Politics
BNP gears up for its 7th divisional rally in Sylhet
BNP is preparing to hold its seventh divisional rally in Sylhet city amid much enthusiasm on November 19, ignoring the threat of ‘arrests and harassment by the government authorities’.
The construction work of the stage for the rally started on Thursday at Sylhet Govt Alia Madrasa in Chowhatta area of the city.
District BNP leaders said they have given strategic instructions to the leaders and activists from the previous experiences. They were asked to arrange accommodation and food in their houses for the leaders and activists who will come from other districts to join the rally.
Read more: No more games in the name of election: Fakhrul at Faridpur rally
Apprehending transport strike ahead of the rally like the previous ones, the leaders and activists of Sadar upazila have already been asked to come to the city few days earlier. The same instruction was given to the upazila level leaders and activists of the party.
Central leaders will come to Sylhet on November 17. For this, the leaders and activists will take position at the venue from that day.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association and Sylhet District Bus Owners Association General Secretary Ziaul Kabir Palash said he has not received any information about any kind of transport strike in the district before November 19.
Read more: Strike halts bus services between Dhaka and 5 southern districts ahead of BNP's Faridpur rally
So far, he has not received any information about transport workers going on strike. “If any such decision is taken, the media will be informed in advance,” he added.
Expressing hope to hold the largest rally here like never before, Sylhet Metropolitan Member Secretary Miftah Siddiqui said the leaders who want to get nominated from BNP in the 19 seats of Sylhet division in the upcoming parliamentary elections are also campaigning to make the rally a success.
The party activists are facing various obstructions from the ruling party and administration, said Sylhet District BNP General Secretary Emran Ahmed Chowdhury.
“Despite all obstructions, people will make the rally in Sylhet a success,” he added.
He also hoped that the law enforcement agencies would provide full cooperation.
Read more: BNP’s Sylhet divisional rally on Nov 19 instead of 20
BNP leaders and activists here have also informed the police commissioner in writing to maintain peace and order, said Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury.
Besides, six committees have been formed on November 10 to make the rally a success, said Abdul Qayyum.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Commissioner Nisharul Arif said the allegations of police raids on the houses of the BNP leaders and activists ahead of the rally are not true.
“Arresting the accused is a routine work of police. It is not the intention of the police to harass anyone unnecessarily,” said the SMP Commissioner.
As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities.
BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10.
No more games in the name of election: Fakhrul at Faridpur rally
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam has said Awami League will not be allowed to play games any more in the name of election.
“You went to power by playing games in the name of elections the last two times by deceiving people, misguiding them and telling lies. But this time we have turned around and people too (to prevent it),” he told a huge rally in Faridpur on Saturday.
The BNP leader also said there will be no election this time in the country unless a caretaker government is installed.
As part of the party’s planned divisional rally, Faridpur district unit BNP organised the programme on Komorpur Abdul Aziz Institution's premises, around 6km away from the district town.
Fakhrul said people could not exercise their voting rights during the elections in 2014 and 2018. “So, the youth people must stand up strongly this time as they can restore voting rights in the country.
Read: Quader promises to finish BNP's movement in December
He alleged that the government has destroyed politics, economy and the country’s future only to cling to power by force denying people’s voting rights. “Our all rights will be taken away if this regime stays in power any more time. People have started waking up to get back their rights.”
About the ruling party leaders’ comment that the next polls will be held as per the constitution under the current government, he said “The caretaker government system was there in consultation and 4-5 unquestionable elections were held under it. But Awami League destroyed the constitution.”
Fakhrul also said BNP introduced the caretaker government system in 1996 accepting Awami League’s demand and then handed over power to that interim administration and suffered defeat in the subsequent polls “But Awami League doesn’t want to quit power, no matter who says what. But It won’t happen anymore.”
He demanded the government to quit power and dissolve parliament by handing over power to a caretaker government, creating a scope for holding a credible election by forming a new election commission.
BNP ready to deliver its message in AL's backyard
The BNP is all set to stage yet another huge showdown through its sixth divisional rally on Saturday - this time in Faridpur, known as a bastion of the ruling Awami League.
By now, after holding their first five rallies to resounding success, the main opposition party has proven its strength in numbers and organisational ability. It has even gotten used to tackling the obstacles erected to prevent that success - once again they will be defying a bus strike, this time of 38 hours, that began Friday morning.
Having failed to have any effect on at least four previous occasions, transport bans hardly seem to bother the BNP and its supporters anymore.
This time the challenge will lie in bringing their game to what AL considers very much its backyard. On the eve of the rally, it already looks certain to emulate the previous ones.
Party leaders and activists have erected a stage on the Komorpur Abdul Aziz Institution's premises where the rally is scheduled to begin at 2pm.
Meanwhile, a day before the BNP’s rally, Awami League also staged a big showdown at Russell Intersection in Faridpur city.
Thousands of ruling party leaders and activists gathered at the Russell Intersection as part of the district Awami League’s scheduled demonstration in protest against anarchy and arson violence by BNP and Jamaat.
When the ruling party men were demonstrating in the city, the BNP leaders and activists who started arriving two days early and camping on site, were holding a cultural programme at their rally venue.
Thousands throng Suhrawardy Udyan for Jubo League's golden jubilee rally
Thousands of Awami Jubo League activists from different districts of the country started gathering at capital’s Suhrawary Udyan since Friday morning to join the grand youth rally marking its golden jubilee
The rally of the youth front of the ruling Awami League is scheduled to start at around 2.30 pm, Awami Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash told UNB
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of Awami League, will address the rally as the chief guest.
The city is bracing for traffic jams as slogan-chanting activists marched towards the rally venue in processions and on vehicles.
Also read: Jubo League gears up for golden jubilee rally Friday
Dhaka University's TSC, Mall Chattar, VC Chattar, Shahbagh, Doel Chattar, Suhrwardy Udyan and its surrounding areas were filled with processions. Leaders and activists from across the country have come to join the rally wearing t-shirts made especially for the occasion.
Debt burden to get heavier with IMF’s loan: BNP
BNP on Thursday alleged that a $4.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will make people's debt burden heavier since the government has depleted the national exchequer through 'widespread looting'.
“It’s a good thing that you are taking a loan from the IMF, but how will you repay it? You’ve already exhausted the reserves and you've siphoned off all money abroad. You're not informing people about how and in which sector you will use the money. So, you’re imposing another burden of loan on people,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said the government needs the IMF loan as it has already depleted the exchequer by indulging in stealing.
Read more: AL, not BNP, mastermind of ‘arson terrorism’: Fakhrul
Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the programme marking ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ commemorating the ‘civil-military uprising’ on November 7, 1975.
The rally was also meant for registering a protest against the issuance of warrants for the arrest of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier on Wednesday, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal confirmed Bangladesh will get $4.5 billion from the International Monetary Fund amid the hope that the lending agency will release the first instalment of the much-needed loan by next February.
Fakhrul said their party suggested the government stop megaprojects when the Coronavirus hit the country so that the allocated money can be used to protect the needy people. “But they didn’t pay heed to it. They siphoned off thousands of crores of taka abroad. ”
He said a Bangladeshi power businessman has become one of the billionaires in Singapore, exposing how much money was laundered in the name of the power sector’s development.
The BNP leader said the remittance flow has decreased due to hundi (unofficial channel) business and the ruling party leaders' trick to launder money abroad in various ways. “Awami League's main goal is to indulge in corruption, stealing, and empty the resources of the country.”
Read more: Arrest, harassment continue to foil anti-government rally in Faridpur, says BNP
He said even many ordinary Awami League leaders now own multi-story apartments in the capital and use luxurious vehicles.
Fakhrul said BNP has been on a movement to restore people’s voting and other rights and ensure a credible and inclusive election in the country.
The BNP leader said five opposition leaders have already been killed in the current movement for the restoration of democracy and people’s rights, and their sacrifices and blood will not go in vain. “It won’t be possible to suppress the people of Bangladesh with repressive acts as they have started waking up.”
He urged the government to quit and dissolve parliament by handing over power to a non-party caretaker government to create a scope for holding an acceptable election under a new election commission.
Fakhrul said the government is trying to play various tricks to divert BNP’s movement to a different direction.
Read more: Get ready for more sacrifices to oust AL govt, restore democracy, Fakhrul tells BNP members
Awami League has got so much isolated from people that it is now resorting to false cases to keep BNP top leaders away from politics.
“Awami League has been using false cases against opposition leaders and activists as its main weapon to suppress them since it came to power. “They also filed fictitious cases against BNP leaders and activists.”
Referring to a newspaper report, the BNP leader said a ruling party leader was arrested in Narsingdi with crude bombs and gunpowder, but a case was filed against Narsingdi Jubo Dal leaders, including its president and general secretary. It has manifested how scared they are and they can do such things.
He slammed the government for arresting BNP leaders and activists in different parts of the country.
Fakhrul alleged that the government has started filing fresh cases against the opposition leaders and activists and arrested BNP leaders in old cases in Dhaka city. “This is an old game to suppress opponents by implicating them in false cases and they have been playing this game for 14 years.”
Jubo League gears up for golden jubilee rally Friday
Awami Jubo League will mark its golden jubilee with a grand youth rally in the city on Friday.
Leaders of the youth front of the ruling Awami League said they expect that 10 lakh people will join the rally due to start at 2:30 pm at Suhrawardy Uddayan.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of Awami League, will address the rally as the chief guest, Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash said.
He said since its inception the youth organisation played a key role in the country’s democratic movement and national development.
He also warned that his organization will resist the BNP-Jamaat and their followers on the streets if they try to create anarchy. People didn't forget the 92-day strike imposed by BNP-Jamaat causing untold miseries to them.
Read more: Jubo League is enough to face BNP: Hasan Mahmud
Jubo League has already held a series of meetings to make the youth rally a success.
Up to 75 thousand t-shirts have been made for North and South Jubo League leaders and activists.
Metropolitan North Jubo League has been instructed to wear green and South Jubo League red caps.
On the 50th anniversary of the organization, Jubo League is all set for a massive showdown across the city, he said.
Awami League is fighting to institutionalise democracy: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said his party is fighting to give democracy an institutional shape under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"Our fight will continue," Quader said at a programme, marking Shaheed Noor Hossain Day.
The leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated organizations paid tributes to Noor Hossain with wreaths at Noor Hossain Square at Zero Point in the capital.
Read more: Bangladesh will take IMF loan, but not under hard conditions, says Obaidul Quader
Noor Hossain Day is observed commemorating the martyrdom of the young pro-democracy activist during the anti-Ershad movement in Dhaka on November 10, 1987.
Quader said democracy is an evolving process, it is not a magical transformation that will happen overnight.
"Our leader, Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, led a movement to free democracy from dictatorship," he said.
Obaidul Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minsiter, said BNP damaged democracy even when it was in the government, they damaged it even when it was an opposition party.
Read more: Quader promises to finish BNP's movement in December
BNP should promise that they will not create violence and terrorism in the country. "Why do their leaders and activists have to come out with sticks? They stage protests by tying up the national flag with sticks, this is another form of terrorism. It must be stopped," he said.
He said that democracy has been liberated under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, but there are many obstacles in Bangladesh to institutionalise democracy.
On November 10, 1987, Noor Hossain, a leader of Awami Jubo League, was killed in police firing when he was staging protests against then autocratic rule of Gen HM Ershad at the capital’s zero point near Gulistan.
Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nashim, Organizing Secretary Ahmad Hossain, SM Kamal Hossain, Publicity and Publication Affairs Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, were, among others, present.
AL, not BNP, mastermind of ‘arson terrorism’: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that Awami League, not BNP, is the mastermind of the ‘arson terrorism'.
“Getting afraid of the continuation of the ongoing movement and its increasing pace, they (AL leaders) are bringing up the old issues. Unfortunately, the truth is that Awami League itself, the government itself, is the mastermind behind the arson terrorism,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to reporters after talks with three political parties at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Read more: Swedish, Norwegian envoys talk politics and polls with BNP leader Fakhrul
Fakhrul claimed that people belonging to Awami League were involved in all the incidents of arson attacks that happened centring the 10th parliamentary election.
Claiming that BNP is not involved in any terrorism, Fakhrul said, “We’re a liberal democratic party. We believe in (change in power) through elections. We have never come to power by resorting to terrorism or arson attacks in the past, and we don't want to do it now as well.”
He said their party leaders and activists have been subjected to repressions and suppressions over the party’s recent rallies, but there was no provocation from BNP’s side. “They (the ruling party) are trying to trigger violence through the provocations.”
He said Awami League leaders are talking about arson attacks to divert the ongoing movement and peaceful rallies to a different direction and to foil it. “But it won’t work as people are watching who is doing what.”
Fakhrul said all the tricks of the Awami League to cling to power will go in vain because the only demand of the people is now the resignation of the government.
Read more: Get ready for more sacrifices to oust AL govt, restore democracy, Fakhrul tells BNP members
About the ruling party leaders’ comment that no more concessions would be given to BNP on the streets, Fakhrul said, “Concessions are not given to anyone (in politics), it has to be earned.”
Replying to a question, the BNP leader said the body language of a fascist regime never changes till the last moment. “But it’ll collapse like a house of cards hit by the movement. HM Ershad’s body language also remained unchanged until December 5, 1990, but collapsed the following day.”
As part of their party’s second phase of talks to forge national unity for a united movement, Fakhrul sat with the delegations of the Minority Janata Party, Bangladesh NAP, and Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal.
Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of BNP and 20-party coordinator, was also present during the meetings with the three parties.
BNP began its second phase of dialogue on October 2 to finalise the demands of the planned simultaneous movement.
Earlier, BNP had discussions with 23 parties during its first phase of talks that began on May 24 to work out the outline for launching a united movement to 'restore' democracy and people’s voting rights
Arrest, harassment continue to foil anti-government rally in Faridpur, says BNP
BNP Vice Chairman Dr AZM Zahid Hossain on Wednesday accused police of harassing party members and their families ahead of their anti-government protest in Faridpur on Saturday.
Zahid made the allegations at a press briefing held at Faridpur Press Club on Wednesday noon.
“On Tuesday, police arrested eight of our activists from Nagarkanda upazila and one from Faridpur Sadar upazila. Besides, police raided the houses of five of our party members and harassed their family members,” Zahid Jahid.
Read more: 250 BNP activists sued in Sylhet for vandalising PM, Bangabandhu’s photos
He said that BNP activists and leaders will defy all the obstacles, including a politically motivated transport strike, allegedly influenced by the government.
He said that the opposition people will start reaching the venue from Thursday—two days before the scheduled protest.
“The entire area stretching from Komorpur Abdul Aziz Institute field to Faridpur town will turn into a sea of people during our rally on Saturday,” Zahid hoped.
Shama Obaid, organising secretary of BNP, said that the ruling Awami League (AL) has announced a programme for Friday to foil their rally the next day.
Read more: Another BNP rally, another transport strike: This time in Faridpur
“The transport strike on Friday and Saturday is another tactic of the government to prevent our party members from joining the rally. Such plans and strategies won’t work as our party leaders and activists will make our rally successful against all odds,” said Shama.
Jahirul Haque Shahjada Mia, Advisor of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf, Joint Secretary of Mahila Dal, among others, were present at the press briefing.
Swedish, Norwegian envoys talk politics and polls with BNP leader Fakhrul
The ambassadors of Sweden and Norway to Bangladesh on Tuesday had a ‘closed-door’ meeting with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and discussed various issues relating to the country's next national election.
Swedish Ambassador Alexandra Berg Von Linde and Norwegian envoy Espen Rikter-Svendsen sat in the meeting with Fakhrul at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office at 3;10 pm and it continued until 4:30pm.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury was present at the meeting.
Also read: Get ready for more sacrifices to oust AL govt, restore democracy, Fakhrul tells BNP members
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Khosru said the two envoys mainly discussed the latest political situation, recent political incidents, and the country’s electoral system.
He, however, declined to elaborate on what they talked about the next election and the political situation. "I can't go into detail about what was discussed inside. I can only say all the matters related to the current political context of Bangladesh have been discussed."
Asked whether there was a discussion about the next election, Khosu said, "Of course, we talked about the election. Because the election is now on everyone's mind. The election is very important to everyone in the country and outside the country. “
Read more: BCL, BNP activists clash in Jhenaidah, several hurt
He said the international community wants an elected government and an elected parliament to be in place in Bangladesh through a fair election.
During the discussion, Khosru said the two ambassadors wanted to know what could be the future of Bangladesh's politics and the situation of the country’s democracy and human rights rule of law, and public safety.