United News of Bangladesh

The authorities at Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia have formed an 11-member committee to draft a constitution for the Islamic University Central Students’ Union (Iucsu) and Hall Parliament. The announcement came through a press release issued on Wednesday night signed by IU’s acting registrar Professor M Manjurul Haque. Professor M Mizanur Rahman of the Accounting and Information Systems department has been appointed as the convener of the committee, while Professor M Kamrul Hasan of the Arabic Language and Literature department will serve as the member secretary. Cucsu elections set to be held on Oct 12 after 35-year hiatus Other members of the committee are Professor Alinur Rahman (Management), Professor Shahid Muhammad Rezwan (Da’wah and Islamic Studies), Professor M Tozammel Hossain (Arabic Language and Literature), Professor M Najibul Haque (Electrical and Electronic Engineering), Professor M Mostafizur Rahman (Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies), Professor Kazi Mostafa Arif (Economics). The committee also includes Professor Ekramul Haque, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Dhaka University; Professor Zafar Ullah Talukder, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Chittagong University; and Barrister Imam Hossain Sidney of the Supreme Court as external experts. The committee has been tasked with preparing a draft constitution and submitting it to Vice-Chancellor Professor Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah at the earliest. Ducsu polls: JCD unveils 10-point manifesto promising changes This development follows a meeting held on Monday between the vice-chancellor and student representatives from the 'Movement for IUCSU,' where students urged the university to accelerate the process of forming the student union and holding elections. The formation of this committee marks a crucial step toward establishing formal student governance at the university.

BNP on Thursday expressed happiness over the Election Commission’s (EC) newly announced roadmap for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, seeing it as a positive and hopeful step. “The roadmap (for the national election) has been announced. It gives us an impression that the Election Commission has taken preparations to hold the election by February,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Talking to reporters about the EC’s roadmap, he said, “The main point is — we are happy.” Asked whether the roadmap announcement is good news for the people, Fakhrul simply replied, “Yes.” Earlier in the day, the Election Commission unveiled the detailed electoral action plan, setting timelines to complete all necessary measures to arrange the 13th parliamentary election before Ramadan in February 2026. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed presented the action plan at a press conference at Nirbachan Bhaban in the afternoon. The roadmap includes various activities such as political dialogues, meetings with stakeholders, training sessions, budget planning, ICT preparations, campaign strategies, inter-ministerial coordination, and forming implementation and monitoring cells. Particularly, the dialogue with political parties and stakeholders is scheduled for the last week of September. It’s good news: Khosru Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury also welcomed the move at an event in Banani, saying the election roadmap is indeed “good news.” “I’ve just received a text about the roadmap… I’ve seen it, and I’m sharing it with you — this is good news,” he said while speaking at a discussion held at a city hotel. Khosru said people in the country are now becoming more focused on the election and hopeful about having an elected government. Mirza Fakhrul discharged from hospital “People are waiting for an election that will lead to an elected government and parliament, which will be accountable and answerable to the public,” he said. The BNP leader said people had not been able to make proper decisions because there was no elected government. “But I can now feel that they are starting to make their decisions.” He hoped that there would be a major turnaround in the country's economy after the election, and that the economy would recover. “We’ll have strong skill development, and the country will move forward.”

After more than three decades, the long-awaited election of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (Cucsu) is set to take place on October 12. The CUCSU election management committee announced the schedule on Thursday at a programme held at 3pm at the university's Sociology Faculty Auditorium. Meanwhile, a total of 471 candidates will contest the 38th Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) elections scheduled for September 9. Ducsu candidates will vie for a total of 28 positions in this year’s elections.

BNP Standing Committee member Hafizuddin Ahmed on Thursday said Bangladesh’s 1972 Constitution reflects the aspirations of people as it is a product of the Liberation War, not of the Awami League. He made the remarks at a discussion held at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 33rd founding anniversary of the Nationalist Freedom Fighters’ Party. After the Liberation War, Hafizuddin said, they had no personal desire and ambition for political power, which allowed the Awami League to assume power with India’s support. According to him, the Constitution drafted in 1972 embodies the aspirations of ordinary citizens and the Awami League’s presence during its formulation was incidental.  “So, the Constitution should not be regarded as the Awami League’s creation.” Hafizuddin, a veteran freedom fighter, criticised the current demand to discard Bangladesh’s 1972 constitution, calling it ‘completely pointless’. Speaking on the need for a free and fair election under an interim government, he said, “Those who have never witnessed the Liberation War claim the constitution must be thrown out and the July Charter placed above it. In 1971, we fought for democracy, yet it has still not been fully realised.” Hafizuddin also recalled that before the March 25, 1971 military crackdown, Tajuddin Ahmed had urged Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to declare independence. “He refused, saying he believed in an undivided Pakistan,” he said. Hafizuddin stressed that around the world, Constitutions are formulated by elected representatives, including in Bangladesh, and this principle must continue in the future, as no unelected people can amend the Constitution. He reiterated the need for a free and fair election under an interim government, stating that only elected representatives should decide the future form of Bangladesh’s Constitution. People in Bangladesh used to voting for individuals, not symbols: Hafizuddin He expressed concern that the current generation, which has never witnessed the Liberation War, fails to recognise the sacrifices made, and thus some advocate scrapping the Constitution and placing the July Accord above it, which he called entirely baseless. He reminded his audience that the 1971 war was fought to establish democracy—an ideal that has yet to be fully realised.

Stressing the need for working on the concept of the ‘creative industry’,  BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Thursday pledged to integrate arts and culture from rural areas into the country’s economic mainstream if his party comes to power.  “To utilise our potential, we must take advantage of the demographic dividend. For this, along with education, everyone must build themselves up with skills,” he said while addressing a youth-focused event at a city hotel. The former minister said democracy in politics was not enough and explained that if the economy could not be democratised, no politics would work and democracy would be of no use, and emphasised that democracy should be established for all with equal rights and that a welfare state must be built. Khosru said future activities in Bangladesh must reflect people’s aspirations and reach remote communities and outlined the idea of the creative industry. “This will include everyone in Bangladesh weavers, blacksmiths, potters, fine artists, designers, musicians all will be brought into the economy. For example, we have a wide variety of music like Bhawaiya, folk songs, Lalon songs but we have not yet brought them into the mainstream. Many forms of music in Bangladesh are disappearing,” he said. The BP leader said globally, handicrafts fetched a high price, but they had not been able to take advantage of this. To bring handicrafts into the mainstream economy, Khosru said, programmes for the creative industry would be introduced and that artisans must be provided with the raw materials they needed, given assistance, and offered opportunities for branding and marketing platforms. Citing Thailand’s experience, he said, “When Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister, we were taken to his country to see the ‘One Village, One Product’ model. They identified each village by its best product— this village produces one item well, another village another product. Then they supported its design, export and branding. They advanced with such a plan. Like Amazon and Alibaba, they branded their products.” Khosru said people in rural areas would be provided with platforms enabling them to export products directly. BNP pledges commission to ensure fair journalism: Amir Khosru “They will not need to come to Dhaka or Chattogram. We enjoy drama and theatre, but we cannot promote it. We have not been able to monetise it. Yet Dhaka’s theatre could become like London’s, and the same could happen in Chattogram. This is not just entertainment— if we can do it, huge employment will also be created. These too are part of the economy. The economy is not only about the garment sector or manufacturing. In the past, we failed to make use of this,” he added. On the borderless nature of culture, he said, “Music has no boundaries. From Bangladesh, we listen to English or Spanish songs. Today’s young generation is always immersed in Korean dramas. This shows that arts and culture have no frontiers. They must be brought into the mainstream economy.” At the same time, he expressed his expectation to spread IT businesses across the country, pointing out Bangladesh’s demographic advantage. “As a country, we are enjoying the demographic dividend. Compared to Western nations, we have more young and working-age people. This is our asset. But it will only become a true asset when we can monetise it. For that, we must work— along with education, skills must be enhanced. Due to lack of skills, we are failing to utilise the demographic dividend,” he said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that a section within the government is deliberately working to prevent pro-democratic forces from assuming power in the country. “A section within the government is deliberately trying to prevent pro-democracy forces from coming to power. We must stay alert and work harder,” he said at a discussion meeting at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 10th death anniversary of veteran politician Kazi Zafar Ahmed. He said reports of Bangladeshi officials and advisers being harassed by Awami League activists in New York left them frustrated and unsure where to turn. Referring to more recent reports, the BNP leader said, “I saw a big news item published that a Bangladeshi, known for bank looting at home, has given Tk 2,500 crore to Sheikh Hasina while in Delhi, and planned how to use that money to stop Bangladesh’s election and bring Hasina back again.” Rizvi warns of ‘dangerous conspiracy’, hopes for free polls before Ramadan Fakhrul said, “Through an uprising, we must move from a terrible fascism towards a democratic transition. We are working for that. Much has already been done. On state reforms, political parties have reached consensus on many issues, though on some they could not. An election date has also been announced.” “We have formulated a 31-point programme that incorporates all the reforms. From the beginning, we supported reforms, realising that democracy cannot be established under the existing state structure. Whatever cooperation was needed for reforms, we have provided to the interim government,” he added. The BNP leader said they had not created obstacles anywhere, nor had they raised major demands to oppose the government on the streets. Unfortunately, he said, some political quarters were deliberately raising new demands to thwart or disrupt the election. They were making demands unfamiliar to the people of Bangladesh, where even the concept of ‘reform’ was not widely understood, he added. Turning to proportional voting, he said, “Explaining proportional voting will take time, it is very difficult to understand. After casting your vote, you do not know who you voted for. You think there is a popular person in your area and you vote with him in mind, but it turns out someone else is elected. This is not yet clear to us, nor to the general public. Yet they are threatening loudly with such issues.” Questioning the motives behind such moves, he said that they were like a burnt cow, having seen that whenever change occurred, others took advantage of it. He added that the longer it took to hold elections, the more others benefited. BNP leader Fazlur Rahman suspended for three months He further remarked that the 1/11 government had stayed in power for two years and then handed over authority to fascists. Over the last 15 years, he said, they had suffered the consequences, as the country’s economy had been destroyed, its political structure dismantled, and the people’s mindset changed. “In politics I have never felt depressed, never lost hope. I have always inspired and given courage. But lately, a sense of despair has been lingering. Why? Because wherever I look, most people seem corrupted. Corruption is rampant—you cannot go to any office or court. A businessman said that previously he had to pay Tk 100,000, now it is Tk 500,000,” Fakhrul said. He lamented that the expected change in mindset has not materialised. “Unfortunately, political leaders themselves have become involved, which is causing further damage to Bangladesh.” Calling for unity, Fakhrul said that to save Bangladesh, everyone needed to come forward, as it was their country. The BNP leader recalled that in 1971 they had fought the war, during which many were killed and many lost brothers, sisters, and mothers as martyrs. “Numerous homes had been burnt and villages set ablaze.”  

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday said the country is 'going through a dangerous conspiracy' hatched by both local and international quarters, but hoped that a fair election will be held before Ramadan, enabling people to cast their votes after 16 years. He made the remarks after placing wreaths and offering fateha at the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Dhaka University premises on the occasion of the poet’s 49th death anniversary. Rizvi said the people of Bangladesh are still deprived of many rights. “The ultimate goal of our movement, democracy, has not yet been established. But we believe that very soon, before Ramadan, a free and fair election will take place. Then, the voters of this country, who have been unable to vote for 16 years, will finally be able to exercise their right,” he said. Alongside this, he said, other essential conditions of democracy—such as ensuring a sense of security among the people, establishing the rule of law and guaranteeing justice—must also be ensured. Election opponents will be left out of politics: Salahuddin “The courts must become the last refuge for the helpless. We must advance towards building such a society,” he added. Referring to Nazrul’s inspiration, Rizvi said, “The source of people’s inspiration in fulfilling this goal is National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. He was a poet of humanity, love and rebellion. In every struggle for national achievement and rights—from the anti-British movement, the Liberation War, the mass movement of the nineties to the recent world-shaking uprising—his songs and poems inspired people, taking them to the streets reciting his verses and singing his songs.” He went on to say, “We did not hesitate to stand fearless in front of the tyrant’s bullets because our voices carried the songs and poems of Kazi Nazrul Islam. Whenever the people of this country are deprived of their rights, it is his poetry and songs that unite them, ignite their determination to break the shackles of oppression.” The BNP leader said Nazrul never hesitated to wield his sharp pen against colonial powers. People eagerly waiting to vote in February elections: Dr Moyeen “Through his poems, songs and creations, he instilled a spirit in the entire nation. With that spirit, our leader Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman have carried forward the struggle, which found its ultimate expression in the July movement,” Rizvi added.  

BNP has suspended all the party posts held by Advocate Fazlur Rahman, a member of the BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council and a valiant freedom fighter, for three months. “Yes, Fazlur Rahman’s all party posts have been suspended for three months,” a joint assistant office secretary of the party told UNB on Tuesday, wishing anonymity. According to the suspension letter, a show-cause notice had been issued against Fazlur Rahman on August 24. “Instead of submitting a written reply, he sought more time, which was extended by 24 hours on Monday. But the reply he submitted today was deemed unsatisfactory,” the source said. BNP’s Fazlur Rahman alleges receiving ‘murder’ threats The suspension letter says, “Nevertheless, considering your contribution to the Liberation War as a valiant freedom fighter, no stern organisational action is being taken against you. Instead, your primary membership along with all posts at every level of the party has been suspended for three months under directive.” The letter also warned him to exercise caution while speaking in talk shows or on social media, ensuring that the country’s image and the party’s policies are not undermined and that the religious sentiments of the people are not hurt. Earlier, Fazlur Rahman had submitted a written response to the show-cause notice. His wife, Advocate Umme Kulsum Rekha, told reporters that the reply had been delivered to the party’s central office by a special messenger, and that he would not be speaking to journalists at this stage. BNP issues show-cause notice to Fazlur Rahman over uprising remarks The four-page reply on his personal pad addressed in detail the queries raised by the party, she said, adding that the response was written to BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. In his written reply, Fazlur Rahman stated, “I have never spoken or acted in a manner that could harm my beloved party, BNP, nor will I ever do so. I have the highest confidence in the judgement of the leadership of the nationalist party. I hope for justice and shall always remain loyal to any decision taken in the greater interest of the party.” On August 24, BNP issued the show-cause notice to Fazlur Rahman following his repeated ‘controversial’ remarks regarding the July–August mass uprising. The notice, signed by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, was delivered to his Dhaka address through a special messenger. The notice accused him of persistently making ‘crude and misleading statements’ about the historic uprising and the sacrifices of martyrs, which were ‘completely contrary to the party’s ideology and the spirit of the uprising’. Youths alone cannot build Bangladesh: Moyeen Khan “Your remarks against this mass uprising and on the movement to restore democracy have sparked intense public reaction. Many believe your statements are a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the party,” it said. The notice also alleged, “You have even hurt the religious sentiments of people through your comments. During the July–August uprising, over 450 BNP leaders and activists, along with nearly 1,500 students and members of the public, were martyred, and more than 30,000 sustained serious injuries. You are repeatedly dishonouring and belittling this heroic role of students and the public in the struggle to restore democracy.” The notice asked him to explain within 24 hours why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for making “bizarre and undisciplined statements”, directing that the reply be submitted in writing to the party’s central office in Nayapaltan.

The government on Tuesday approved several procurement proposals, including the import of 65,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer. The other proposals are construction of a 10,000-MT capacity buffer warehouse in Bhola, maintenance work for the GT-2 unit of Shahjibazar 330 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant, and the printing and distribution of 3.62 crore free textbooks for the 2026 academic year. The approvals came at the 33rd meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) this year, with Finance Adviser  Salehuddin Ahmed presiding over the meeting virtually. Under two separate proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) will procure 25,000 MT of TSP fertilizer from Groupe Chimique Tunisien at a cost of around Tk 184.66 crore, with each tonne priced at USD 602.50. The agreement with Tunisia was renewed on April 29, 2024, under the same terms and conditions. The government has set a target to import 4.25 lakh MT of TSP fertilizer in the 2025–26 fiscal year, of which 1 lakh MT will be sourced from Tunisia. Additionally, BADC will import 40,000 MT of DAP fertilizer from OCP, Nutricrops, Morocco, in the third lot, costing approximately Tk 383.16 crore at a unit price of USD 781.33 per tonne. The existing contract with Morocco was renewed on July 2, 2025. Under the annual import plan, Bangladesh aims to import 8.81 lakh MT of DAP fertilizer in FY 2025–26, with 2.81 lakh MT coming from Morocco. The committee also approved a proposal from the Ministry of Industries to construct a 10,000-MT capacity buffer warehouse in Bhola under the project “Construction of 34 Buffer Warehouses across the Country for Fertilizer Storage and Distribution.” The project, implemented by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), will cost Tk 49.49 crore, funded by the government. Following an open tender, only one bidder — a joint venture of MBL and REL, Dhaka — was found technically and financially responsive. The Bhola warehouse will feature a steel structure godown for urea fertilizer, along with site development, an office-cum-guest house, Ansar barrack, sub-station and generator room, external toilet blocks, a watch tower, RCC storm drains, a pump house, an underground water reservoir, boundary walls, and other facilities. It will also include a 100 KVA sub-station, 60 KVA generator, and a solar power system to ensure uninterrupted operations. The project is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2027. Govt approves procurement of LNG cargo, fertiliser, refined sugar In another proposal, the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will carry out maintenance work on the GT-2 unit of the Shahjibazar power plant at a cost of Tk 111.18 crore, funded from BPDB’s own resources. The power plant, built at a cost of Tk 2,809.20 crore, began operations in 2016 but suffered damage to its GT-2 unit in 2022. The repair work, to be executed by SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co. Ltd. of China, includes the procurement, supply, installation, and testing of required parts and systems, along with integration and commissioning to restore the unit’s generation capacity. The meeting also approved a proposal from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education for the printing, binding, and distribution of 3.62 crore textbooks for class four and five students in the 2026 academic year. The contract, worth Tk 187.11 crore, will be implemented by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). A total of 232 bids were submitted for 98 lots, of which 226 were responsive. The Tender Evaluation Committee (TEC) recommended awarding 94 lots to the lowest responsive bidders, setting the average cost at Tk 51.56 per copy. The remaining four lots will undergo re-tendering due to non-responsive bids.

A total of 471 candidates will contest the 38th Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) elections, scheduled for September 9. The final candidate list was published on Tuesday, following withdrawals and disqualifications. Earlier, a total of 509 candidates submitted nominations, but 28 withdrew voluntarily. Additionally, 10 nominations were declared invalid during the scrutiny process, and they did not appeal. The candidates by position are as follows: Vice-President (VP): 45 General Secretary (GS): 19 Assistant General Secretary (AGS): 25 Liberation War and Democratic Movement Secretary: 17 Common Room, Reading Room, and Cafeteria Secretary: 11 International Secretary: 14 Literature and Cultural Secretary: 19 Science and Technology Secretary: 12 Research and Publication Secretary: 9 Sports Secretary: 13 Student Transport Secretary: 12 Social Service Secretary: 17 Health and Environment Secretary: 15 Human Rights and Legal Affairs Secretary: 11 Career Development Secretary: 15 Member positions: 217 Candidates will vie for a total of 28 positions in this year’s elections.