Politics
BNP-Jamaat leaders have become ‘enemies of the people’: Info Minister
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said those who are sponsoring arson and terrorism from behind the scenes will be brought out of their pits and dealt with.
Mahmud, also the ruling Awami League's joint secretary-general said this while addressing a memorial meeting marking the 11th death anniversary of former presidium member of Awami League, Akhteruzzaman Chowdhury Babu, at a convention centre in Chattogram city on Saturday.
No one spared from clutches of BNP extremists: Info Minister
Chattogram City, North and South District units of Awami League jointly organized the programme.
Hasan said BNP-Jamaat alliance leaders have now become the 'enemies of the people', accusing them of setting vehicles on fire and burning people alive.
Invitation to Global Gateway Forum demonstrates world leaders are with Sheikh Hasina: Info Minister
“BNP had said that the final would be played on (October) 28th, but they left the ground before the game. The police did not fire a single bullet - everyone, including Mirza Fakhrul, left the stage due to the sound grenade of the police, and the leaders and activists also followed. In other words, BNP left the field before the start of the game," Hasan said.
Addressing the leaders and workers of Awami League and its affiliates, the minister said, "It is our responsibility as a ruling party to ensure peace and order in the country.”
Dhaka’s streets to be under AL’s control on October 28: Info Minister
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, son of late Akhteruzzaman Chowdhury Babu, addressed the programme as special guest.
BNP-led opposition's 48-hour blockade set to disrupt start of working week
The BNP and like-minded opposition parties are set to enforce another nationwide blockade of road, rail and waterways for 48 hours from Sunday morning to mount pressure on the Awami League regime to quit and pave the way for the next election under a non-party neutral administration.
The blockade will begin at 6am Sunday and end at 6am Tuesday across the country.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will also enforce a 48-hour blockade simultaneously, demanding the current government's resignation and installation of a non-party neutral administration to oversee the 12th parliamentary election.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called upon the country’s people along with BNP supporters to observe the programme spontaneously to make it successful.
Vehicles of the newspapers or media, ambulances and vehicles transporting oxygen cylinders and medicines will remain out of the purview of the three-day blockade.
Apart from BNP and Jamaat, the 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Ganatantra Mancha, LDP, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Gono Odhikar Parishad Labour Party and NDM will also observe the blockade programme separately.
Meanwhile, a dawn-to-dusk hartal will be enforced by BNP in Chattogram on Sunday in protest against the arrest of the party’s standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Md Idris Ali, office coordinator of the city unit BNP, said Chattogram metropolitan, north and south district units of BNP called for the daylong hartal protesting the arrest of Amir Khosru, also a former minister.
Ambulances, vehicles carrying newspapers, journalists and fire service will remain out of the purview of the hartal which will begin at 6:00 am.
Earlier the opposition parties observed a day-long hartal on October 29 and a three-day blockade from Oct 31 to November 2 demanding their one-point demand and protesting the attacks on its October 28 rally by police.
At least three people died amid sporadic incidents of clashes, arson attacks and arrests during the hartal.
The three-day countrywide blockade was also marked by clashes and widespread incidents of torching and vandalising vehicles that left four people killed.
Meanwhile, police arrested many BNP leaders and activists, including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and standing committee members Mirza Abbas and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, following the violence centring the party’s grand rally at Nayapaltan on October 28, that left two people, including a police constable, dead.
Half an hour after the start of BNP's much-talked-about grand rally at Nayapaltan, the party's leaders and workers locked into a clash with the police at Kakrail. With the passage of time, violent clashes spread around Nayapaltan, foiling the rally halfway through.
In the wake of that political violence, the Nayapaltan central office of the BNP remained locked with the deployment of a huge number of police in the area.
BNP-Jamaat must stop arson attacks or else we’ll stop them: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged people to resist arson terrorists and if necessary “throw them into fire to teach them a good lesson.”She called the opposition BNP “arson terrorists”.
PM Hasina to leave Dhaka for Saudi Arabia tomorrow“I will urge people of the country, including Dhaka dwellers, to resist these arson terrorists. If necessary, nab them and throw them in that fire,” she said.“The hand used for arson terrorism should be burnt with that fire. Then they will learn a lesson,” she said.
PM Hasina opens metro rail's run from Agargaon to MotijheelThe prime minister was addressing a rally organised by Dhaka Divisional Awami League at Arambagh area in Motijheel after inaugurating the Agargaon-Motijheel part of metro rail service and construction work of the 20 km MRT Line-5 (northern route).Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, alleged that arson attacks and “burning people are like a festival for BNP and its allies.”
Dhaka, New Delhi both to benefit from 3 newly opened dev projects: PM HasinaThis is their real character, she stated.“Their agitation means arson terrorism, killing people, attacking law enforcing agencies, and destroying everything,” she said.She asked BNP and its allies, including Jamaat, to stop their destructive activities immediately.
“If they don't stop this, we know very well how to stop them,” she warned.Workers’ Party president and local MP Rashed Khan Menon, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam also spoke at the programme.Awami League Dhaka South City unit President Abu Ahmed Mannafi presided over the rally.
Join polls, stop arson attacks: Momen urges BNP
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Saturday urged BNP to publicly apologize to the people and expel the persons involved in recent attacks, destruction of assets and burning of properties and buses.
“Join the elections, stop arson attacks and destruction of properties,” he urged the BNP leadership.
While talking to reporters after attending a programme, Momen said BNP should expel those people who are involved in recent attacks.
Read: BNP calls dawn-to-dusk hartal in Ctg Sunday protesting arrest of Amir Khasru
Apart from brutally beating one policeman to death, the BNP supporters attacked the residences of Chief Justice and other judges, torched police outposts, set fire to dozens of buses, Police Hospital premises and to ambulances causing disruption of emergency medical services, Momen earlier said.
He said BNP did not spare on-duty journalists and camera personnel. The BNP activists attacked and critically injured at least 25 media professionals. Bangladesh Federal Journalist Union (BFUJ) issued a note condemning such activities.
Read: Govt must resign, parliament must be dissolved by Nov 10: IAB chief Charmonai Pir
Earlier, the Foreign Minister joined the launching ceremony of Unimart, the premium superstore in Bangladesh and a subsidiary of the United Group. It is the first flagship outlet outside Dhaka at Ambarkhana Point in Sylhet.
This purpose-built shopping destination offers all its popular brands under one roof – Unimart, Chef's Table, Crisp, Indulge, and the pharmacy chain Well Being.
United Group Chairman and Managing Director Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, and CEO of Unimart Murtoza Zaman, among others, attended the inaugural ceremony.
Read: Elections can't be stopped by arson: Salman F Rahman
This one-stop destination covering about 100,000 square feet and located in the heart of the Sylhet city will offer the signature quality assurance of Unimart with a wide range of local and imported products.
Around 2000 BNP leaders, activists sued, 150 arrested in Khulna
A total of 15 new cases have been filed against nearly 2000 BNP leaders and activists and more than 150 have been arrested in Khulna since the party’s grand rally in Dhaka on October 28.
Mizanur Rahman Milton, member of the party's Khulna media cell, alleged that police are arresting BNP leaders and activists indiscriminately and sending them to the court as unnamed accused in different cases filed in different police stations.
Read: Jubo Dal leader hacked after abduction in Natore
In Terokhada upazila of the district, a local BNP leader’s father, who died 11 years ago, was made an accused in a case filed under the Special Powers Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
His son, Senior Joint General Secretary of Terokhada Upazila BNP Chowdhury Fakhrul Islam Babu, said, “My father has been accused in the case; he died 11 years ago.”
Sub-Inspector (SI) of Terokhada police station Chanchal Kumar Halder filed the case under the Special Powers Act and the Explosive Substances Act on November 2.
Officer-in-charge of Khulna Sadar Police Station, Hasan Abdul Mamun, said that 1287 BNP leaders and activists were accused in three cases on charges of ‘being involved in a conspiracy against the government’. Another 12 cases were filed in nine police stations of the district.
Meanwhile, Khulna district BNP convener Amir Ejaz Khan, Mahanagar BNP joint convener Kazi Mahmud Ali, Dakop upazila BNP member secretary Abdul Mannan, district Chhatra Dal president Abdul Mannan have been arrested and sent to jail in various cases.
Read: 11 BNP leaders-activists arrested in Narail
Khulna district BNP convener Amir Ejaz Khan was arrested by the police in Jalma area of Batiaghata upazila.
Mohammad Shawkat Kabir, officer-in-charge of Batiaghata police station, said that he was arrested on Thursday afternoon in the Explosive Substances Act case filed at Batiaghata police station on Wednesday.
BNP calls dawn-to-dusk hartal in Ctg Sunday protesting arrest of Amir Khasru
BNP on Saturday called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Chattogram for Sunday in protest against the arrest of the party’s standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury from his Dhaka residence.
A press release was issued in this regard on Saturday.
Md Idris Ali, office coordinator of the city unit BNP, said Chattogram metropolitan, north and south district units of BNP called for the daylong hartal protesting the arrest of Amir Khasru, also a former minister.
Read : Jubo Dal leader hacked after abduction in Natore
The party’s leaders and activists were urged to observe the hartal peacefully, said the release.
Ambulance, vehicles carrying newspapers, journalists and fire service will remain out of purview of the hartal, it said.
The hartal will be enforced along with the two-day countrywide blockade set to begin from 6:00 am on Sunday.
Read : Over 250 BNP, Jamaat fellows sued in 2 cases over clash with Chhatra League, police in Sylhet
BNP’s Vice-Chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Mir Md Nasir Uddin, chairperson’s advisors Golam Akbar Khandaker, SM Fazlul Hoque, central committee’s Organising Secretary Mahbubur Rahman Shamim and city unit BNP Convenor Dr Shahadat Hossain, among others, urged the party activists to observe the hartal peacefully.
Early Friday, a team of Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained Amir Khasru from his Gulshan residence in the capital.
Later, he was shown arrested in police constable Aminul Islam murder case filed with Paltan police station.
Read : No innocent BNP leader or activist being arrested: Razzaque
The constable sustained severe injuries in clashes with BNP men during the October 28 grand rally in Dhaka. Later he died.
A Dhaka court on Friday placed the BNP leader on a six-day remand in the case.
Jubo Dal leader hacked after abduction in Natore
A union-level leader of the BNP’s youth wing Jubo Dal was hacked after his abduction on way home from a local market in Lalpur upazila of Natore on Friday night.
Injured Masud Rana, general secretary of Bilmaria union Jubo Dal, is undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hosptial.
Family members said some people posing as members of Detective Branch picked up Masud on the way home from his shop at a local market around 10:30 pm.
The miscreants hacked him with sharp weapons and left on a bank of a canal near Lalpur Mohila College assuming him dead, they said.
Later, locals rescued him and rushed to Upazila Health Complex and subsequently transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Lalpur police station’s Officer-in-charge Ujjal Hossain said they are looking into the matter.
Over 250 BNP, Jamaat fellows sued in 2 cases over clash with Chhatra League, police in Sylhet
Two separate cases were lodged accusing over 250 leaders and activists of BNP-Jamaat in connection with the clashes with the ruling Awami League’s student wing Chhatra League and police during a daylong hartal enforced by the BNP on Wednesday.
One of the cases was filed by Chhatra League leader Imon Ahmed and the rest by Sub Inspector Kallol with Kotwali police station on Thursday night, confirmed Officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Ali Mahmud.
Of them, 14 fellows of the BNP, its associate bodies’ fellows, and Jamaat-Shibir men were named accused and 50 to 55 unidentified individuals in the Chhatra League case.
Read: Court grants six days' remand for Khasru, Swapon in police constable murder case
The named accused in the case are city unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) President Sudip Jyoti, General Secretary Fazle Rabbi Ahsan, District chapter General Secretary Delwar Hossain Dinar, District Swechchhasebak Dal Convenor Abdul Ahad Khan Jamal and Member Secretary Shakil Morshed, former city BNP Member Secretary Mifta Siddiqui, District BNP Member Mahbubul Haque Chowdhury, Metropolitan BNP Joint Convener Afsar Khan, BNP's Mominul Haque and former JCD leader Maksud Ahmed and fellows of Jamaat-Shibir- Fakhrul Islam, Abdur Rahman, Oliur Rahman and Joynal Abedin.
In the police case, 14 people were named accused and 170 to 180 unnamed individuals.
The named accused are city unit JCD general secretary Fazle Rabbi Ahsan, district chapter general secretary Delwar Hossain Dinar, JCD leaders Abdus Salam Titu, Ubaid, Oliur Rahman Jhunu, former JCD leaders Arafat Chowdhury Zaki, Tarek, Shakil Murshed, Jamaat-Shibir's Afzal Ahmed, Shujaat Ahmed, Raihan, Abib, Nasir and Shibbir Ahmed.
Read: BNP leader Amir Khasru shown arrested in police constable murder case: DB Chief Harun
A tripartite clash on Wednesday erupted among the fellows of BNP, JCD, Jamaat-Shibir, Chhatra League and police personnel at and around Karimullah Market in the city, during the daylong hartal enforced by the BNP’s youth wing Jubo Dal in protest against the death of one of the fellows after being chased by police during a blockade in Dakkhin Surma upazila of Sylhet district on Tuesday.
Read more: Case filed against 224 people over lorry burnt in Ctg's Sitakunda
11 BNP leaders-activists arrested in Narail
Narail District BNP General Secretary Monirul Islam was among eleven leaders and activists of the party arrested on charges of planning a sabotage on Thursday night.
They were arrested around 11:30 pm.
According to police, they were planning sabotage following the three-day nationwide blockade of BNP.
Police claimed they were attacked with cocktail bombs upon reaching the location. They claimed to have recovered evidence of two exploded cocktails from the scene.
“We seized five motorcycles. Ten BNP leaders and activists were arrested from the scene while the rest managed to escape,” said Narail Additional Superintendent of Police Tarek Al Mehdi .
Another BNP activist was arrested from Bashgram union the same night, he said.
“Bashgram Jubo Dal leader Prince Molla was arrested in a sabotage case filed at Narail Sadar Police Station. He was arrested and produced before the court,” he added.
The arrested individuals are:Narail District BNP General Secretary Md. Monirul Islam (49), District Swecchasebok Dal’s Khandkar Manjurul Said Babu (36), Convener of Lohagara Upazila Jubo Dal Khan Mahamud Alam (48), Joint General Secretary of District Chhatra Dal Taibul Hasan (28), Co-Organizing Secretary of District Jubo Dal Syed Ahadul Islam (45), Itna Union BNP President Sheikh Palash Ali (45), Itna Union Swecchasebok Dal’s Arman Sheikh (30), District Chhatra Dal Co-Organizing Secretary Hiron Mridha (30), Mallikpur Union BNP Vice President Khizir Ahmed (58), Itna Union Ward Jubo Dal President Masum Sheikh (30), and Bashgram Union Jubo Dal’s Prince Molla (36).
No innocent BNP leader or activist being arrested: Razzaque
Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque has said that law enforcement agencies are arresting only the culprits and terrorists after looking through all available video footage, and no peaceful and innocent activists of BNP are being arrested.
Not a single BNP activist was arrested in any upazila of Tangail, the agri minister was speaking at a programme in Tangail's Dhanbari Upazila this morning.
With help from the Department of Agricultural Extension and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) organised the event.
"It is the responsibility of the government to protect people's lives, vehicles and state assets and to keep the shops open and law enforcement working to ensure the safety and security of the people," Razzaque said.
The minister said, BNP is doing madness and creating anarchy to foil the upcoming elections in the country. And this is their instinctive characteristics. BNP is a party which is devoid of democratic spirit and values. In 2014, 2015, they carried out arson, vandalism and violence, in the same way they carried out the brutal attack on October 28. The policeman was brutally beaten to death, which is not acceptable at all, the AL leader added.
The minister expressed hope that BNP will leave the path of terrorism and violence and participate in the elections and help to guide the country on the path of prosperity.
Earlier, the agriculture minister inaugurated the Dhanbari regional office of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).