Politics
Govt violating HR by blocking Khaleda’s treatment abroad: BNP
BNP on Sunday accused the government of violating human rights by not allowing its ailing chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for advanced treatment.
“Khaleda Zia has been sent to jail by unlawfully sentencing her. She’s not even being given the scope to receive treatment abroad. This is a serious human rights violation,” said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, he said, “We demand the release of all those detained for political reasons, including Khaleda Zia.”
Fakhrul said an annual report of the UK titled ‘The 2020 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Report on Human Rights and Democracy, which was presented to British Parliament recently, said Khaleda Zia has been jailed 'illegitimately'.
Also read: Govt trying to ‘obstruct’ Khaleda's treatment abroad: BNP
He said the report also focused on Bangladesh’s human rights situation and ‘restrictions’ on political freedom and the government’s ‘inhuman’ attitudes.
Fakhrul said a number of international and national human rights organisations have also expressed their views that incidents of deprivation of basic rights of people, repression on journalists, filing false cases and carrying out extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances are on the rise in Bangladesh.
“BNP national standing committee thinks that the report of the UK and other international human rights organisations have exposed that Begum Khaleda Zia has been jailed unlawfully,” he claimed.
The press conference was arranged to unveil the decisions of BNP standing committee’s virtual meeting held on Saturday evening.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporally freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year. BNP has been claiming that she has apparently been kept under house arrest by imposing various conditions on her movement and travel abroad.
Also read: Khaleda has to seek presidential pardon to go abroad, says law minister
On June 19, Khaleda Zia got back home from the capital’s Evercare Hospital after 53 days of treatment for Covid infections and other physical complications.
But, Fakhrul said, Khaleda's personal physicians claimed that she needs advanced treatment abroad for her heart, lung, kidney and other health complications.
Her family submitted an application to the government on May 6 seeking permission to send her abroad for treatment, but it was turned down.
Quader ridicules Fakhrul’s claim on Rupganj factory fire
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said that the prompt action taken by the government after Rupganj factory fire should serve as a warning to all others do business putting employees’ lives at risk.
Quader said this while addressing virtually a programme on the occasion of distributing Covid-19 safety materials, organized by the party's relief and social welfare sub-committee at Bangabandhu Avenue here.
He ridiculed BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for his comments that the Awami League has been responsible for Thursday’s devastating fire at Hashem Foods Ltd. in Rupganj.
Also read: N’ganj factory fire an incident of murder: BNP
He made light of Fakhrul’s allegation saying the BNP secretary general may “one day blame the Awami League if any one dies in a lightning strike.”
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said that there will be no problem with Covid vaccine. He urged critics to stop talking about an artificial crisis of the jabs.
There are elements which are making up the vaccine crisis with political motive, he said.
He called for burying petty party politics over the pandemic. He said there is now only one politics and that is to stand by the people in this time of crisis. The Awami League is wholeheartedly doing so, he added.
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
Quader said Awami League is the only political party which has stood by the helpless people from the capital to the villages.
He said corona infection is on the rise due to carelessness and negligence of the people. He appealed to the people to maintain health guidelines and wearing masks for their own protection.
Awami League presidium member Begum Matia Chowdhury presided over the function while the party’s presidium member Abdur Rahman, organizing secretary Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, relief and social welfare secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, health secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana and Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League president Ahmed Mannafi and General Secretary Humayun Kabir also spoke.
Later, the leaders distributed safety protection materials among the representatives of different organisations.
N’ganj factory fire an incident of murder: BNP
Describing the horrific fire at the Hashem Food and Beverage factory in Narayanganj as an incident of murder, BNP on Sunday questioned the role of the Fire Service and Civil Defence as it took huge time to put out the blaze.
“Our standing committee meeting thinks that this (factory fire) incident falls into the category of murder,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, he said, “The meeting also raised a question about the role of the fire brigade in dealing with the incident. It can’t be acceptable that they could not douse the fire in 27 hours.”
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
The press conference was arranged to unveil the decisions of the BNP standing committee’s virtual meeting held on Saturday evening.
Fakhrul said their party thinks the fire incident happened due to administrative weakness and lack of regular inspection and monitoring of the factory’s construction quality, working atmosphere and fire extinguishing system by the agencies concerned under the Industries Ministry.
He demanded a fair and impartial investigation into the fire incident to unearth the reasons behind the blaze. "Those who are responsible must be brought to justice immediately, and relatives of those killed and injured will have to be provided with proper compensations.”
Also read: Mills, factories have no safe working environment: BNP
The BNP leader said their standing committee expressed deep shock over the huge loss of lives in the fire at Hashem Food and Beverage factory.
He said they also voiced anger at the ‘extreme negligence’ of the government’s agencies concerned in reducing the factory fire and ensuring a safe working environment for the workers.
A massive fire swept through a seven-storey building housing the Hashem Food at Bhulta Karnagop in Narayanganj’s Rupgan, killing at least 52 people and injuring many others.
Covid crisis
About the Covid crisis, Fakhrul said the National Technical Advisory Committee’s suggestion for enforcing a curfew in the country cannot be a solution to the virus outbreak.
He said even the current lockdown is also not an effective way to get rid of the coronavirus without ensuring food and cash support for the needy and day labourers.
"The goal of the lockdown is to prevent infections by keeping people indoors. We’ve to take proper action for that. Where’s that awareness? It’s useless to put the poor people in jail,” the BNP leader said.
He said many people are being subjected to harassment while the poor are going through serious suffering for lack of food during the lockdown.
Fakhrul said around 4,500 people were arrested for coming out on the streets amid the lockdown and most of them are poor people like rickshaw or van pullers and restaurant workers. “Even a father died for lack of oxygen as his son was arrested for coming out of the home to collect an oxygen cylinder.”
He condemned a circular of Dhaka Civil Surgeon’s office asking doctors not to share information of coronavirus patients with the media.
”Such a circular has proved that they (govt) want to hide information. The number of infections and deaths is much higher than the number presented by the government. The efforts to conceal such information are contrary to press freedom and democracy.”
Fakhrul urged the government to increase the beds, doctors, oxygen cylinders, and other necessary medical equipment to ensure the proper treatment of Covid patients at the government hospitals as the virus has spread across the country.
Also read: ‘Massive corruption’ in building houses as PM’s gift: BNP
Ashrayan Project
He alleged that a widespread plundering has been there for a long time in the name of constructing houses meant for landless people as the Prime Minister’s gift under the Ashrayan Project.
The BNP leader called upon the government to halt the project which their party thinks was taken as ‘eyewash’ aiming to plunder public money.
Fakhrul also urged the government to ensure punishment to those indulged in corruption in the project after identifying them through a neutral investigation.
He condemned the arrest of Tanvir Hasan alias Tanu, Thakurgaon district correspondent of Independent TV and the national daily Ittefaq, in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.
The BNP leader demanded Tanu’s immediate release.
Free flow of information vital for democracy: GM Quader
Wondering how the Civil Surgeon’s office in Dhaka could issue a directive asking all concerned not to share information of Covid patients with the media, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said such an instruction is “contrary to democracy and good governance”.
In a statement, he also said the directive that says the media workers will not get information from any hospital in Dhaka district, except from the civil surgeon’s office, during the pandemic is incompatible with the democratic system. “Free flow of information is an essential precondition to the establishment of democracy and good governance.”
Read: Covid situation taking a terrible turn: GM Quader
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, also said. “We’re surprised to see that the directive issued by the Civil Surgeon of Dhaka has not been withdrawn yet though 24 hours have passed by.”
He said the nation depends on the media for getting authentic information during the pandemic while the government, administration, political parties, volunteers and civil society come forward in every difficult time after seeing the media reports.
Besides, the Jatiya Party chief said, there is an apprehension of increasing irregularities and corruption when accurate information are not found in the media.
He feared that rumours and conspiracies will also spread in the absence of free flow of information.
GM Quader said it is important to find out as to why the Dhaka Civil Surgeon wanted to disrupt the normal activities of the media when the Coronavirus infection has been showing an uptrend.
Read: Corruption in health sector widespread: GM Quader
He also said hiding information from the media during such a catastrophic period is not a normal matter. “So, the instruction for not providing information by the Dhaka District Civil Surgeon's office must be withdrawn immediately.”
According to media reports, the office of Dhaka’s Civil Surgeon on Thursday asked doctors working at different hospitals not to comment on or exchange any information about healthcare activities or the disease and patients with the media amid the pandemic.
The Civil Surgeon also urged the media to refrain from taking photos and video footage, or interviewing Covid-19 patients in hospitals.
‘Massive corruption’ in building houses as PM’s gift: BNP
BNP on Saturday alleged that there has been ‘massive corruption’ in the construction of houses meant for landless people as the Prime Minister’s gift under the Ashrayan Project as many of those have collapsed partially or developed cracks in many places.
“There’ve been limitless corruption, looting, waywardness and politicisation in the construction of the houses for the landless poor, which’s being branded as a gift of the Prime Minister by beating drums,” said party organising secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said the way those houses are seen collapsing before or after the handover proves that ‘massive plundering’ in the name of development is going on in the country. “A grand festival of looting is on as Bangladesh seems to have become a paradise of unlimited graft.”
The BNP leader demanded the government immediately bring under justice those involved in huge corruption, plundering and extortion in the Ashrayan Project.
He also demanded reconstruction of the damaged houses of the poor and landless people.
Prince said the Ashrayan Project under which the houses were built to give to the homeless, landless, and poor people as the Prime Minister's gift of the Mujib Year was “full of irregularities and corruption” from the very beginning.
“The names of the poor were included in the allocation list by taking money from them. “Even, the names of established businessmen have been there in the list in exchange for money. Pro-Awami UP chairman and members, presidents and general secretaries of the Awami League and their affiliated upazila and union committees were given the houses keeping quotas for them,” he said.
The BNP leader also alleged that though the houses were built with the money allocated by the government, the ruling party men indulged in extortion and took money from the poor in the name of purchasing the building materials, transportation cost and wages of construction workers. The poor people had to give the money in the hope of getting houses.”
Besides, he said, the brick, sand, cement, rod and other materials were bought from ruling party men at exorbitant prices. “But they supplied substandard construction materials. Though 40 bags of cement were allocated per house, only 10-12 bags were used, and the remaining were done with sand and soil. That’s why the houses now turned vulnerable.”
Prince said the ministers and the ruling party leaders are now talking about zero tolerance towards those involved in corruption, irregularities and looting in the construction of the houses. “But they have unknowingly forgotten that the huge corruption they are committing by giving shelter to the corrupt and looters…the country has now turned into a sanctuary for the corrupt.”
About the loss of huge lives in a factory fire at Rupganj in Narayanganj, he said the incident happened due to negligence and indifference of the factory owner who is an Awami League leader. “He must be brought to justice.”
The BNP leader demanded the government rehabilitate the victims’ families and give them adequate compensations.
N’ganj deaths can’t be accepted so easily: Raushon
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad on Friday said the huge casualties in Narayanganj factory fire cannot be accepted so easily.
In a condolence message, she said, “Deaths and injuries in different incidents are on the rise in the country. These ruthless deaths (in factory fire) are not easy to accept.”
Raushon called upon the government to unveil the mystery behind the fire incident through a proper investigation. “Strict punitive action must be take taken against those who will be found responsible for the incident in the investigation.”
She also urged the government to take necessary steps to ensure proper treatment of those who suffered burn injuries and appropriate compensation to the families of the dead and injured.
Raushon expressed deep shock over the loss of huge lives in the fire incident and prayed for the salvation of the departed souls.
Also read: Trapped in a building with no fire exit and gates locked, workers were burned to a pulp
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader demanded the formation of a judicial probe committee to unearth the mystery behind the horrific fire incident.
In a condolence message, he said over 50 people died in the blaze on Thursday and the actual death toll could rise further. “The brutal death of so many people in such an incident amid the pandemic can’t be accepted.”
GM, Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, demanded exemplary punishment to those responsible for the blaze so that such an incident does not recur in the future.
He also demanded justified compensation for the families of the victims.
The Jatiya Party chief called upon the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to ensure proper treatment of the injured.
Also read: Death toll from Rupganj factory fire jumps to 52
He expressed deep shock at the loss of lives in the factory fire and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls.
GM Quader also conveyed his profound sympathy to the bereaved family members.
A massive fire swept through a seven-storey building housing a juice factory of Hashem Food Ltd at Bhulta Karnagop in Narayanganj’s Rupganj.
So far, the death toll from the fire reached 52 that broke out at 5pm on Thursday.
But the death toll might go up as the search operation still continues on the fifth and sixth floors of the building.
Mills, factories have no safe working environment: BNP
Voicing deep concerns over the loss of huge lives in a factory fire at Rupganj in Narayanganj, BNP on Friday said the country’s most mills and factories lack a safe working environment.
In a statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded the government unearth the real reasons behind the fire through a proper investigation and provide adequate compensation to the families of the deceased and injured in the blaze.
He urged the government to take effective measures and action to prevent such incidents and ensure safe workplaces and the safety of workers.
“The deadly fire incident in the factory of Hashem Foods Ltd in Rupganj that have so far taken 52 lives and injured many others is very heartbreaking and touching. I’ve no word to console the families of those killed and injured in this horrific fire. I extend my deepest sympathies to them,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul said so many lives were lost due to an unsafe work environment and the indifference of the authorities concerned as well as the government's dual policy over lockdown. “Had the mills and factories been shut during the lockdown, so many innocent people would not have lost their lives.
Also read: Death toll from Rupganj factory fire jumps to 52
The BNP leader said the government has enforced a countrywide lockdown to contain the Covid-19 pandemic keeping the mills and factories operational. “Even amid the current horrible situation, the hard-working workers had to come to work risking their lives and they lost their lives ruthlessly by burning in the fire.”
He alleged that various tragic incidents like fires, gas explosions are taking place one after another in different places, including mills, houses, hotels, restaurants, markets and offices, claiming the lives of innocent people. “But the government is not taking any effective measures to prevent these. The mills and factories lack a safe working environment.”
The BNP leader said the government only forms a probe committee and gives various assurances after every incident, but the investigation reports never come to light. “The government can’t avoid responsibility for these tragic incidents and casualties.”
He expressed deep shock and sorrow at the loss of lives in the Rupganj factory fire and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls.
Also read: Govt distorting Liberation War history: BNP
Fakhrul demanded proper treatment of those injured in the deadly fire incident.
A massive fire swept through a seven-storey building housing a juice factory of Hashem Food Ltd at Bhulta Karnagop in Rupganj.
So far, the death toll from the fire reached 52 that broke out at 5pm on Thursday.
But the death toll might go up as the search operation still continues on the fifth and sixth floors of the building.
Lockdown locked poor’s livelihood path: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that every path of livelihood of the poor and working people have been shut by enforcing the countrywide strict lockdown in an ‘unplanned way’.
“The government's unplanned and inhumane decision of the lockdown has stalled the lives of crores of people who live from hand to mouth,” he told a virtual press conference.
The BNP leader said, “Imposing a strict lockdown without ensuring minimum food aid and cash support for the poor is by no means can be a logical decision, and it won't be fruitful. To implement the lockdown, its pre-conditions have to be fulfilled first.”
He also presented their party’s demands for taking five effective and coordinated steps, including the formation of a national emergency advisory committee, to contain the spread of the coronavirus across the country.
The party’s other demands include providing the needy people with adequate food and at least Tk 15,000 as one-time cast support, encouraging people to stay inside, wearing masks and maintaining health safety rules, bringing 80 percent people under vaccination through a specific roadmap, taking effective steps to manufacture vaccines in Bangladesh and ensuring proper treatment of the Covid-infected patients by increasing oxygen supplies, ICU and corona beds and necessary medical equipment.
Also read: Buy Covid vaccines urgently with money from mega projects: BNP
“Although it’s too late, a national emergency advisory committee comprising health experts, all political parties, NGOs and social organisations should be formed in the country immediately,” Fakhrul said.
He said these five steps should be set as the main targets for controlling the virus. “We need to remember that the fight against Corona is a long-term war.”
The BNP leader said the government should allocate Tk 10,000 crore for helping the poor and day-labourers during the lockdown. “This is the only way to make the lockdown effective and keep the poor at home.”
Narrating the incident of ‘committing suicide’ out of hunger amid lockdown by day-labourer Din Islam in Munshiganj, Fakhrul said the cash or food aid programme should have been on the government's priority list to help the poor and needy people to lead the normal life.
He said it seems that the Corona has come as a “blessing” for the ruling as they are indulging in misappropriation of cash and relief items allocated for the extremely poor.
Also read: Govt distorting Liberation War history: BNP
The BNP leader said the finance ministry identified that the names of 1,433,000 people on the list of 50 lakh who were provided money through mobile phones are fake.
Referring to a newspaper report, he said at least two millionaires have been given relief materials in Jhenaidah.
“You know all the stories of mega corruption in mega projects…the government can now allocate money from those projects to save lives. But they’re not doing that.”
BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuk, among others, spoke at the press conference.
Increase oxygen supply, Corona beds: PMO
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to increase oxygen supply and corona beds in hospitals across the country to ensure the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Read:4 Covid patients die in Pabna hospital amid oxygen crisis
The PMO also urged those who are showing Covid-19 symptoms to stay home and directed the local administration to make sure that the patients with corona symptoms are kept in isolation.
The directives came from an urgent meeting held virtually with divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to work out measures to protect the public health and ensure coordination in the ongoing government activities to check the transmission of coronavirus in the country.
Read: Quader sees no oxygen crisis
The PMO issued the directives at a time when Bangladesh is struggling with a catastrophic second wave of the Coronavirus leaving hospitals across the country overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients.
PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus joined the meeting from the PMO end and presided over it.
Read:Oxygen crisis: Probe committee gets more time to investigate deaths at Satkhira hospital
Senior Secretary of Health Services Division Lokman Hossain Miah and PMO Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, among others, attended the meeting.
Still with BNP despite discomfort: Hafiz
Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, who took part in the Liberation War as a Z Force member under Ziaur Rahman, on Wednesday, expressed frustration over his current position in the BNP.
“Among the army officer in the Z Force, four were in the BNP. Of them, Colonel Akbar Hossain passed away. The two others-- Colonel Oli Ahmed and Major Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury-- left the party. “I'm the only one still surviving with a lot of discomforts,” he said.
Hafiz, a BNP vice chairman, came up with the remarks while speaking at a virtual discussion, marking the formation of Z Force in 1971.
BNP’s national committee on the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the country’s independence arranged the programme. The Z Force was the first military brigade of Bangladesh Forces formed on July 7 during the Liberation War under then Major Ziaur Rahman.
Hafiz said the Z Force was the first and full brigade of the Liberation War with three infantry battalions. “The Z Force was a strong brigade of the Bangladesh Army who played a very glorious role in the battlefield. The Z Force had won the most gallantry awards in the War of Independence. The number of martyrs was the highest from the Z Force.”
Also read: Govt distorting Liberation War history: BNP
Hafiz bemoaned that though BNP had been in power for different terms, it did not duly recall the role of the Z Force. “When we stay in power, we remain busy flattering the living leaders. When we’re in power, the name of Z Force was not recalled.”
He thanked BNP’s committee on the Golden Jubilee celebration for arranging the programme, commemorating the formation of the Z force.
BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman, among others, spoke at the programme.
Hafiz has some sort of distance with BNP top leaders as he worked as the secretary general of a faction of BNP-led by Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and other reformist leaders during military-backed caretaker government in 2007.
He, however, returned to the mainstream BNP later and h was again made a party vice-chairman.
Hafiz has been holding the post of the party vice-chairman for 22 years, though many of his junior leaders became the party standing committee members. Though there were speculations at different times about inducting him into the party policymaking body, it still did not happen.
Also read: Buy Covid vaccines urgently with money from mega projects: BNP
On December 14 last year, BNP sent a show-cause notice, signed by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, to Hafiz for his remarks on party senior leaders.
Hafiz had an initial plan to quit the party, but he changed the decision following an understating with the party high-ups.
At a press confrere on December 19, he termed untrue the allegations that mentioned in the show-cause notice served on him and said he felt insulted as the party senior joint secretary general issued it in an “attacking language that goes against courtesy and protocol”.
"As a war-wounded and gallantry-award-recipient freedom fighter, I’m shocked to receive a show-cause notice with untrue allegations in a disrespectful language on the Martyred Intellectuals Day in the month of Victory,” he told the press conference.