Politics
Election only under neutral administration, says BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said their party will not allow any national election in Bangladesh without a non-party caretaker government.
“Our position is clear no election will be held in this country without a polls-time neutral caretaker government,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the government must quit handing over power to a caretaker government. “An impartial election commission will have to be constituted and then we’ll form a representative government and parliament through a credible election.”
Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal arranged the programme at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking its 43rd founding anniversary.
Read: Govt out to clear election field: Fakhrul
Fakhrul said their party wants a change in the government and the youth can bring this change through a movement by organising people.
He said Jubo Dal, the youth wing of BNP, will have to play the main role in overcoming the current ‘crisis' of the country.
The BNP leader urged the leaders and activists of Jubo Dal to organise the young generation across the country to ‘restore’ democracy and free Khaleda Zia by ousting the current ‘monstrous’ government.
Stating that BNP leaders and activists are being harassed by filing ‘false’ cases against them, Fakhrul said, “We must get united and wage a strong movement to overcome the current situation.”
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Jubo Dal will have to work as a vanguard of the nation at this bad time of the country.
Read: People looking for a change in govt: Fakhrul
He urged the Jubo Dal leaders and activists to get ready to take to the streets to realise BNP’s demand for holding the next polls under a non-party government.
Another BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said it is an utter failure of their party that it is not being able to oust the current government despite having vast popularity and public support.
“We must get organised in a disciplined manner and face this government on the streets with courage and proper strategy to get success,” he observed.
Ex-Ducsu VP Nur, Reza Kibria float new political party
Economist Dr Reza Kibria and former VP of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Nurul Haque Nur have launched a new political party named ‘Gono Adhikar Parishad’.
Nur announced the formation of their party at a programme held on Tuesday noon at Purana Paltan in the city.
He said their party’s slogan will be “People’s rights, our promise”, or “Janatar Odhikar, Amader Ongikar.”
Also read: Ex-DUCSU VP Nur sued under Digital Security Act in Rajshahi
Dr Reza Kibria, son of former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria, has been made convener of the party while Nur member secretary.
Besides, Rashed Khan, Faruq Hasan, Sohrab Hossain, Abu Hanif and Mahfuzur Rahman Khan have been made joint conveners.
Most of the party leaders are former central committee leaders of ‘Bangladesh Chatra Odhikar Parishad’, a student body that emerged over the quota reform movement.
Also read: DU student on hunger strike demanding arrest of ex-Ducsu VP Nur
The four main principles of the party are democracy, justice, rights and public interest. It will run its activities based on these four principles.
Joint Convener Rashed Khan read out the principles and goals of the party at the programme.
People looking for a change in govt: Fakhrul
Stating that a change in government is now the demand of people, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday asked the government to hand over power to a non-party neutral government.
"We would like to say it clearly that a change in government is now the demand of people. Awami League has no right to stay in power as they couldn’t solve any problem. They’re now unleashing communal violence and violating human rights,” he said.
Read: Khaleda undergoes biopsy test, but 'out of danger': Fakhrul
Speaking at a ‘peace rally’ in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Fakhrul also alleged that the Awami League government has made people's lives miserable with its ‘misrule' and repressive acts.
"We ask the government to step down immediately, handing over power to a neutral government for arranging a credible election under a neutral Election Commission so that everyone can cast votes and elect their representatives,” he said.
BNP was scheduled to bring out a ‘peace rally’ towards the Jatiya Press Club from its Nayapaltan central office at 11am.
As the government has deployed a huge number of police in Nayapaltan area since morning, the BNP general secretary announced that the programme was over by holding a brief rally on a makeshift stage in front of their party office.
Hundreds of BNP leaders and activists also gathered in Nayapaltan area to join the rally.
Fakhrul said they sent a letter to the authorities concerned earlier to bring out a peace rally towards the Jatiya Press Club in protest against the planned destruction of communal harmony by the government. “But unfortunately our leaders and workers have been arrested here since morning. So, we’re holding a brief rally now.”
He alleged that police arrested around of their 50 leaders and activists centring the programme and demanded their immediate release.
AL behind’ communal violence, alleges BNP
BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Monday alleged that the ruling party leaders and activists were directly involved in the recent communal violence as part of a ‘blueprint of the government’.
“We visited some temples that came under attack and talked to eyewitnesses and other people concerned. The direct involvement of the leaders and activists of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League in these attacks can be found through a proper investigation,” he said.
Gayeshwar, the chief of the committee formed by BNP to look into the sectarian violence, came up with the remarks at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. The committee earlier inspected some violence-hit areas.
Also read: Arrest warrants issued against BNP leaders Rizvi, Dulu
He alleged that the government has not taken any step to bring the attackers under trial and punish them.
“An initiative has been taken to pick up or arrest and harass BNP leaders and activists by implicating them in false cases and thus hiding the attackers as part of a blueprint. Undoubtedly, it can be said the government has created an issue in a planned way to harass the leaders of the opposition political parties,” Gayeshwar said.
He said though intelligence agencies and police have ideas about the attackers, innocent and peace-loving people have been made accused in the cases filed over communal violence.
"We won’t say only the Hindus have been affected through these attacks (on temples and puja mandaps) as we think the entire nation has been attacked. We must make a concerted effort to resist these attackers,” the BNP leader observed.
He urged the media to take a stance against the real perpetrators and be vocal to ensure justice.
Earlier on October 17, BNP formed two committees for, what it said, standing beside the victims of recent communal attacks and investigating the incidents to find out the facts.
One of the committees was formed headed by BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy to visit the violence-affected temples and puja mandaps in different areas of the country.
Also read: ‘Invisible’ force controlling Bangladesh: Fakhrul
On October 23, the Gayeshwar-led committee visited three temples in Cumilla and Chandpur and talked to victims, including priests and eyewitnesses.
Gayeshwar said, "Chandmani Raksha Kali temple in Cumilla was attacked thrice in one day on October 13.
He said police had also come to the spot thrice after the attackers and left the spot.
The BNP leader said even a temple came under attack in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s electoral area in Gopalganj. “From this, it can be assumed that the government is making a despicable attempt to divert public attention through a large-scale communal riot and thus prolong its autocratic power.”
He called upon people of all strata, irrespective of religion, to get united and raise their voice against communal violence in a bid to uphold the non-communal culture of Bangladesh.
Arrest warrants issued against BNP leaders Rizvi, Dulu
A Dhaka court Monday issued warrants for the arrest of BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and its Rajshahi division organizing secretary Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu in a case filed under the Special Powers Act.
The case was filed at Shahbagh police station in 2018 .
Read:Tarique, Fakhrul among 9 face arrest warrant
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Emrul Kayes passed the order.
Besides, the court accepted the charge sheet submitted against them.
‘Invisible’ force controlling Bangladesh: Fakhrul
Stating that a plot is there to turn Bangladesh into a “communal state”, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that an “invisible” force is now controlling everything.
“We’re always under surveillance… the power of an invisible force that now actually runs the country is so deep-rooted that they’re now controlling the country and its people and our society,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said their party has been fighting for democracy amid an adverse situation in the country.
He called upon all the opposition political parties to get united putting aside misunderstanding and divisions among them to restore democracy and people’s rights through a united movement.
"We (BNP) are on a movement. We expect you to come together in this fight on one issue – the restoration of democracy. Let's fight together to free the country from the current terrible situation. We’ll overthrow this fascist government and establish a democratic one,” Fakhrul said.
OLi Ahad Smriti Sangsad arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 9th death anniversary of language veteran Oli Ahad.
Read:No more game over election to be allowed: Fakhrul -
Price hike
Earlier speaking at a human-chain programme, Fakhrul criticised the government for what he said its failure to control the unbridled price hike of daily essentials.
“They had promised to provide people with rice at Tk10 per kg, but now its price is Tk 70. The prices of soybean oil, sugar, salt, vegetables and pulses have also gone up,” he observed.
The BNP leader said the government is least bothered about public sufferings caused by the price hike as ruling party men are busy making their own fortunes. “They’re indulging in corruption and siphoning off money abroad and making second homes there.”
He demanded the government take effective steps to control the market and reduce the prices of essentials.
Dhaka south city unit BNP arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the rise in the prices of the essentials.
Fakhrul alleged that the government has snatched people’s basic rights by destroying democracy.
Read: It's 'cruel mockery' with the nation, Fakhrul about election
He said people have started now turning around as they want to get back their rights, including the right to vote. “We want to see the release of Khaleda Zia and the withdrawal of 35 lakh cases filed against our leaders and activists.”
The BNP leader said people joined the Liberation War in 1971 with a goal to establish an independent and democratic Bangladesh. “But this government has destroyed the country and its achievements in a very well-planned way. They (AL) want to restore a one-party system of government.”
He urged the government to stop oppressing people and hand over power to a non-partisan and neutral government paving the way for holding a credible election.
BNP for strong resistance against sectarian violence
BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Tuesday said there must be a strong resistance against communal violence and the plot to dent the country’s image.
“If we can’t resist it (communal violence), our independence and sovereignty will be at stake…we have to strongly prevent it,” he said.
Abbas, a BNP standing committee member, made the remarks while speaking at a doa mahfil arranged by Dhaka south city unit of Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office seeking divine blessings for the speedy recovery of party chairperson Khaleda Zia.
He said a vested quarter is trying to brand Bangladesh as a communal country by unleashing a riot in the country. “The ruling party is trying to tarnish the image of the country by placing the Holy Quran at a puja mandap in Cumilla and attacking worship places of the Hindu community in different places.”
The BNP leader said Bangladesh is a country of religious harmony and the people of different religions have been living here peacefully for a long time showing respect to the religion of each other. “When our leader Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister, Ramadan fasting and puja were observed together thrice in this country. There was no communal violence at that time.”
He accused the government of inciting the communal violence to arrest BNP leaders and activists and thus divert people’s attention to a different direction from growing price hike of daily essentials, utility services and public sufferings.
Also read: US for opposing targeted violence, orchestrated hate
“Our around three hundred leaders and activists have already been arrested. "We would like to make it clear that it won’t be possible to suppress BNP with all these attacks and filing cases,” Abbas said.
He questioned the reason behind Awami League’s 'Harmony Rally and Peace Procession', saying it is the responsibility of the ruling party to protect communal harmony. “To whom they’ll seek an explanation for the violence and place their demands.”
READ: Communal attacks: BNP forms two committees
Abbas said Awami League should step down handing over power to a neutral government instead of taking to the streets, paving the way for holding a credible national election. “We’ll accept whoever will come to power through the election under a non-partisan neutral government.”
Info Minister blames BNP Jamaat for recent anti-Hindu violence
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Monday said the violence during Durga Puja was aimed at destabilizing the country for political purposes.
“A group in Bangladesh has been involved in communal politics and the Cumilla incident was again circulated in the social networking sites for creating chaos,” he said, replying to a question over attacks on Hindu houses in different parts of the country including Cumilla.
He was talking to reporters after attending a programme in observance of Sheikh Russel Day at the Secretariat.
“BNP-Jamaat is behind all the unrest occurring in the country now," said the minister.
Also read: Communal attacks: BNP forms two committees
"It’s very clear that they are doing it to destabilize the country. However, the government has controlled it with a strong hand,” said Hasan.
“Those who were behind the incidents, have a plan to carry out the incident throughout the country but failed due to government’s intervention,” he said.
Talking about the Rangpur’s Pirganj incident, Hasan said the perpetrators have chosen the place to put the government under doubt.
Also read: BNP’s 20-party alliance has only 8-10 parties: Hasan Mahmud
Referring to the Chandpur incident, Hasan also said “Police opened fire on those who have created a chaotic situation in the district. The government has done everything it can do.”
He also urged all democratic and secular forced to resist the miscreants.
The Awami League leader also urged all including the party men to remain alert.
Communal attacks: BNP forms two committees
BNP has formed two committees for what it said standing beside the victims of recent communal attacks and investigating the incidents for digging out facts.
BNP standing committee at a virtual meeting on Sunday formed the committees, said a press release signed by party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday.
He said one of the committees was formed headed by BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy while another was led by Supreme Court Bar Association secretary Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal.
Also read: Silence of police helped violence escalate: BNP
Fakhrul said the Gayeshwar-led committee will visit the violence-affected temples and puja mandaps in different areas of the country and solace the victims on behalf of BNP.
He said the other committee, led by Kazal, will look into the incidents of vandalism and arson attacks for find out the facts.
“The two committees will visit the affected areas very soon and submit a report to the party high-command. The decision was taken at our standing committee meeting. They will start their work in a day or two,” Fakhrul said.
He said the meeting expressed deep concern over the reported desecration of the Holy Quran during the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community and subsequent attacks on puja mandaps, vandalism and sectarian violence at the ‘’patronage’’ of the ruling party in different areas, including Cumilla, Chandpur, Noakhali and Chattogram.
Fakhrul said their standing committee thinks that the government itself has created such a communal crisis in the country to divert public attention to a different direction from the existing political crisis.
The BNP leader said they think the situation became complicated in each case due to the failure of law enforcement agencies to take effective action.
He said their standing committee urged the government to ensure the religious freedom of the Hindu community.
Also read: Govt plot behind communal incidents, alleges BNP
Fakhrul said the meeting criticised the government for its ‘move’ to hide the real offenders by implicating BNP leaders and activists in the cases filed over the sectarian violence without any investigation.
He said the BNP policymakers demanded that the culprits involved in the communal violence be identified immediately through an impartial inquiry and bringing them to justice.
At the same time, he said, they urged all citizens to remain alert and keep the communal harmony of the country intact.
BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku joined the virtual meeting with party acting chairman Tarique Rahman in the chair.
Identify reasons why police failed to control violence: GM Quader
Stating that an unusual situation is prevailing in the country, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday said the reasons behind the failure of law enforcement agencies in controlling recent communal incidents must be unearthed.
“A conspiracy is there to destroy the communal harmony of the country in a planned way. It’s necessary to investigate how the Quran was kept at the puja mandapa amid the vigilance of law enforcers,” he said.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, came up with the remarks while speaking at a divisional representatives’ meeting of Jatiya Party’s Khunla unit at the party chairman’s Banani office.
He said the Hindu community members will never desecrate the Quran to foil their puja festival while no Muslim can conspire to disgrace the Qur'an if s/he has the slightest faith in the religion.
READ: Now people have ‘no interest’ in elections: GM Quader
“Again, a vested quarter has made evil attempts to incite the violence spreading the news of demeaning the Holy Quran all over the country,” the Jatiya Party chief said.
He said a speech of State Minister for Information Dr Md Murad Hassan not to accept Islam as the state religion of Bangladesh went viral at the same time. “The government will have to find out whether it (Murad’s speech) has any connection with this conspiracy.”
GM Quader alleged that the state minister made derogatory remarks against Jatiya Party founder HM Ershad and the Army like an imprudent person.
READ: Depoliticisation to diminish political parties: GM Quader
He said it is necessary to take action against the state minister after the investigation. “It must be investigated as to why the state minister made provocative remarks in unusual circumstances.”
GM Quader said any conspiracy aimed at creating communal chaos in the country is an unforgivable crime.