Dhaka, Jan 18 (UNB) – Following the party’s disastrous defeat in the 11th national election, two BNP standing committee members on Friday suggested a change in the party leadership through holding a council.

Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Moudud Ahmed came up with the suggestion at a discussion organised at the Supreme Court Bar Association Auditorium to celebrate the 83rd birth anniversary of party founder Ziaur Rahman.

Speaking at the programme as the chief guest, Mosharraf Hossain said BNP must stage a comeback. “We must stage a comeback and reorganise the party…the party will have to be revamped through holding a council.”

He also said the tested party men will have to be put in the leadership.
 
Earlier, Moudud Ahmed said, “Today, the party will have to be reorganised newly. Those who worked for the party in its tough times should be at the helm. If necessary, we, who have become old, will take a leave. But, the party should survive. The only way for it is to arrange a council which should be held within months.”

BNP’s last council was held on March 19, 2016.

Presiding over the discussion, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that democracy has been ‘assassinated and ruined’ completely in the country.

He said it is time for the youth to come forward to save the country. 

Fakhrul also underscored the need for forging a strong movement together with the country’s people to free BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and ‘democracy’.

The 83rd birth anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman will be celebrated on Saturday.
 

Dhaka, Jan 18 (UNB) - Awami League will hold a grand rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan in the city on Saturday to celebrate the massive victory of the party in the 11th parliamentary elections.

AL President Sheikh Hasina will be present at the programme as the chief guest.

Awami League won an absolute majority bagging 257 seats in the recent election. 

The party-led Grand Alliance secured 288 seats out of total 299. Of them, alliance component Jatiya Party got 22 seats and will act as the main opposition in parliament.

However, the election in Gaibandha-3 constituency was postponed following the death of a candidate.

Though BNP and its alliance partners joined the election, the party bagged only six seats while its alliance partner Gano Forum two seats.

However, the Jatiya Oikyafront MPs still did not take the oath of office.
 
On January 7, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina along with her 46 cabinet members took oath following her party’s massive victory in the 11th national election.

Apart from the Prime Minister, there are 24 ministers, 19 state ministers and three deputy ministers in the new cabinet.

Of the 47-member cabinet, 27 are new faces who are picked in a bid to infuse dynamism into the cabinet activities to implement the election manifesto the ruling party placed before the nation.

Dhaka, Jan 18 (UNB) – Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday predicted that the Jatiya Oikyafront will not survive for lack of principles and ideals in the alliance.
 
“This coalition (Oikyafront) lacks principles and ideals. The way the Oikyafront was formed, it seemed from the beginning that the alliance won’t survive,” he said while talking to reporters at the AL president’s Dhanmondi political office.
 
Mentioning that the number of party aspirants for the reserved MP seat has seen a rise this time, Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, attributed it to the increase in party’s popularity and acceptability.
 
He, however, said dedicated party leaders and activists will be given priority for this. “Especially, those worked for the party in the last election with dedication will be given priority,” he said.
 
Turning to the party’s Suhrawardy Udyan rally scheduled for Saturday, the ruling party leader said AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will send out important messages from the rally. “She will warn party leaders and activists against misuse of power. She’ll ask them to stay away from corruption, drugs and terrorism declaring her zero tolerance against the menaces.”
 
He also said there will be directives from the rally to the party men to deeply get involved in the fight against drug abuse. “Besides, the Prime Minister will unveil her development plan at the rally.”
 
Awami League will hold a grand rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday to celebrate the massive victory of the party in the 11th parliamentary election.

Dhaka, Jan 17 (UNB) - BNP on Thursday alleged that the TIB report on “vote robbery” in the December-30 election has caused heartburn both to the government and the Election Commission.

“The government and the EC cannot hide their faces as TIB has unveiled the absolute truth of vote robbery,” BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he said,” Now they (EC and govt) are making abortive efforts to hide the facts with their screams “

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) labeled the December-30 general election as ‘controversial’ saying that there had been polls irregularities in 47 out of 50 constituencies it surveyed during the election.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda and Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday trashed the TIB report over vote fraud, saying it is not authentic.

Rizvi said people know what happened the night before the election day and international credible organisations also published their reports on vote robbery.

"Different democratic countries of the world termed the election questionable . They didn’t recognise this election of fake vote. The global community also termed the election worst one in Bangladesh history,” he said.

The BNP leader said the ruling party deprived voters of exercising their right to franchise to hang onto power and maintained their absolute authority.

He warned that people will restore democracy and their voting right even by sacrificing their lives, if necessary.

He alleged that ruling party men are continuing attack and repression on the BNP leaders and activists throughout the country.

Dhaka, Jan 17 (UNB) - Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said there is neither any conflict nor tension in the AL-led Grand Alliance.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, came up with the remark while speaking at a preparatory meeting on Saturday’s grand rally of Awami League to celebrate its victory in the 11th general election.

“The grand alliance is a unity forged to participate in elections while the 14-party is a political alliance which will prevail and there’s no chance of collapse,” said the minister.

There is no infighting, tension and disturbance in the alliance, said the senior AL leader adding, “If there’s any misunderstanding, we’ll solve it through discussions.”

“If the political alliance plays a role of the opposition in parliament and holds constructive discussions, it’ll be better for the government to correct its mistakes, if any,” said Obaidul.

Comparing BNP with a ‘reckless driver’, the Awami League leader said, “The government has its patience, no matter how wilder the defeated BNP is.”