Politics
People suffering in face of ‘corruption, plunder and foul play’ of ruling clique: Rizvi
BNP on Sunday alleged that ordinary citizens of the country are suffering in the face of high inflation caused by the ‘corruption, plunder and foul play’ of the government and pro-regime business syndicate.
Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged that Awami League remains in power by relying on foreigners after committing election crimes.
“Prime Minister of the illegitimate government said prices have marked a rise due to the Russia-Ukraine War and Israel's attack on Palestine…I would like to say that price in other countries of the world did not rise for any reason, including the Ukraine War,” he said.
The BNP leader said the current ‘authoritarian regime’ is indulging in widespread corruption and looting in Bangladesh in the name of ‘strange development’ by snatching all the rights of the people.
“It’s now universally accepted that mega-corruption is happening in the name of mega-projects in Bangladesh. People belonging to the ruling party have looted all the banks. The prices of all products are now skyrocketing because of the syndicate of ministers and pro-ruling party businessmen,” he observed.
Rizvi also accused the ruling party of siphoning off lakhs of crores of taka abroad from the country.
“A kg of potatoes can’t be bought at the price of a kg of rice. Even in this vegetable season, there are no vegetables below Tk 100 per kg…the prices of onions and green chillies have skyrocketed. People are selling their children due to hunger pangs. But the ruling party leaders are least bothered abnd rather mocking the hungry people."
He said the country's economy is being repeatedly hit hard because of widespread corruption and money laundering by the government.
Rizvi slammed Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader for his comment that the BNP is looking at foreign friends to unseat the government with sanctions ‘like in Cambodia’.
"I would like to tell Mr Obaidul Quader that it is not BNP but Awami League that has been in power depending on foreigners…there is a big power behind them. The prime minister formed the government by leaning on this power,” he observed.
The BNP leader said Awami League fears losing power after forming a dummy government through a dummy election.
“The people have shown you (govt) the red card on January 7 to drive you out of the field completely. Voters didn’t join that one-party one-sided fake election,” he said.
Rizvi said the questionable election has not been accepted anywhere – at home or abroad.
“The United Nations, international organisations and countries that are partners in our development have also demanded to cancel the farcical election and arrange a new election,” Rizvi said.
Economy to fare better amid challenges: Finance Minister Mahmud Ali
New Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has pledged to tackle economic challenges of the country and overcoming the first test in controlling prices of essentials in the upcoming Ramadan."There are challenges in the economy and we will work together on the challenges," Ali said after taking charge of the office in the Secretariat on Sunday.“We all know about the challenges. Now these (challenges) have to be resolved. But we have to take up the task of price control during the fasting month as a priority,” he pointed out.Journalists asked that since the commerce ministry monitors the market then how they will coordinate the work with the finance ministry. Mahmud Ali said, “We must work together; The Ministry of Finance cannot do it alone”.Regarding the prevention of money laundering and the depreciation of local currency, the finance minister said, "Let's see what can be done about this."Ali said, "I see the problems, I am trying to understand it, I will try to solve it; I am not a sitting person”.“There is a major devaluation of the currency in many countries; We didn't have that much. But taking action on these issues will take time; I will solve all the problems with responsibility and no work will remain pending,” Ali said.
Govt committed to stabilising prices amid rising costs: Obaidul Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today acknowledged the significant burden placed on low and middle-income people due to the escalating prices of daily essentials. He assured that the government is committed to maintaining the affordability of these commodities.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has emphasized the need for concerted efforts to keep commodity prices at a manageable level, ensuring they remain within the purchasing capacity of the public,” Quader stated during a press briefing at the Secretariat.
Read: PM doesn't care about sanctions: Quader
Addressing Transportation and Infrastructure Challenges
The road transport and bridges minister also highlighted the government’s primary challenge of restoring order on the roads. “Despite the inauguration of the Padma Bridge and Dhaka Metro Rail, road discipline is yet to be achieved. We have devised a plan which, once implemented, should restore order,” he commented.
Read: Challenges before the govt are political, economic and diplomatic: Quader
Quader encouraged collective efforts towards national development and touched upon the recent election. “Contrary to the scepticism of many, we have successfully conducted the elections. We anticipate further challenges, but we stand unafraid and ready to face them,” he declared.
JaPa issues bullish statement despite chaos engulfing party
Claiming to be united under the leadership of Chairman GM Quader, Jatiya Party (JaPa) leaders at a discussion on Saturday said that those who hatch conspiracies against JaPa will cease to exist and the conspirators will be wiped out.
No conspiracy against the JaPa will be successful as grassroots leaders and workers will protect the party even with their blood, they said.
The leaders and activists made the remarks at a discussion meeting held in the chairman's Banani office auditorium on Saturday, said a media release signed by Khandakar Deowar Jalali, press secretary of the party chairman.
The speakers alleged that those who did not contest the election still talk about the election. "In fact, they are conspiring to stab the party from behind," the party said, in an oblique reference to Raushon Ershad loyalists who did not attend the meet.
Warning of tough action against those who spread rumors against the party, they said the conspirators are also meeting with those who are not from the party at all.
Those who have no jurisdiction will not be able to harm the JaPa by calling a meeting in the name of the party, they said, looking to preempt any such move by the Raushon faction.
Party’s Presidium members Sherifa Quader, Advocate Md. Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan, Jahirul Islam Zahir, Vice Chairman Shafiullah Shafi, Joint Secretary Generals Ghulam Mohammad Raju, Md Belal Hossain, Organising Secretary Humayun Khan, among others spoke on the occasion.
BNP's movement still on, fresh programme in the works: Rizvi
BNP senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday said their party is formulating fresh programmes to gear up the movement demanding a fresh election under a non-partisan government.
“Surely, we’re (thinking of) various programmes...our leaders are sitting almost every day...we’ll inform you once our programmes are finalised,” he said.
PM doesn't care about sanctions: Quader
Speaking at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader also said their party is still continuing its movement with various programmes. “We have the political parties with us... we have issues to talk to them... we will talk to everyone and formulate the fresh programmes, and then inform you.”
He said that the ruling party is now celebrating by forming a government with illegal entities. “Such a festival of the ruling party will one day be the festival of the people through their (AL’s) defeat and through their fall."
New AL govt is "blackest artificial regime": Rizvi
The BNP leader said that the ruling party is rejoicing by depriving the people of their right to vote by conducting one-sided elections, just as ferocious and bloodthirsty animals like wolves and lions catch prey and feast on it.
“The pleasure they take in preying on people will one day lead to dire consequences for them. On that day the people will be victorious,” he warned.
BNP to continue street agitation until demands are met: Rizvi
Rizvi said people's justified movement for justice and democracy will never go in vain. “It is a record of history and it is a testimony of history. The people are not defeated...evil forces can restrain the wave of people for a while but they won’t be able to stop it.
He alleged that their party’s jailed leaders and workers have been staying in a suffocating atmosphere as the prisons have become Hitler's concentration camps.
“The highest level of oppression has been applied there (in jails), taking away all basic human rights of (the prisoners belonging to the opposition parties),” the BNP leader said.
He also claimed jailed senior BNP leaders, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas and Amir Khosru Mahmud
“The highest record number of people died in custody in a few weeks. Sheikh Hasina's jail is only comparable to the brutal persecution of Hitler's concentration camps," the BNP leader observed.
He said the dummy government felt the warmth of illegal power by unleashing the law enforcers against the common people, but the farmers, labourers, day laborers and low-income people are going through serious ordeals due to shivering cold, especially in the northern part of the country.
“I call upon the rich people and the leaders and workers of BNP to stand by the helpless people,” Rizvi said.
Make sure prices of essentials are not increased during upcoming Ramadan: PM Hasina tells ministers
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked the newly appointed ministers to take necessary steps to keep prices of essentials under control during coming holy Ramadan.
“Holy Ramadan is coming and take necessary steps to ensure the prices of the essentials are not increased during this month,” she said.
The prime minister said this while holding an informal meeting with the ministers who came here to pay homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The meeting was held at her own residence at Tungipara, her home district.
Flyers on Indian flight stuck in Dhaka Airport for over 12 hours. Here’s why
Hasina arrived here early in the day for her first visit outside the capital since winning January 7 national election with an absolute majority.
The massive win gave her the fourth straight term in office and the fifth overall.
PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin briefed the reporters after the meeting.
He said that this was an informal cabinet meeting.
He mentioned that the prime ministers asked the ministers to take measurers during Ramadan, especially against the big hoarders so they can't create artificial crisis of commodities.
She also asked the ministers to conduct anti-hoarding drives regularly in this connection.
“Put the prices of essentials under control so that the common people could live in comfort,” she was quoted as saying.
PMO secretary said that the prime minister gave directions to her first-time cabinet colleagues to know ins and outs about his or her ministry first.
Salauddin said that PM Hasina asked the ministers to highly consider benefits of the country and its people while taking up any project.
Flyers on Indian flight stuck in Dhaka Airport for over 12 hours. Here’s why
PM doesn't care about sanctions: Quader
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said, “They (the opposition) are looking towards their foreign friends to ensure that this government cannot stay in power. However, our Prime Minister does not care about any sanctions or visa policies.”
Russia observes ‘external attempts’ to influence election outcome in Bangladesh
He made these remarks during an exchange of views with journalists after paying tribute at the mausoleum of the Father of the Nation in Tungipara, Gopalganj.
PM Hasina, ministers pay tributes to Bangababandhu at Tungipara
At this time, he also mentioned that the opposition is hoping for sanctions like those in Cambodia. “But our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not worry about these sanctions or visa policies.”
Russian PM congratulates Sheikh Hasina
Feroz Rashid, SS Roy removed from party posts as fallout of disastrous election continues in JP
Jatiya Party (JP) on Friday relieved its co-chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid and presidium member Sunil Suvho Roy of all party posts.
JP Chairman Golam Mohammad Quader took the decision to remove the two senior leaders of the party, according to a press release signed by the party's Joint Office Secretary Mahmud Alam
However it wasn't mentioned in the press release why these two heavyweight leaders of the party were let go.
The fallout continues in JP of the party's disastrous participation in the 12th parliamentary elections of January 7.
The decision came a day after some party leaders and activists protested at the party's Banani office, demanding the resignation of JP Chairman GM Quader and Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu.
B'baria-3 independent candidate sued for Tk100 cr by incoming minister
Newly-appointed Minister of Housing and Public Works R. A. M Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury has filed a defamation case of TK100 crore against one of his opponents in the January 7 election.
According to the case filed by the new minister, Firozur Rahman who was an independent candidate for Brahmanbaria-3 (Sadar-Bijaynagar) constituency, is a licensed narcotics trader, and deliberately spread false and defamatory statements in various places including an election rally to tarnish his (Muktadir's) image.
Firozur Rahman said he did receive notice before the case was filed but overlooked it as he was busy with the election. Since it is now a legal battle, he will respond accordingly.
New AL govt is "blackest artificial regime": Rizvi
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday described the new Awami League government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as the “blackest artificial regime” in Bangladesh with characteristics of one-party fascism.
"The journey of the blackest artificial government characterised by one-party fascism started yesterday (Thursday) in Bangladesh political history, on the blackest day of 1/11, after the swearing-in of dummy MPs based on dummy results of a dummy election held with dummy candidates, dummy voters, dummy polling agents and dummy observers,” he said.
Speaking at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said the people of the country and the democratic world have rejected the ‘fascist’ regime of Sheikh Hasina by boycotting the dummy election held on January 7. “They also turned down all the processes involved with that election, including persons, the results, the oaths, the parliament and the government.”
Immediately after the fake election and before the end of the term of the 11th parliament, Rizvi said Sheikh Hasina formed the government at an unprecedented speed by issuing the gazette and swearing in hastily. “It has manifested that an unknown fear has gripped her. Life falls into such sleepless uncertainty of facing fall when the throne is set up like a house of cards with illegitimacy, forgery and deception.”
The BNP leader said the new parliament and the cabinet are not acceptable to the country’s people. “People rejected it from all fronts.”
Rizvi, who has been holding virtual press conferences since BNP leaders went into hiding following violent clashes with the police on October 28, attended his first in person press briefing on Friday as the party's central office reopened on Thursday.
He said their party leaders and activists have been in a movement for the restoration of democracy and people’s voting and other democratic rights.
The BNP leader claimed that people manifested their support in favour of the movement of the BNP and other opposition parties by boycotting the ‘so-called’ election on January 7.”
He said the Awami League leaders defeated in the January 7 election are now branding Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of illegal votes by narrating the incidents of vote fraud, vote robbery and various irregularities
"The defeated candidates are now publicly saying who have been taken to the polls with how much money. The cat is slowly coming out of the bag. All misdeeds of the ruling party are getting exposed.
BNP has long been saying Sheikh Hasina is a vote thief and now people belonging to Awami League are saying Sheikh Hasina is a vote thief and Sheikh Hasina is a vote robber,” Rizvi said.