United News of Bangladesh

The death of BNP Commerce Affairs Secretary and former three-time MP Salahuddin Ahmed has created a void in politics, BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said. Describing Salahuddin as a strong organiser and politician, Rizvi said he had made significant contributions to the development of his constituency. Salahuddin died while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital Dhaka on Tuesday night. After his body was taken from the hospital to his residence in Shyampur, Rizvi visited the house at night to pay his last respects and offer condolences to the bereaved family members. “It is unfortunate that a void has been created in politics. A strong organiser and politician like him was elected as a public representative from this area several times. He was vocal in Parliament about the development of his constituency,” the BNP leader saidwhile speaking to journalists there. “Salahuddin made significant contributions to the development of this area, including the construction of schools, colleges, madrasahs and roads,” he added. Expressing grief over Salahuddin’s death, Rizvi said he had not yet reached an advanced age but had suffered from illness following prolonged persecution under the authoritarian regime. “He was not so old. After suffering from illness for a long time due to persecution under the authoritarian regime, he departed this world. I pray for the salvation of his soul. I also extend my condolences to his bereaved family,” he said. BNP Chairman’s Adviser and Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Abdus Salam said Salahuddin’s death was a loss not only for his family but also for the BNP family. Hundreds of leaders and activists from different levels of the party in the area, including Dhaka South BNP Convener Rafiqul Alam Majnu, also visited Salahuddin’s residence to pay their final respects.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Organiser (Southern Region) Hasnat Abdullah on Tuesday alleged that the trial of the July killings was becoming a mere formality, accusing the BNP-led government of prioritising power, corruption and the rehabilitation of the Awami League over state reforms. "BNP has July on its lips but Awami League in its heart. This kind of relationship has created unease in the country's politics," he said while speaking at a discussion titled "Trial of the July Massacre: Gap between Political Promises and Reality" at the NCP's central office in Banglamotor in the capital. "We wanted a change in the state structure, where everyone would receive fair and equal treatment. But we saw that only the chairs have changed. Some became MPs, some ministers, some state ministers. Many individuals have changed their positions, but the state structure has not changed," Hasnat said. Alleging links between a section of the BNP and the Awami League, he said there is a difference between BNP leaders and activists who endured torture, cases and imprisonment for over a decade and a half, and the newcomers who joined the party after August 5, 2024. The NCP leader alleged that many BNP leaders and activists who were persecuted during the Awami League's rule are now being sidelined within the party, while a section of newcomers is getting opportunities for business benefits and to extend influence. He, however, did not provide detailed evidence to back the allegations. Questioning the progress of investigations in connection with cases filed over the killings and violence during the July mass uprising, Hasnat said many cases have named large numbers of accused without consulting the victims. “These cases are later being used as a means of extorting money and striking deals,” he alleged. He also raised questions about how many of the cases filed at police stations across Bangladesh have seen charge sheets submitted. “We have repeatedly said: submit charge sheets quickly. File charges against the real culprits and ensure the trial of the Awami League as a party," he said. The NCP leader alleged that the slow pace of investigation and trial is casting doubt over the prosecution of the real perpetrators, and stressed the need to complete investigations swiftly, submit charge sheets and move the trials forward. On the question of the Awami League's trial and political rehabilitation, he said the party must be tried as an organisation, not just its individual members. He alleged that the Awami League has yet to acknowledge its past crimes as a party. Hasnat also criticised the government's economic policy and growth targets, saying the 6.5 percent GDP growth the government talks about is hard to achieve in the current economic reality, where the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast growth to fall to 3.42 percent. He also questioned job creation efforts, alleging that members of influential political families are getting more benefits than ordinary people in the distribution of employment and business opportunities. The NCP leader also alleged nepotism in the allocation of dealerships for fertiliser and other commodities, and in government contract works.

BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said the BNP government is working to rebuild the country devastated by mismanagement, looting and disorder during the Awami League government. “The BNP government is working to rebuild the country and bring it out of the dire situation created by mismanagement, looting and disorder during the Awami League government,” he said addressing a discussion and awards ceremony organised by the Janadhikar Party at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital. Rizvi said the government is working to rebuild state institutions while tackling the energy crisis and addressing the problems left behind by the previous administration. “The BNP government took responsibility for running the state amid various irregularities, mismanagement and a chaotic situation inherited from the past. It inherited bank looting, money laundering and extreme mismanagement and disorder in the financial sector,” he said. The BNP leader alleged that the Awami League government had left disorder in various sectors, including banking and insurance. He alleged that people close to the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina had embezzled huge sums of money in the name of loans, while their family members are living luxurious lives abroad. Rizvi further alleged that supporters of the ousted regime were attempting to carry out terrorist activities and create instability using illegally accumulated money. “They are trying to carry out acts of terrorism in different places and attempting to raise their heads again because they have illegal money. They have laundered a lot of money abroad, while some money remains hidden inside the country. They are using it to create anarchy, carry out bomb attacks and engage in terrorist activities,” he said, adding that their aim is to create a situation that will make the government fail. The BNP leader also warned of possible local and international conspiracies surrounding upcoming Durga Puja. He urged everyone to remain vigilant around the clock and keep a close watch on puja mandaps to ensure that the festival is celebrated peacefully and without disruption.  

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal on Wednesday announced a series of programmes to mark its 48th founding anniversary on October 27. The programmes were announced in a press release issued by the Jubo Dal Central Executive Committee. According to the announcement, the organisation will pay tribute and offer prayers at the graves of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, founder of Jubo Dal, and former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at Zia Udyan in capital's Agargaon. The central executive committee will also organise a voluntary blood donation programme and a free medical camp on the ground floor of the BNP central office in Nayapaltan on the same day. Jubo Dal units in Dhaka North, Dhaka South and the central committee will participate in the programmes. To mark the anniversary, district and metropolitan units across the country will organise discussion meetings, rallies, and public gatherings. They will also arrange voluntary blood donation programmes, free medical camps, tree-planting drives, cleanliness campaigns, fish fry releases and food distribution among underprivileged people, alongside other socially responsible activities. On Wednesday, October 28, upazila, thana, municipal and subordinate units will organise similar programmes at times convenient to their respective units. These activities will include discussion meetings, rallies, public gatherings, blood donation programmes, free medical camps, tree planting, cleanliness drives, fish fry releases and food distribution among the underprivileged.

Deputy Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher on Tuesday strongly condemned the harassment of Nobel laureate and former interim government chief adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at New York’s John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport. In a statement, he said some associates of ‘Awami fascists’ harassed Prof Yunus using indecent language at the airport. He termed the incident unacceptable and highly condemnable. He said the harassment of the Nobel laureate who is respected internationally humiliated not only Bangladesh’s citizens but also the country as a whole on the global stage. He said such shameful acts against respected Bangladeshis on foreign soil are inappropriate and undermined the country’s dignity and honour internationally. He urged everyone to refrain from such behaviour to uphold Bangladesh’s reputation abroad. He further alleged that the ousted Awami League’s “fascist forces” continued conspiring against Bangladesh and its people from abroad after being driven out of the country. He also accused them of undermining the security of expatriate Bangladeshis and patriotic citizens travelling overseas. He expressed confidence that peace-loving people in Bangladesh and expatriates would resist such conspiracies and continue working for the country’s welfare. He also called on officials at Bangladesh’s embassies and high commissions abroad to take responsible and courageous steps in this regard.    

The National Citizens' Party (NCP) Tuesday demanded that those involved in the harassment of Professor Muhammad Yunus, former interim government chief adviser, on foreign soil be identified and brought to justice along with the trial of the Awami League as a party. In a statement issued Tuesday, the NCP strongly condemned and protested the incident in which Prof Yunus was surrounded, harassed and targeted with aggressive slogans at John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York. Several fugitive Awami League and Jubo League leaders and activists were seen in the videos and reports published in the media, it said. Among them were New York Metropolitan Awami League General Secretary Imdad Chowdhury and US Jubo League General Secretary Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury. The NCP termed the harassment of a former head of government and globally acclaimed figure on foreign soil as an "anti-state terrorist act". The statement said the fugitive Awami League, despite being ousted through a historic mass uprising, has resorted to insulting and humiliating eminent Bangladeshis abroad. "While the party may consider such acts as politics, the people of Bangladesh view such behaviour as terrorism," it added. The NCP said the incident has once again proved that no reconciliation with the fugitive Awami League is possible. The party demanded that every person who took part in the harassment be identified on the basis of video footage, eyewitness accounts and other relevant information. It also called for legal action against the Awami League and Jubo League leaders named in media reports. Meanwhile, in a separate message to the media, NCP Convener and Chief Whip of the opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad Nahid Islam condemned the incident and demanded that the trial of the Awami League begin as a party. Nahid Islam said those involved in the July mass killings, as well as enforced disappearances and murders during the fascist regime, must be tried and the verdicts executed swiftly. He also urged resistance against the Awami League's network active at home and abroad. The NCP leader said bringing the Awami League to trial as a party is now "the demand of the time". He  said it would consider any talk of reconciliation with the Awami League without ensuring justice a conspiratorial move and an attempt to destabilise the country. Nahid Islam also urged the government to take effective steps to ensure the security of Prof Yunus and other members of the interim government.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Barrister Shameen Haider Patwary on Monday demanded that the government arrest those involved in the “attack” on their party Chairman GM Quader’s Uttara residence within 24 hours. “If you do not arrest the perpetrators within 24 hours, Jatiya Party will launch a strong movement and protest,” he said, addressing a press conference at the party office in the city. Earlier in the day, GM Quader’s residence in Sector 7 of Uttara in the capital came under attack by a group of people. Describing the attack as a planned one, Shameen claimed that a group of people brought out a procession and attacked and vandalised the house. He said their party chief was at home with his family members during the attack, but they were safe. The attack took place because GM Quader had criticised the hike in the prices of essential commodities, the Jatiya Party secretary general claimed. “We are not a banned organisation. We will speak out and engage in politics. Jatiya Party is a legal and registered party, and it should be allowed to carry out its political programmes,” he said. Shameem said their party office was set on fire four times during the immediate past interim government, led by Dr Muhammad Yunus. “We do not want that horrific situation to return,” the Jatiya Party leader said. He urged the government to ensure political coexistence, saying their party had planned to organise a long march and procession on September 26 to protest soaring prices of essential commodities and fuel, but it did not get permission. A group of people under the banner of “Anti-Autocracy General People” staged a demonstration outside GM Quader’s residence on Monday, demanding his immediate arrest. The protesters staged a sit-in on the road in front of the house at 10:40am and chanted various slogans. According to witnesses, the protesters could not enter the residence but vandalised its windowpanes before leaving the scene ahead of the police’s arrival. CCTV footage showed some protesters demonstrating in front of Quader’s residence, throwing bricks and other objects at the house.

A delegation of China BNP leaders on Monday visited senior BNP leader and Prime Minister’s Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, who is currently in Guangzhou, China, for medical treatment. During the visit, the leaders enquired about his treatment and health condition and prayed for his early recovery. The delegation included China BNP leaders Sakhawat Hossain Kanan, Ashraful Islam Wali and Sheikh Mahbubur Rashid, among others. Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, was admitted to Sun Yat-sen University Hospital in Guangzhou on Monday. Meanwhile, a dinner was hosted at Radhuni Restaurant in Guangzhou. The gathering provided an opportunity for the leaders to exchange views in a cordial atmosphere. Khan’s well-wishers and party leaders have sought prayers for his speedy recovery, expressing hope that he will regain his health and return to his normal activities soon.

The Election Commission (EC) has announced the schedule for the by-election to the reserved women’s seat in the 13th Parliament that fell vacant following the resignation of Ferdousy Ahmed Mishti, setting November 12 as voting day. An official notification signed by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was issued on Monday, declaring the by-election schedule. According to the schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers to the returning officer at the Nirbachan Bhaban is October 26. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on October 27, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 1. Voting will be held on November 12. Mishti was elected as a lawmaker from a reserved women’s seat with nomination from the BNP. Under the law, only the BNP can nominate a candidate for the vacant seat. If more than one candidate contests the election, only lawmakers from the BNP alliance will be eligible to vote. However, reserved women’s seats generally have a single candidate, requiring no voting. Mishti resigned from her parliamentary seat on October 1 following instructions from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman amid allegations that she was involved in an attack, vandalism, looting and demolition at the Radda MCH-FP Centre, a maternal and child healthcare facility in Mirpur, Dhaka, on September 24.

BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday warned party leaders and activists against sacrificing their long political struggle for personal benefits such as fertiliser dealership and government contracts, saying the party must maintain public confidence through tolerance and responsible conduct. “If we sell out our long political struggle to obtain fertiliser dealerships and contracts, we will not be able to achieve anything significant. We will fail to secure our greater goals. General people, who are the voters, should see that BNP leaders and activists are extremely tolerant,” he said. Rizvi made the remarks while addressing a commemorative meeting marking the 10th death anniversary of former minister and BNP National Standing Committee member Brig Gen (retd) A S M Hannan Shah. He said BNP leaders and activists should not remain preoccupied with what they gained or failed to gain personally, but should instead focus on the broader responsibilities of the party and government. “After 17 years of hardship, we have secured a BNP government through a free and fair election under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He is working day and night to make the country prosperous,” Rizvi said. Despite the difficulties, the government is trying to provide relief to people and meet their essential needs, Rizvi said. He said industrial mills and factories have been at risk of shutting down amid the gas and electricity shortages, but the situation was gradually improving under Tarique Rahman's leadership. “By the grace of Allah, we are gradually getting these services back in many places. Gas stoves in our kitchens are burning again. I believe the situation will gradually return to normal in the coming days,” he said. Rizvi said every party leader and activist should consider themselves part of the government, regardless of the positions they had received. “What matters is that the government maintains a good image and continues to run the country with sincerity. We must all cooperate in this effort,” he said. He urged MPs to maintain peace and stability in their respective constituencies and asked party leaders and activists to support them. He also called on lawmakers to stand beside people in both good times and difficult situations.“We have all been involved in politics. We did not enter politics to become wealthy overnight.” Rizvi said BNP leaders and activists are not behaving like those who are involved in what he described as the fascist rule of the past. He alleged that during the previous regime, those in power looted public money, occupied people's land and even took cattle from cowsheds and fish from ponds, plunging the country into disorder to establish a system of plunder. “The BNP will not repeat those practices. The party has no such commitment. The BNP stands for peace, stability and the rule of law,” he said. He stressed that even grassroots-level party workers are part of the government and must act with restraint to preserve peace and stability. Rizvi said various conspiracies and attempts to create instability are continuing, adding that police have arrested two retired army officers on Sunday over suspected plans for sabotage. He urged party leaders and activists to remain alert, particularly ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja. He said party leaders and activists should voluntarily perform these duties on a voluntary basis, without waiting for specific instructions. “If we understand our responsibilities and work accordingly, the people of this country will continue to support the nationalist forces,” he said, warning party members to ensure that their conduct never resembled that of activists of the previous regime. Rizvi concluded this part of his speech by praying for the eternal peace of the late Hannan Shah. The event was attended by BNP Gazipur district president Fazlul Haque Milan, BNP National Executive Committee Organising Secretary for Dhaka Division Saiful Haque Bablu, Hannan Shah's son and BNP leader Reazul Hannan, former central Chhatra Dal leaders and BNP lawmakers.