If the administration seeks cooperation, BNP leaders and activists must assist in maintaining law and order and peace in their areas.” He urged BNP leaders and workers not to take the law into their own hands, but to focus on building democracy on a strong foundation. “Everybody says BNP is the biggest political party in the country. But like the eldest son in a family, being the biggest also brings some problems. It comes with greater challenges, greater responsibilities and greater sacrifices,” Tarique said. He called upon BNP leaders and activists to practise tolerance, to listen to and respect differing opinions. “We may have differences of opinion, but we must sit with others, listen to them, and solve problems through discussion.” The BNP leader said all parties are working to reach a consensus on reforms to stop the rise of any fascist system in the future. He, however, said the claim that reforms are being delayed because of BNP is misleading and incorrect. The BNP leader said the party has made compromises on many state reform proposals, even when it disagreed with them, to help lay the foundation for democracy. “The BNP was the first to propose electoral reforms and state restructuring. Even during the consensus-building process, BNP made major compromises. Though we may not agree on many issues, we have made sacrifices for the sake of democracy, so that everyone can move forward towards elections. But that does not mean BNP will compromise on every issue.”

Major political parties have agreed in principle to the formation of a constitutionally mandated specialised committee to oversee the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies after each national census, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said on Wednesday. He made the remarks to journalists at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, after the conclusion of the first phase of the Consensus Commission’s dialogue with various political parties. “Today’s discussion focused on the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. Article 119 of our Constitution addresses this issue. In the past, the Election Commission carried out this task independently. Now, in the interest of transparency, there is a proposal to introduce a change — that is, the formation of a specialised committee,” Dr Taher said. He said this committee will assist and advise the Election Commission (EC) on the delimitation process. The proposal has two parts. Firstly, for the upcoming national election, our party as well as the Commission proposed forming a technical expert committee under the EC, Dr Taher added. “As there is limited time before the next election, there is no opportunity to introduce a different approach now. Therefore, for the 13th parliamentary election, the EC will form an expert committee, and the delimitation of constituencies will be carried out based on its recommendations,” he added. Dr Taher underscored the importance of this initiative, saying, “Accurate and transparent delimitation of parliamentary constituencies is extremely important, as it can significantly influence election outcomes.” He went on to say, “Delimitation requires the work of numerous experts. This includes field surveys, geographic coordination, and proportional representation of voters, a range of factors that must be analysed. Taking all these into account, an expert committee will be formed.” Jamaat meets EC,  demands local body polls before general election Dr Taher said the parties also agreed on a more permanent mechanism: “There was a consensus on incorporating the provision for such an expert committee in the Constitution. After every census, this committee will be activated to carry out the delimitation process. It will function as a constitutional body.” He added that the committee will be independent and formed through expert nominations. “Initially, the Commission proposed naming the body with ‘Commission’ at the end. Some parties objected to that. Ultimately, everyone agreed to use ‘Committee’ instead.” “Jamaat was in favour of retaining the term ‘Commission’. However, the BNP initially opposed making it a constitutional provision and instead proposed legislating it through an ordinary law. After extended discussions, the BNP shifted its stance in favour of a constitutional arrangement in the interest of consensus. We also made a compromise — we accepted the term ‘Committee’ instead of ‘Commission’. After the two major parties agreed, the remaining parties followed suit,” he said. Recalling past practices, Dr Taher said, “Over the last 15 years, the boundaries of many constituencies have been altered to benefit certain individuals. A significant number of these changes were made during the Awami League’s tenure. In fact, many within the party themselves appealed against those alterations.”

The long-awaited tri-annual conference of the BNP’s Patuakhali district unit began on Wednesday, marking the first such district council in Barishal division where leaders will be elected through direct voting. After 23 years, the conference venue, Gymnasium ground in the town, turned into a festive gathering since morning as leaders and activists from across the district thronged the area. The formal inauguration of the conference began with the hoisting of the national and party flags by BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Awal Mintoo. Later in the day, BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined the event and delivered the chief guest’s speech. Tarique inaugurates BNP’s 36-day programme marking July Uprising anniversary The conference was presided over by district BNP convener Abdul Rashid Chunnu Mia and conducted by member secretary Snehashu Sarkar Kutti. The entire town wore a festive look centring the conference, as streets have been decorated with colourful banners, festoons and arches, while vibrant lights adorn key areas. The first session of the conference features speeches from central and district leaders. In the second session, councillors will cast their votes to elect the new district committee, the first BNP district council in Barishal division through direct voting.