Fazlul Huq Montu, Azam Khasru and Molla Abul Kalam Azad were made Sramik League new president, general secretary and executive president respectively.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader announced their names in the afternoon.  

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the council of Sramik League through hoisting the national flag with national anthem playing. 

Chaired by Jatiya Sramik League President Sukkur Mahmud, the function was addressed, among others, by Labour and Manpower Affairs Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Munnujan Sufian, ILO Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen, General Secretary of the ITUC Asia-Pacific Shoya Yoshida and General Secretary of South Asian Regional Trade Union Council Laxman Bahadur Basnet.

Sramik League general secretary Sirajul Islam delivered the welcome speech while executive president Fazlul Huq Montu read out the condolence motion.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman founded the Sramik League in 1969 aiming to protect the rights of workers. 

The last council session of the Jatiya Sramik League was held seven years back on July 17, 2012, when Sukkur Mahmud and Sirajul Islam were made president and secretary respectively.

BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Saturday alleged that the government has not taken proper steps to face the cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’ and protect costal people from possible disasters.

 “I’ve heard the great danger signal number 10 has been advised to hoist due to the approaching cyclone, but the government has not taken 'adequate measures' to tackle it. Our lakhs of people will be affected if the cyclone hits the country,” he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “We also saw in the past that the poor people in coastal areas were affected badly by storms and natural calamities due to negligence of the government.”

Jatiyatabadi Matshyajibi Dal arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club, marking what it says the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ commemorating the ‘civil-military uprising' on November 7, 1975.

According to the Met Office, cyclone ‘Bulbul’ is likely to cross West Bengal-Khulna coast-- near the Sundarbans-- by Saturday evening.

It said the coastal districts of Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagherhat, Khulna, and Satkhira and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal No 10.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said the government used to brand itself as a role model of development, but the capital goes under knee-deep water after a rainfall for 15 minutes. ”It takes about 45 minutes to travel a one-km path in the capital which they call a role model. They boast so just to fool people.”

He said Bangladesh has now become the role model of ‘snatching democracy’, torturing and raping women, and the model of irresponsibility and culture of impunity. “Bangladesh is also the role model of setting up casinos. The entire world knows there are 150 casinos in Bangladesh’s capital run by ruling party men.”

The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party leaders are indulging in widespread corruption and plundering in every sector. “They (AL leaders) themselves are hastening their fall through corruption.”

He said the government established one-party rule destroying the rule of law. “Judges now cannot work independently due to the government’s influence.” 

Moudud said the media also cannot play its due role as the government is controlling those in many ways.

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Wednesday alleged that the current government is running the country “without people’s mandate like emperors” in the past.

“A government without people’s mandate can’t be a democratic and pro-people one. Kings and emperors in the past used to rule their kingdoms by force without any voting. Those who are now in power consider themselves as the kings and emperors as they also don’t need people’s votes,” he said.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion arranged by Homna upazila Jatiyatabadi Forum in Dhaka at the Jatiya Press Club, marking BNP leader MK Anwar’s second death anniversary.

He alleged that the government is turning Bangladesh into a “dysfunctional state” by destroying democracy and democratic institutions.

The BNP leader also said the government has lost control over every institution for lack of democracy.

He said though the government used to brag that no corrupt element will be spared, it has so far arrested only some small and junior leaders on charge of extortion, gambling and tender manipulation. “We’ve repeatedly been saying those arrested are small fry.”

Referring to big finical scams, the BNP leader said such big corruption cannot take place without the involvement of ‘big fish’ and the support of the government and the administration. “But they still remained untouched.”

He said the government has arrested some ‘small’ ruling party leaders with an objective to hush up the big corruption and corrupt elements. “We demand the government track down the big corrupt elements and arrest them.”

Mosharraf strongly condemned and protested the attack on teachers and students of Jahangirnagar University by Chhatra League ‘cadres’ on Tuesday.

“They (BCL men) exposed themselves through the attack. The current fascist regime made them monsters. This government has become the role model of fascist and autocrats, not the role model of development.”

BNP standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Selima Rahman, vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu, joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and Gonoshasthya Kendra Founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the programme.

BNP will observe what it says the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’ on Thursday, marking the ‘civil-military uprising' on November 7, 1975.

Amid political turmoil, soldiers and civilians on November 7, 1975 jointly freed then chief of army staff Ziaur Rahman from captivity in Dhaka cantonment, paving the path for him to come to power.

While BNP and its alliances celebrate November 7 as the ‘National Revolution and Solidarity Day’, the ruling Awami League and its front organisations consider it as the day of 'killing of freedom fighters'. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) observes it as the day of civil-military revolution.

BNP has chalked out a two-day programme to observe the day.

As part of the programme, the party flag will be hoisted atop all of its offices across the country on Thursday morning while BNP leaders and activists will place wreaths and offer fateha at the grave of late President and party founder Ziaur Rahman at 10am.

The party is scheduled to arrange a discussion in the city on Friday afternoon at Mohanagar Natya Mancha in the city, marking the day.

BNP publicity affairs secretary Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said they sought permission from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for holding a public rally either at Suhrawardy Udyan or Nayapaltan on Friday.

However, he said the authorities gave them permission to hold a discussion at Mohanagar Natya Mancha on the day.

BNP’s associate bodies will hold various programmes, including discussions, cultural programmes, essay competition and photo exhibition in observance of the day.

Jatiya Oikyafront on Wednesday launched a mass-signature campaign protesting the murder of Buet student Abrar Fahad.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rob inaugurated the campaign in front of the Jatiya Press Club by signing on a cloth sheet with his blood.

Later, other senior leaders of the alliance also signed on it with red colour.

Abrar Fahad, 21, a resident of Sher-e-Bangla Hall of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), was beaten to death reportedly by some Chhatra League leaders and activists of the university unit on October 7 last.

Speaking at the programme, Abdur Rob said the trial of Abrar murder is still not initiated while Chhatra League has continued its repression in different educational institutions, including Jahangirnagar University.

He said they will collect signatures from people of all walks of life and students across the country.

Once the campaign is over, Rob said they will submit a copy of the signatures to parliament, different foreign missions and international organisations.

He said Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain could not attend the programme due to his illness, but he earlier put his signature at his Motijheel chamber.

Rob said Chhatra League activists have been repressing people and students throughout the country as the student body has turned into an organisation of ‘hooligans’.

“The government is still there in power by snatching people’s rights and independence. It won’t be able to hang onto power using the hoodlums. The government in Lebanon has to quit in the face of a mass movement, this government will also face the same fate,” he added.

Gonoforum general secretary Reza Kibria said their signature campaign programme is not only against the murder of Abrar, but also against all the political killings. “We observed the similar programme after the murder of my father Shah AMS Kibria.”

He said they want to complete campaign by December 16 so that they can display all the signatures in front of the Jatiya Sangsad on the last day of this year.