politics
BNP behind Jamaat’s protest, meaning they are preparing for arson: Quader
BNP is behind Jamaat’s protest, which means the group is preparing for arson and vandalism, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
He said this while addressing a rally organised by Dhaka Metropolitan North Awami League held against the anti-state conspiracy of BNP-Jamaat, at Khilgaon in the capital on Saturday afternoon.
Also read: Govt not thinking about any talks with BNP: Quader
"We are not calling them (BNP). If Sheikh Hasina resigns, if Parlaiment is dissolved, who will they sit with? Will the government negotiate with the wind if it resigns? Mirza Fakhrul is talking nonsense.”
The Awami League general secretary urged people not to be misled by Fakhrul’s words.
“If you want a peaceful environment in the country, the caretaker government, Sheikh Hasina's resignation and the dissolution of parliament will have to be removed from BNP’s head,” he said.
Also read:BNP wants to portray AL as aggressor to foreigners: Quader
Pointing at BNP's acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Quader said, "If you want mass movement, if you want a wave of mass movement, if you have honest courage, come to the streets. We're going to be on the ground, we're going to deal with it.”
Also read: BNP is not happy with good news of increase in remittances: Quader
AL presidium members Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, organising secretary Mirza Azam, Dhaka City North AL general secretary SM Mannan Kachi, among others, addressed the rally with Dhaka City North AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman in the chair.
People won’t get deceived thrice by joining polls under AL govt: Fakhrul
Stating that caretaker government is now the most live issue, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the people of Bangladesh will not be deceived thrice by participating in the next polls under the Awami League regime.
Speaking at a discussion, he also said Awami League is against the election under a non-party impartial government as the party knows very well that it will not get more than 10 percent votes in credible polls because of its widespread plundering and misdeeds.
“Awami League leaders and ministers are saying the caretaker government is now a dead issue. Why is it a dead issue? This is the most live issue now,” the BNP leader said.
He said the people of Bangladesh witnessed the parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2018. “They won’t go back to face that situation again. There’s no question of doing it.”
Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking the first death anniversary of the organisation’s founding president and former BNP MP and state minister for water resources Advocate Gautam Chakraborty,
Fakhrul said their party took part in talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before the 2018 election with the hope of creating an atmosphere for a neutral election through discussions, but they were betrayed.
“We have been cheated twice (in the 2014 and 2018 elections). We would like to clearly say that the people of the country won’t get cheated again for the third time,” he observed.
The BNP leader said the next election must be held under a non-party caretaker government as the current regime has completely destroyed the voting and election system in the country in a planned way.
Referring to Law Minister Anisul Huq’s comment in parliament that no one will be arrested during the next election as the administration will remain under the Election Commission, he said, “Who will believe these words? It is like the story of the cowboy on a tiger. We want to say clearly, no one will be misguided by these words of the current regime. Because you have never kept any promises that you made before the nation.”
Fakhrul urged the government to step down and dissolve Parliament by handing over power to a non-party caretaker government, creating a scope for holding a credible election.
He said the current ‘usurper’ government has been in power with arrogance though they were not elected by the people. “What they’re saying everyday has no relation with people as they have got isolated from people.”
The BNP leader said the country’s economy is now in a shamble and under threat due to unprecedented corruption, plundering and siphoning off money abroad. “We have long been saying development without democracy can’t be sustainable.”
Fakhrul said the government should step down right now to save the country, economy and institutions.
The BNP leader alleged that the government is trying to create a fund by plundering public money to spend during the next election.
Fakhrul said the ruling party leaders are now not thinking safe their laundered money in the USA following the visa policy for Bangladesh. “They’ll now get 2.5 percent incentive while taking back the money. The thieves will be rewarded and this is the principle of this regime.”
He said the government used to brag about a huge development in the power sector, but now people are facing serious power outgases as power plants are being shut down one after another for lack of fuel energy.
The BNP leader said the government has been taking away money from people’s pockets by raising the power tariffs several times. “But where did that money go?
He said the government has taken various mega projects imprudently only for stealing public money. “They have put entire Bangladesh in danger. So, we are saying repeatedly there’s no ground for this regime to stay in power.”
Fakhrul described Gautam Chakraborty as an honest, humble and good human being and recalled his contributions to politics, democratic movements and the BNP. “He was an asset in politics."
The BNP leader urged the leaders of the Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad to strengthen their organisation and raise their voices strongly against the growing repression on the minority communities under the rule of the current regime. “You need to do this to protect the interests of your communities.
Govt starts fresh game in the name of election: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the government has again started a game in the name of election ahead of the upcoming national polls.
"People now don’t have the right to vote. We couldn't cast our votes in 2014 and in 2018. As the election is approaching, the Awami League government has started indulging in the election game again,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a rally of Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office protesting the price hikes in essentials and ‘terrible’ loadshedding.
Read: Power Outages: BNP to stage road marches in cities on June 13, 16
Thousands of leaders and activists of Sramik Dal joined the rally braving the inclement weather.
Fakhrul said a fair and credible election is crucial for the country to restore democracy. “There is a need to arrange a free and fair election under a neutral non-partisan government. The entire nation is united for arranging the next polls under a neutral government.”
He said the country’s people will not allow the ruling party to hold the election without a non-partisan caretaker government.
Read: Govt not thinking about any talks with BNP: Quader
The BNP leader said the government must resign, dissolve parliament and hand over power to a neutral caretaker government, creating a scope for holding the next polls in a fair and credible manner. “There’s no other alternative to it.”
He said the Awami League government has taken away all the rights of the common people in a very planned way by staying in power for 14 years by force.
Read: Loadshedding: BNP submits memo to BPDB chairman
“The labourer brothers, who have gathered here, are being denied fair wages and they’re badly struggling for lack of employment opportunities. But those who are in power and those who are with them are indulging in plundering and making money illegally. They’re siphoning off their ill-gotten money abroad from the country,” Fakhrul observed.
He called upon the workers to get united to take the movement initiated by BNP to the final stage for establishing a welfare state and ensuring their fair wages.
Power Outages: BNP to stage road marches in cities on June 13, 16
After registering the party’s protest across the country against the ongoing loadshedding, BNP will now stage marches in the metropolitan cities, including the capital, to mount pressure on the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the fresh programmes at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on Friday.
Also Read: Loadshedding: BNP submits memo to BPDB chairman
As part of the programmes, he said, BNP’s all metropolitan city units, including the Dhaka south city and north city ones, will stage marches on June 13 while the party’s Dhaka south and north units will observe a similar programme on June 16.
In the capital, the party’s Dhaka north city units will march towards Saarc Fountain at Sonargaon intersection from Mohakhali Bus Station while the Dhaka south city unit will march towards Rai Saheb Bazaar intersection from Sadeque Hossain Khoka Road in Gopibagh at 2:30pm on June 13.
Besides, BNP’s Dhaka north city unit will stage a march towards Agarogaon Taltala from Pallabi City Club while Dhaka south city unit will march towards Armani Tola field from Sir Salimullah Orphanage in Azimpur at 2:30pm on June 16.
Rizvi said people are going through extreme suffering due to loadshedding for six-seven hours. “The situation in rural areas is worse. That’s we’ve worked out the peaceful march programmes to protest the unbearable loadshedding and widespread corruption in the power sector.”
He called upon the leaders and workers of BNP and its associate bodies to make the programme successful with their spontaneous participation.
Also read: Transmission from Adani’s Gadda power plant to national grid resumes
The BNP leader alleged that police and ruling party activists obstructed their Thursday’s sit-in and memorandum submission programme in different districts, including in Pabna, Feni and Faridpur. “We strongly condemn and protest the incidents.”
On Thursday last, BNP observed an hour-long sit-in programme in front of all the district offices of the Power Division across the country and submitted a memorandum to protest the ongoing loadshedding and 'corruption' in the power sector.
Govt not thinking about any talks with BNP: Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said that the government is not thinking about any dialogue with the BNP over the next general election at this moment.
“We are not thinking of any dialogue at the moment. Remember the last time? What was the outcome of the dialogue with the BNP,” he asked.
Read more: AL is yet to decide to hold dialogue with opposition on upcoming election: Quader
The minister made the remarks while addressing a rally organised by the Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League in the city marking the historic 6-Point Day.
Mentioning that Awami League has nothing to fear about the US new visa policy, the minister said, BNP has fallen into its own trap after complaints against Sheikh Hasina’s government.
“Who will give visa to whom is a country’s own matter. It is up to us to whom we will give visa and to whom we will not,” Quader said.
Read more: Neither AL nor govt afraid of US visa policy: Obaidul Quader
The visa policy will be applied to those who will impede the free election, trigger violence and conduct terrorist acts, the minister said. “Who is impeding? They are the BNP men”
Responding to a question about recent load shedding, Obaidul Quader said, they (BNP) couldn’t provide electricity, gave only ‘khamba’ (Pillar). “The crisis is all over the world. We have energy crisis like the other countries,” he said.
“We sought time from people. Be patient for 10-15 days. Sheikh Hasina does what she says,” the minister added.
Read more: BNP’s complaints to foreign countries didn’t yield any results: Quader
Awami League Presidium Member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Advocate Kamrul Islam, Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam, Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash also spoke on the occasion.
Chattogram-10 by-polls on July 30
By-polls to Chattogram-10 constituency will be held on July 30.
The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday announced the schedule of the election.
EC secretary Md Zahangir Alam briefed the reporters after the EC meeting at the Election Commission at Agargaon in the capital.
Read: Khulna city polls: EC bans bike movement for 72 hrs, other vehicles for 24 hrs
According to the schedule, the last date for submission of nomination paper is July 4, the scrutiny of nomination papers will be on July 6. Appeal can be filed from July 7 to 9 while disposal of appeal will be on July 10 to 11. The last date for withdrawal of the candidature is set on July 12 while symbol allocation will be on July 13.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal chaired the meeting held at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka.
Read: 1500 EVMs reach Barishal for upcoming city poll
The EC secretary also told reporters that announced that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be used at all polling centres for the by-elections to Chittagong-10 and Dhaka-17 while by-election to Dhaka-17 will be held on July 17 using ballot papers.
The Parliament Secretariat on June 4 (last Sunday) decaled Chattogram-10 constituency (Double Mooring-Halishahar-Khulshi-Katalganj) following the demise of Awami League leader Dr Afsarul Amin.
Loadshedding: BNP submits memo to BPDB chairman
As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka district unit submitted a memorandum to the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman protesting the ongoing loadshedding and 'corruption' in the power sector.
The leaders and activists of the BNP unit took a position in front of China Market in the Nayapaltan area around 11:30 am amid the inclement weather.
They took out a procession towards the BPDB’s Motijheel office around 12:30 pm, but police put up a barricade when it reached Arambagh crossing.
Read: Govt has approved BNP leader Salahuddin’s application for returning from India
Later, the party observed a brief sit-in there, led by its senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at the programme, Rizvi said many power plants have been shut down for lack of fuel and energey, causing serious power outages across the country.
“A ruling party MP said that electricity will be sold by street hawkers, but where is that power now,” he asked the government.
The BNP leader alleged that the current regime has snatched people’s all rights, including the freedom of speech.
Read: AL leaders trying to mislead people with comments on talks: Fakhrul
“This government has turned the entire country into a jail. All democratic forces are now united to get rid of this situation,” he observed.
Later, some leaders of the Dhaka district unit, including its president Khandakar Abu Ashfaq and general secretary Nipun Roy, went to the Power Development Board office and submitted the memorandum.
In the one-page memorandum, the party highlighted the dire situation the country’s people have been facing due to loadshedding and demanded the government ensure an uninterrupted power supply.
Talking to UNB, BNP’s organising secretary Abdus Salam Azad said people are going through serious ordeals due to ‘terrible’ loadshedding all over the country. “That's why we've submitted the memorandum to the chairman of the Bangladesh Power Development Board. We demanded immediate steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply.”
Read: Polls-time government to be led by PM Hasina: Information Minister
The party also observed a similar programme in all districts to mount pressure on the government to end power outages.
Earlier on Tuesday, BNP announced to hold an hour-long sit-in programme in front of all the district offices of the Power Division across the country and submit the memorandum today (Thursday) to protest the ongoing loadshedding and 'corruption' in the power sector.
END/UNB/ARJ/JA
Govt has approved BNP leader Salahuddin’s application for returning from India
The government has cleared BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed's return to Bangladesh anytime he wishes and conveyed the decision to the country’s mission in India.
Read more: BNP leader Salahuddin acquitted by Shillong court
“Our Home Ministry has approved his (BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed) application for returning home. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has communicated this to our mission in Guwahati,” acting Director General of the Public Diplomacy wing Md Rafiqul Alam told reporters at the weekly briefing on Thursday.
Read more: BNP seeks govt’s initiative to bring its leader Salahuddin back from India
Asked when Salahuddin would be coming back to Bangladesh, he said it depends on him and he may come anytime, but there are some procedural issues to follow.
Salahuddin Ahmed was arrested in India for trespassing into the country.
Read more: Indian Shillong Judge Court upholds acquittal of BNP leader Salahuddin
Polls-time government to be led by PM Hasina: Information Minister
The current government will work as the polls-time government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will serve as the prime minister during the next election, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday.
He said this while talking as the chief guest at a seminar organized by Dhaka University’s Oceanography department on the occasion of World Ocean Day at the Senate Building auditorium of the university in the capital.
Read more: AL wants election with participation of all parties: Hasan Mahmud
"BNP’s demand for a caretaker government has not received any support from anyone globally. So now they are talking about a 'neutral' government instead of a caretaker government. The same will happen in our country as current government serves as election-time government in all the countries,” said Hasan.
"When BNP was in power, 3,600 MW of electricity was generated. Now the government has the capacity to generate 18,000 to 20,000 MW of power at any time. And when BNP was in power, 40 percent of the people in the country were under electricity facilities. Now 100 percent of the people of the country have come under electricity facility,” Hasan said.
Read: Bringing any party to election is not govt’s responsibility: Info Minister
“In other words, people's habits have changed in the last 14 years due to the multi-dimensional use of electricity,” he said.
“Surely no mistake has been made by giving so much electricity to people, everyone needs some patience. The State Minister for Power said that this problem is temporary in the context of global recession and war and it will be eased in 15-20 days,” he added.
Read more: PM will decide when election-time govt will be formed: Law Minister
AL leaders trying to mislead people with comments on talks: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that the ruling party leaders are trying to mislead people with their contradictory comments on political talks over the next election.
“Awami League is very good at diverting people’s attention and taking one issue to another direction. The three leaders of the Awami League spoke in three ways about the dialogue. As people have become angry over the power crisis, they’re creating another issue to divert it,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said Awami League advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu has created an uproar with his remarks on dialogue to resolve political deadlock over the next general election.
“Later, the spokesperson of Awami League said this is not their statement. Again in the afternoon, the Home Minister said there is no alternative to dialogue. In fact, their main aim is to mislead people,” he said.
The BNP leader said the ruling party leaders are also trying to divert people’s attention to a different direction from their demand for holding the next election under a neutral non-party government. “The people can understand everything.”
University Teachers Association of Bangladesh (UTAB) arranged the programme at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), marking the death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Earlier on Tuesday, Amu said at a programme organised by the AL-led 14-party alliance at the AL headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue that the door for dialogue with BNP is open.
“Let a representative of the UN come. We want to sit with the BNP face-to-face and see where the differences are,” he added.
Fakhrul said there is no alternative to holding the next election under a non-party government as the ruling party has destroyed the electoral system of the country.
He urged the government to quit and dissolve parliament by handing over power to a non-party-neutral government to avoid public wrath.
“The people of the country know what to do as they have achieved everything by fighting. From the language of 52 to the caretaker government, everything has been achieved through struggles,” the BNP leader observed.
He said their party has long been carrying out a movement to restore the voting rights of the people so that they can elect their representatives to run the country. “If we can't exercise our right to vote, then how can we become a citizen of an independent country?"
Fakhrul said the journalists in Bangladesh now cannot write freely due to different laws, including the Digital Security Act, enacted by the current fascist government.
"Everybody and the entire journalist community have been demanding the annulment of the Digital Security Act. Even, the United Nations Human Rights Commission has said that this act should be repealed. But they (govt) are not paying heed to it in fear of losing power,” he said.
The BNP leader called upon the teachers to get united and be vocal against the misdeeds and the misrule of the current government.