politics
BNP policymakers to sit with leaders of professional bodies Oct 8
BNP policymakers now have decided to sit with the leaders of different professional bodies holding six closed-door meetings with the party’s central and grassroots leaders.
The meeting will be held on October 8 at party chairperson’s Gulshan office to work out its next course of action ahead of the 12th parliamentary election.
A meeting of BNP standing committee held on Saturday took the decision, said a press release, signed by party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on Sunday.
Fakhrul also presented a brief report on the outcomes of the party’s six meetings with the party rank and file held in the last two weeks.
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
As per the decision of the meeting, BNP will also arrange a discussion meeting on the importance of holding the national elections under a non-party neutral government on October 1 at the Jatiya Press Club.
Earlier, the party had six closed-door meetings in two phases with BNP vice-chairmen, advisory council members on with joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries, secretaries, executive committee members, leaders of the party’s different associate bodies and presidents of different district units.
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
The meetings were held as part of the party’s planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action ahead of the next general election.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.
Any plot to destroy communal harmony to fail: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said those who are conspiring to destroy communal harmony in Bangladesh will never succeed.
“We’ve a tradition of communal harmony. We’re determined to maintain communal harmony, no matter what,” he said.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, came up with the remarks at a views-exchange meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Hindu Parishad at Jatiya Party chairman’s Banani office.
He said their party founder late HM Ershad had set an example in maintaining communal harmony during his rule.
Also read: JaPa not to compromise on HR issues: GM Quader
The Jatiya Party chief also said Ershad played a unique role in protecting the rights of people of all religions.
He also recalled that Ershad had declared the day of Janmashtami, a major festival of the Hindu community marking the birth of Lord Sri Krishna, a public holiday. ”He also provided security and financial assistance for various pujas and festivals (of Hindu community).”
GM Quader said the Hindu Welfare Trust, founded by Ershad, has now become an institution worth a hundred crore of taka.
He also said the Jatiya Party founder always kept allocation for the construction and renovation of temples.
During the meeting, the Bangladesh Hindu Parishad leader handed over the draft law on minority protection to the Jatiya Party chairman and greeted him with a bouquet.
Jatiya Party presidium members ATU Taj Rahman, Advocate Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan and office secretary MA Razzak Khan, among others, were present at the meeting.
Govt agencies active to divide opposition forces: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that different government agencies are now active to divide the opposition political parties and professional bodies in an effort to ‘hang onto’ power.
“There’re divisions everywhere, even in our journalist community, political parties and professional bodies. Government agencies are now very active to harm the unity of those who want democracy in various ways,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at the annual general meeting of a faction of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ at the Jatiya Press Club.
Also read: Get organized, Fakhrul to farmers
He urged those who are fighting for democracy to remain aware of the government’s effort to create discord among them. “There’s no reason to have divisions among us. A national unity, the unity of people and political parties is necessary if we want to remove the current fascist regime. At the same time, the unity among those organisations believe in democracy is also needed.”
Stating that people do not want a one-party despotic rule, he urged the opposition political forces to get united for establishing an elected government and restoring multiparty democracy by ousting the ‘fascist’ Awami League government.
He said a plot for depoliticisation in the country began with a minus-two formula during the 1/11 political change over in 2007. “Though the situation changed at that time due to Khaleda Zia’s tough stance, we didn’t get rid of that conspiracy. The national elections in 2008 and later were held with the same goal.”
He said politicians now do not run the country as a politician, Sheikh Hasina, is being used to carry out all anti-people and anti-democratic activities by destroying all the state institutions in a planned way.
Fakhrul alleged Awami League has completely destroyed the country’s electoral system by taking advantage of a verdict delivered by former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque annulling the caretaker government system in 2012.
Also read: Govt restricting Khaleda from going abroad out of ‘fear’: Fakhrul
He said the Election Commission has now become a subservient institution. “We’re now hearing about the formation of a new election commission in February next. Our 52 intellectuals talked about enacting a law for this. But who’ll formulate the law? There’s no one in parliament but Awami League. Those who’ve destroyed democracy and snatched people’s rights will make this law. So, those who want a law for the Election Commission need to think of it.”
The BNP leader accused the government of making various laws to control the media and suppress the truth. ”You’ve seen the Digital Security Act. They’re now going to formulate a new law which they call the Personal Data Protection Act. It’s another tactic to regulate the social media and repress the dissidents.”
Referring to the information minister’s remark that 210 newspapers have been shut, he said it is a sign of Baksal (one-party rule). “The planning minister has also said Bakshal was a good system.”
The BNP secretary general said fascism and democracy and free media can never go together. “Fascism means snatching the rights of people by spreading fear and establishing a reign of terror and staying power at gunpoint resorting to enforced disappearances, killing and torture. This is the strategy that Awami League has now chosen.”
BNP threatens to launch one-point movement against govt
BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Friday threatened that their party is thinking of launching a one-point movement to oust the current government.
"I think it's better not to talk about the election. All we need now is a one-point movement to ensure the fall of Sheikh Hasina and her government,” he said.
Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the remarks at a discussion meeting arranged by Jatiyatabadi Projonmo Dal at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity.
He said the current government is the main barrier to resolving the problems the country and its people are facing now. “If we can force this regime to quit, it will pave the way to resolve all the problems of people. So, we need a one-point movement.”
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
About the reconstitution of the Election Commission, he said the Commission will not function if this government stays in power, no matter with whom it is formed.
“If the Election Commission is constituted with five angels keeping a devil in government, then the angels will become helpless, and they won’t be able to do anything. So, we need not spend time by joining the debate over the formation of the Election Commission,” Gayeshwar observed.
He warned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the consequence of staying power ‘by force’ will be dire if there is no safe exit route.
“You (PM) have done so many things. If you voluntarily resign and call for a fair election by walking towards the path of democracy, then the people who are angry with you will calm down for a while. Because, the people of Bangladesh can forgive,” the BNP leader said.
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
Stating that BNP has long been fighting for democracy enduring a lot of pain, he said if the Prime Minister now ‘restores’ democracy, their party may not reflect its hostile attitude towards her in the future. “That is the best way…restores people’s democratic rights, and don’t push the country towards a dreadful situation.”
Gayeshwar urged BNP leaders and activists to get ready for a one-point movement to ensure the fall of the government.
“You please forget the intra-party conflicts and disliking each other. Our only dislike is Sheikh Hasina and her government. We have no other choice now. That is why we want a one-point movement. Don’t point a finger at any other leader and do your own duty,” he told BNP leaders and activists.
BNP grassroots leaders want Dhaka leaders to get ready for movement
A group of BNP grassroots leaders on Thursday urged the party policymakers to prepare the party’s all units in Dhaka for waging a movement for forcing the government to quit and hold the 12th parliamentary polls under a neutral administration.
In a closed-door meeting, they also said BNP will not get benefits by forming an electoral alliance with the ‘one-man-show’ parties.
The BNP grassroots leaders, however, said the party should make efforts to bring all the opposition parties under a single platform to launch a simultaneous movement, led by BNP, with a demand for the restoration of an election-time neutral government, a party leader, who was present at the meeting, told UNB.
He said most of the leaders also urged the party high-command to take a tough stance on not joining any election under the current government and intensify diplomatic efforts to get the international community’s support in favour of their demand for a polls-time neutral government.
BNP top leaders sat with its executive committee members under Khulna, Rajshahi and Barishal divisions today (Thursday), wrapping up their planned six series of meetings with the central and grassroots leaders.
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
Party sources said 86 leaders participated in the meeting and 65 of them gave their opinions about how BNP should get ready for an anti-government movement and the next general election.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were present at the meeting. Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined it from London.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said in their six meetings in two phases around 300 central and grassroots leaders talked about their organisational issues and how to ‘restore’ democracy in the country free Khaleda Zia from jail, and get rid of the current ‘authoritarian’ government.
He said they took note of the speeches of all the leaders and those will be discussed in the meeting of their standing committee to work out the next course of action. “We’ll let you know later about what programmes are taken in our meeting."
As part of their second round of series meetings, the BNP top leaders sat with the party’s executive committee members under Dhaka and Faridpur organisational divisions on Tuesday and with the leaders under Chattogram, Cumilla, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions on Wednesday.
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
Earlier, the BNP policymakers had three closed-door meetings with party vice-chairmen, advisory council members, joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries and the top leaders of the party’s different associate bodies last week. A total of 491 party leaders joined the six meetings.
The meetings were held as part of the party’s planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action ahead of the next general election.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.
BNP held its last executive committee meeting at Le Meridian Hotel on February 3, 2018, just four days before Khaleda was sent to jail in a graft case.
Depoliticisation to diminish political parties: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Thursday voiced concern that political parties in Bangladesh will become signed board-sake political forces if the ongoing process of depoliticisation continues.
“Depoliticisation is going on in the politics of the country. If this continues, the political parties will turn into political forces with only names and signboards. Depoliticisation can never be good for the country and its people,” he said.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said political parties will lose their existence if the candidates of opposition parties cannot sustain in the election race.
He made the remarks while speaking at a programme at Jatiya Party chairman’s Banani office.
According to the constitution and democratic norms, the Jatiya Party chief said, people's representatives will be elected and the government will be changed through elections.
“But under the pressure of the government and the administration, political parties are losing supporters. The people of the country are also losing interest in voting.
Multiparty democracy can’t prosper amid such a situation,” he observed.
GM Quader said the Election Commission (EC) will never be able to function properly if the government exercises power in parallel with the EC during the polls. “So, there’s no alternative to formulating a law for the formation of the Election Commission.”
He also said the caretaker government system is not a complete or long-time solution for holding free, fair and credible elections. “In order to find a permanent solution for the formation of the Election Commission, it’s necessary to enact a law in the light of the constitution.”
As per the constitution, the Jatiya Party chairman said all the divisions and departments of the country will remain under the Election Commission during the polls. “People's right to vote will be ensured, if the Election Commission is formed with neutral persons as per a law.”
BNP leader Nazrul Islam hospitalised
BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan was admitted to a hospital in the capital on Thursday as he fell sick.
Nazrul Islam was admitted to United Hospital in the morning, said his wife Kanta Islam.
"He (Nazrul) has been feeling unwell for a few days. He was admitted to the hospital with high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat.” she said.
Kanta said the BNP leader has been receiving treatment at the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the hospital under cardiologist Dr Mominuzzaman.
She urged all, including BNP leaders and activists, to pray for the speedy recovery of her husband.
BNP grassroots leaders want time-befitting movement strategy
A group of BNP grassroots leaders on Wednesday urged the party policymakers to devise a well-thought-out plan and time-befitting strategy to outsmart the government through an effective movement for a credible national election.
In a closed-door meeting, they also said it will not be possible to succeed by waging a movement in the same style of the 90s and 2013 as they fear the government will come up with a new strategy to win the 12th parliamentary election with the help of administration.
A party leader, who was present at the meeting, also said most of the grassroots leaders opined that the party's all units and associate bodies should be overhauled by incorporating dedicated and active leaders.
He said they called upon the party high-command not to join any election under the current government and take effective steps to bring the opposition political parties under a single platform to realise their demand for the restoration of election-time neutral government.
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
As part of their second phase of series meetings with the grassroots leaders, BNP top leaders sat with its executive committee members under Chattogram, Cumilla, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions on the second day today (Wednesday).
Party sources said 85 leaders participated in the meeting and 63 of them gave their opinions about how BNP should get ready for an anti-government movement and the next general election.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku was present at the meeting. Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined it from London.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said they had nearly a six-hour-long meeting where party leaders talked about how to get rid of the current ‘despotic’ rule and establish people’s rights.
He said they discussed the issues relating to national politics, the country’s current situation and BNP’s organisational matters.
BNP policymakers will also hold the third meeting with members of the executive committee under Khulna, Rajshahi and Barishal divisions on Thursday.
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
On Tuesday, the BNP top leaders had a meeting with party’s executive committee members under Dhaka and Faridpur organisational divisions.
Earlier, the BNP policymakers had three closed-door meetings with party vice-chairmen, advisory council members, joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries and top leaders of the party’s different associate bodies last week.
The meetings were held as part of the party’s planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action ahead of the next general election.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.
Now people have ‘no interest’ in elections: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Wednesday said now people have become reluctant about elections as many opposition candidates have to quit polls race due to the influence of money and muscle power.
“An anti-election attitude has developed among people as they’ve lost interest in the country’s election system,” he said.
GM Quader made the remarks while exchanging views at Jatiya Party chairman’s Banani office with the party’s potential candidates of Manikganj to contest the upcoming Union Parishad polls.
The Jatiya Party chairman said the opposition candidates now hardly can ‘stand in the election field’ under the pressure of ruling party-backed ones. ”Many candidates are being forced to stay away from the election being unnerved amid the influence of money and muscle power.”
Also read: JaPa not to compromise on HR issues: GM Quader
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said those who will get nominations from Jatiya Party must stay in the election race till the end. “Those who cannot sustain in the election field after getting nominations, their place will not be there in Jatiya Party.”
He asked the Jatiya Party leaders and activists to play a proactive role in ensuring people’s voting right in the polls. “People like those who can fight till the end.”
The Jatiya Party chief also warned the party candidates that people hate those who quit the election race.He observed that Awami League almost remains missing in politics as it has been in power for a long time.
GM Quader also said the ruling party has been facing various problems due to intra-party conflicts while BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia cannot say anything after getting out of jail on bond. “In such a reality, Jatiya Party is in the field of politics with a bright future.”
Also read: Next election must be under neutral govt: Fakhrul
He said the future of the Awami League had become uncertain when it remained out of power for 21 years while BNP has now become demoralised as it has been out of power for more than a decade. “But Jatiya Party has been fighting in the field of politics remaining out of the state power for 31 long years as it does politics with the trust and love of people.”
The Jatiya Party chief claimed that people were happy during the rule of their party as it could ensure their rights and the security of their lives and property.
“The rule of law prevailed in the country during the rule of Jatiya Party. So, people want to see it in power in the days to come,” he viewed.
Dr Zafrullah wants Zaima to be back home to intensify movement
Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Wednesday urged BNP to bring back home Zaima Rahman, the granddaughter of Khaleda Zia, from London to intensify the anti-government movement.
Speaking at a discussion, he also called upon the BNP leaders to take to the streets shunning political rhetoric and making hollow statements on political issues.
“Bring Zaima back. I’m saying it as she’s young. She’ll learn politics … if Zaima remains with them (BNP leaders), there’ll be a wave in (politics of) the country and you’ll see then they (AL) won’t even know when their boat will sink,” Zafrullah said.
The Gonoshasthya Kendra founder said BNP followers become unhappy if he makes any remark about the party leadership. “But I would like to say one thing that Khaleda Zia is a brave lady...her leadership is necessary to make the anti-government movement a success.”
READ: Dr Zafrullah describes how Bangladesh can go for low-cost vaccine production
He also said BNP will not be able to drum up public support with only its political rhetoric and light statements on political issues.
"If you want to remove this vote robber, you’ll have to take to the streets with sticks and rods whatever you have…then you’ll see where they flee,” Zafrullha said.
He said BNP and other parties should get united to ensure the fall of the current government.
Speaking at the programme, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna urged the political parties to reach a consensus that the national election cannot be held under the current government.
“We want a government that can guarantee a fair election in the country. If we can get united with such a demand we have a bright prospect of achieving a victory,” he said.
READ: Bring Zaima back home to revive BNP: Dr Zafrullah
BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu said there is no alternative to a united movement to free the country from the ‘misrule’ of Awami League.
"Under the current situation, we would like to say all democratic and progressive forces in Bangladesh should unite and come under a single platform to restore democracy,” he observed.