Politics
BNP to get fitting response if it resorts to violence: Quader
General Secretary of Awami League and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said a fitting response will be given to BNP if it tries to instigate and resort to violence in the name of “political movement”.
He made the remark while addressing the 30th conference of Road and Transport Engineers’ Association in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area as the chief guest.
Describing various achievements of the AL-government over the past 14 years, Quader said that smart road networks have to be developed to turn Bangladesh into a “smart” country.
Read more: Quader to BNP: Ditch caretaker dream, prepare for election
He said that the regulations of the Road Transport Act were published in a gazette and are being enforced.
Urging government employees to not go for unnecessary foreign trips, he said some officials go abroad on several excuses.
With the Road and Transport Engineers’ Association President Syed Moinul Hasan in the chair, AL’s Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, Chief Engineer of Road and Transport department Md Ishak and the association’s general secretary Engineer Amit Kumar Chakrabarty, among others, spoke at the programme.
Read more: Quader urges BNP not to create chaos on December 24
No irregularities reported yet in Gaibandha by-election: EC Rashida
No irregularities have been reported yet at the polling stations during the Gaibandha by-election, said Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana.
She said this while observing the election on CCTV cameras from the Election Commission office at Agargaon in the capital on Wednesday morning.
Read more: Gaibandha-5 by-polls: Festive mood as voting underway
She also said that the voter turnout was low due to cold weather.
"We can see the voting in the CCTV cameras. So far, there has been no problem at the polling centers," she said.
EC IDEA Project DPD (Communications) Squadron Leader Shahriar Alam told reporters that the election is being monitored directly from Dhaka through a total of 1,242 CCTV cameras.
The voting is being monitored by CC cameras from 8 am at the EC control room on the fifth floor of the Election Commission building.
Read more: Gaibandha-5 by-polls: EC to take action against 133 officials
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, Election Commissioners Ahsan Habib Khan, Md. Alamgir, Rashida Sultana and Anisur Rahman are monitoring the polls.
Gaibandha-5 by-polls: Festive mood as voting underway
Voting in the by-election for Gaibandha-5 constituency, which was suspended due to irregularities, is underway with participation of voters in a festive mood.
Voting started at 8 am and will continue till 4:30 pm. No untoward incident was reported till the filing of this report around 10 am.
People were seen standing in long queues since morning, ignoring the cold.
The presence of female voters is comparatively higher than their male counterparts.
A total of 3,39,743 people are expected to exercise their franchise in 145 polling centres. Of them, 1,70,160 are females and 1,69,583 are male.
District Election Officer and Returning officer Abdul Motaleb said that of the 145 polling centres, 72 are consider "important" while 32 are counted as "most important".
Read: EC has 'no legal obligation' to bring parties to election
All preparations have been taken to hold a smooth, free and fair election, he said.
Elections will be monitored through CCTV cameras as done before.
Rab, police, BGB and Ansar members will remain deployed to hold the election peacefully, said Motaleb.
The candidates of the Gaibandha-5 by-election are: Awami League candidate Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Jatiya Party candidate AHM Golam Shaheed Ranju, Bikalpa Dhara candidate Advocate Jahangir Alam and independent candidate Syed Mahbubur Rahman.
The constituency consists of Saghata and Phulchhari upazilas.
On October 12 last year, the Election Commission (EC) suspended the by-election due to “rampant irregularities” on the election day and later the commission fixed January 4 for holding the polls.
Following the death of Gaibandha-5 lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah on July 22, 2022, it became a constitutional obligation to hold election for the parliamentary seat by October 20, 2022. Accordingly it was scheduled for October 12.
A three-member committee was formed to look into the election irregularities on October 12 last year.
Following the recommendations of the committee, the Election Commission took punitive actions against 133 officials including an additional deputy commissioner, five sub-inspectors and returning officer of the election.
Read More: EC to delve into slow voting complaint in Rangpur City Corporation Polls
Ganatantrik Bam Oikya announces joining collective movement against govt
Ganatantrik Bam Oikya, a leftist political platform, on Tuesday announced to join the street programmes of the collective movement to oust the current government.
“We have had a meeting with BNP today (Tuesday) for the third time as we got ready for the simultaneous movement on the streets. This meeting was fruitful. We engaged in the discussions with BNP very consciously to protect Bangladesh from the fascist rule,” said Ganatantrik Bam Oikya Coordinator Comrade Harun Chowdhury.
He made the remarks while addressing a press briefing after a meeting with the leaders of BNP's Liaison Committee formed for the coordination of the collective movement at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Read more: Gonoforum to take part in collective movement: Montu
Harun, also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist), said they will be there on the streets with the BNP in the days to come braving all difficulties.
“We will not back down, no matter how difficult the road may be in the coming days. We express solidarity with the 27 points for the transformation of state transition and with the sit-in program that will be held on December 11,” he said.
Harun said they are committed to taking the current movement to the final stage and defeating the Awami League government.
"We will join the election under a non-party caretaker government in 2023 after defeating this regime. In that election, this alliance with BNP will win and a government of people will be established in the country," he said.
Read more: Govt will fail to suppress opposition movement: Nazrul Islam Khan
Harun said they thoroughly reviewed BNP’s 27 points to repair the state and found those are effective for ensuring the welfare of people from all walks of life, including farmers, workers, students, and women.
“We’ll be with any movement of BNP in the coming days in the interests of Bangladesh,” he said.
BNP and 32 other opposition parties launched a simultaneous movement on December 24 to realise their 10-point demands, including the resignation of the government and elections under a non-partisan government.
BNP Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu and Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal sat in the meeting with the leaders of Ganatantrik Bam Oikya at the BNP office and discussed the current political situation and the strategy of the simultaneous movement.
The other leaders of Ganatantrik Bam Oikya included Social Democratic Party Convener Comrade Abul Kalam Azad, Samajtantrik Majdur Party General Secretary Shamsul Alam, and Progressive Democratic Party leader Harun al-Rashid.
BCL's 75th founding anniversary tomorrow
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Bangladesh Awami League, will celebrate its 75th founding anniversary tomorrow.
To mark its 75th founding anniversary, BCL has chalked out a year-long programme.
BCL announced the programmes at a press conference held at Madhur Canteen on DU campus on Tuesday.
Read more: Saddam, Inan to lead BCL central committee
Newly appointed BCL President Saddam Hussain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan, its DU unit President Mazharul Kabir Shayon and General Secretary Tanbir Hasan Shaikat along with other BCl activists were present at the press conference .
Celebration programs include hoisting of national and party flags at the party office at 6:00am tomorrow, paying tribute at the Memorial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi-32 at 8:30am, and cutting cake at Dhaka University's Curzon Hall at 9:00am, distribution of winter clothes aming cold-hit people.
The founding anniversary rally has been scheduled to be held on January 6 at 2:30pm.
In addition, BCL will carry out campaigns like blood group testing, voluntary blood donation and educational materials distribution among students between January 5 to 8.
Read more: BCL’s 30th National Council begins at Suhrawardy Udyan
Bangladesh Chhatra League(BCL), formerly known as East Pakistan Chhatra League, was founded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 4, 1948, which left its footprints in different movements including language movement, Mass uprising in 1969 and in the War of Liberation.
BNP’s 'tall talks' to console their activists: Info Minister
BNP leaders including senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain are telling tall tales against the government to console their activists, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday.
“BNP could not wage any movement; they will not be able to,” he added.
He was speaking to the reporters after placing a wreath at the grave of Awami League (AL) former general secretary and public administration minister Syed Ashraful Islam in the city's Banani on his fourth death anniversary.
Read more: BNP paying for "imprudent" decisions: Hasan Mahmud
Regarding the BNP’s demand to unseat the current government, he said, “They (BNP) have been saying this since a few months after we formed the government in 2009. In fact, their leaders and activists are not with them.”
“The way they shouted on December 10 and talked about 10 lakh people joining their rally...since then the leaders of BNP have been questioned by their activists as only 50,000 people joined there,” said the senior AL leader.
The way Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is taking the country forward despite the global recession, today the whole world is praising her. The people of the country are also with the Awami League and the government, Hasan added.
Read more: AL workers thwart BNP's attempt to sow chaos: Hasan Mahmud
Paying tribute to Syed Ashraful Islam, the minister said he (Ashraf) took politics as a vow and the new generation of politicians has a lot to learn from him.
He also prayed for eternal peace for Ashraf's departed soul.
PM’s resignation a 'prerequisite' for credible polls: Gayeshwar
BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation can pave the way for holding a fair and credible election and resolving the ongoing political crisis in the country.
“Sheikh Hasina (PM) is the main barrier to free and fair elections in the country. As long as she remains in power, the police, RAB, and all the people of the administration will stand in the way of the elections,” he said.
Speaking at a human chain programme, the BNP leader said police will become gentle and they will not go to the polling stations on the eve of elections to steal votes while the administration will work as servants of the people if Sheikh Hasina is out of power.
“That is why we’re saying that Sheikh Hasina's resignation is a prerequisite for a fair and free election. If this prerequisite is fulfilled then all our conditions will be fulfilled,” he said.
Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said Khaleda Zia will be released unconditionally and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mirza Abbas, and all other opposition leaders will be released if the current Prime Minister is removed from power.
Thakurgaon Jatiyatabadi Forum in Dhaka, arranged the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia (who is out on parole), Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas and all other political prisoners.
Read more: Nayapaltan clash: Fakhrul, Abbas get 6-month HC bail
Stating that there is no point in seeking the release of BNP leaders separately, Gayeshwar said their party should go for one-point demand for Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
"We’ll free the country from fascism by restoring democracy. So we have no other alternative to carrying out a movement and struggle,” he observed.
Arrests 'unjust'
Gayeshwar said the government has unfairly arrested Fakhrul, Abbas and other BNP leaders and activists and kept them in jail unjustly.
"We just want to tell the judiciary and the court that we want justice. We don't want any mercy,” he said.
The BNP leader alleged that their party chief Khaleda Zia sought justice, but she didn't get it. “There is no person in the history of Bangladesh, except Khaleda Zia, who has not been granted bail in such cases.”
He said ruling party MP Haji Salim, who was convicted on a charge of embezzling crores of taka, got bail, but Khaleda Zia did not get bail. “It is injustice… So to whom should we seek justice? Had the judiciary been separated from the executive branch and had the judges been independent, then we could have got justice.”
Read more: HC orders speedy disposal of graft case against Gayeshwar
Gayeshwar said Khaleda, Fakhrul, Abbas, and other BNP leaders and activists were sent to jail as they wanted democracy and voting rights for the people. “If we can succeed in the current struggle for democracy, then Bangladesh will be free and all the leaders and workers will be free from misrule and, we will be able to establish justice."
Bogura by-election: Hero Alam collects nomination
Ashraful Hossain Alam alias Hero Alam has collected nomination papers for contesting the upcoming by-election for Bogura-4 and Bogura-6 (Sadar, Kahalu, Nandigram) constituencies as independent candidate, slated for February 1.
Hero Alam collected his nomination papers from the Bogura Election Commission office in the afternoon.
District Election Officer and Assistant returning officer Mahmud Hasan provided the nomination papers to him.
When talking to reporters, Hero Alam said “Election and acting are two different things and I would like to entertain people through different programmes after becoming a public representative. I want to remain with the public and that’s why people will cast their votes in favor of me.”
Read: By-polls to 5 vacant seats: AL to start distributing application forms Wednesday
Two BNP MPs—Golam Siraj and Mosharraf Hossain have resigned from their parliamentary posts of Bogura-6 and Bogura-4 constituencies on December 11, as part of BNP's move to resign from parliament. Since then, the seats have remained vacant.
The Election Commission has announced the schedule of the by-election in the vacant post for February 1.
According to the schedule, the last date of nomination submission and withdrawal candidature were January 5 and January 15 respectively.
Hero Alam contested for Bogura-4 (Kahalu-Nandigram) constituency as an independent candidate in the 11th national election. He got 638 votes.
Read: By-polls to 5 vacant seats: JaPa announces candidates
On December 2, 2018, the nomination paper of much-talked-about independent candidate for Bagura-4 seats Ashraful Alam alias Hero Alam was turned down by the Election Commission as he could not properly submit the signatures of one percent voters of his constituency.
Later, he filed an appeal petition challenging the Election Commissioner’s decision which was rejected by the Appellate Division.
The Supreme Court declared his nomination legal.
Hero Alam also failed to collect nomination paper from Jatiya Party for the by-elections.
BNP paying for "imprudent" decisions: Hasan Mahmud
The BNP and its allies attempted to cause problems for the government through their anti-national politics and bootlicking of foreigners, but their plan backfired, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud.
The AL leader made the remarks while speaking with reporters at the ministry’s conference room at the Secretariat on Monday.
“The BNP wanted to cause problems for the government through its contradictory politics, anti-national activities, and bootlicking of foreigners. But it backfired on them,” he said.
“Because they believed they could make a fuss on December 10 in front of Nayapaltan. They failed and came to terms with their strength and capability,” he went on.
He also said that the BNP would continue to attempt to destabilize the country this year.
Also Read: AL workers thwart BNP's attempt to sow chaos: Hasan Mahmud
Mentioning that the government dealt with the sabotage of BNP in 203–15, he also said, “We know what BNP wants to do and how much they can do. We also know how to handle it."
“We are prepared, it won't be hard for us,” he added.
He also stated that, in December last year, the BNP took two imprudent decisions.
“One is that they were stubborn about holding their Dhaka rally in Naya Paltan. Another is that the party forced its members of parliament to resign,” he said.
"Both decisions caused them political losses,” added the minister.
“These issues created internal problems, and because Khandkar Musharraf is unable to address them, he’s just making loud noises.”
The BNP and 32 other like-minded opposition parties staged a procession of showdowns Friday in different parts of the capital, by way of the first joint program in what is being billed as a collective movement to take down the incumbent government and set the stage for free and fair elections.
They also separately announced sit-in programs across the country on January 11 as their next course of action, to press home their 10-point demand, including the resignation of the current government and the formation of a poll-time caretaker government.
Now Ashuganj BNP declares Abdus Sattar persona non grata
Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, one of the party lawmakers who recently quit from the 11th parliament, has been declared as persona non grata by Ashuganj upazila unit BNP on Monday.
Ashuganj upazila unit BNP came up with the announcement while talking at a press briefing at Ashuganj Bazar.
Abdus Sattar has been elected as MP from the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency five times.
Earlier, on Sunday, BNP removed Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan from all posts for "violating party decisions and engaging in anti-party activities".
Also Read: BNP's Abdus Sattar quits all his party posts
"BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council Member Advocate Abdus Sattar has been expelled following his removal from all party posts, including the primary membership as per section 5(c) of the party constitution," said a press release signed by BNP acting office secretary Sayed Emran Saleh Prince.
The decision would come into effect immediately, it said.
Party sources said the action against Sattar was taken as he bought a nomination paper to contest the by-polls to the Brahmanbaria-2 seat after it fell vacant following his resignation as a BNP MP.
Sattar recently resigned from all the posts of the party, including the chairperson's advisory council member, on personal grounds.
He was first elected MP as an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-2 ( (Ashuganj and Sarail) in 1979, during BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's tenure, following his failure to secure a party ticket.
He was the founding vice-chairman of the party's Brahmanbaria unit at that time and worked as the president of Brahmanbaria BNP for 28 years.
A lawyer by profession, Sattar won the parliamentary election to Brahmanbaria-2 four more times as a BNP candidate – in 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2018. He was also a state minister during the BNP-led government of 2001-06.
On December 11 last, he resigned from the parliament along with other BNP lawmakers as per the party's decision.