politics
By-elections: 94 aspirants collect nomination papers from the Awami League
A total of 94 aspirants collected nomination papers from the ruling Awami League to try their luck in three upcoming by-elections : Dhaka-14, Sylhet-3 and Cumilla-5, the party said on Thursday.
The Awami League said 34 nominations have been sold for Dhaka-14, 25 for Sylhet-3 and 35 for Cumilla-5 until the sale closed at 5 pm Thursday.
The by-polls in these constituencies are scheduled for July 28.
The would-be candidates collected forms from Awami League’s President Sheikh Hasia's political office in Dhmonadhi maintaining Covid-19 health protocol, said the party.
The aspirants already have started campaigning through the posters, offline and online in their respective area alongside lobbying with the senior leaders.
The seats became vacant due to the death of members of parliament. Among them, Sylhet-3 MP Mahmud Us Samad died on March 11, Dhaka-14 MP Aslamul Haque on April 4 and Comilla-5 MP Abdul Matin Khasru on April 14.
Voting in these constituencies could not be held within 90 days of the vacancy. So, the polls would take place in the subsequent 90 days, the Election Commission said.
Get ready for movement: Fakhrul to BNP followers
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday asked the party leaders and activists to take "all-out" preparations for waging a movement demanding an election-time neutral government.
"Get ready for a movement as time is running out fast. We must stand on our own feet together with people. Let's forge a national unity,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said, "Quit power and save Bangladesh. It’s our only demand. We would like tell you (govt) to step down immediately and arrange a fair and credible election under a neutral government and a neutral Election Commission. Otherwise, people know how to realise their rights.”
Dhaka south city unit BNP arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 40th death anniversary of party founder Ziaur Rahman.
Fakhrul alleged that the ruling party leaders and activists are committing corruption and carrying out plundering at a time when the grapples with coronavirus.
“One of their (AL) MPs said in Parliament a few days ago that small thieves are now ashamed of seeing big thugs stealing. The big thieves are their ministers and big leaders. Corona is taking its heavy toll on human life. It’s now a question of life and death, but they’re indulging in theft over Covid tests, procurement of masks and PPE and ICU beds. They’re also stealing the money of doctors, nurses and hospitals,” he said.
Stating that a makeshift hospital in the capital has vanished, Fakhrul said they will now set new hospitals and steal money and take commission again, and siphon off the money to Canada, Malaysia, and the UK. “Money laundering practice has taken a terrible turn in the country. According to our economists, TK 6 lakh crore has been siphoned off abroad over the last few years. This’s exactly the Awami League.”
He also said even a small leader of Awami League has suddenly turned into a rich man with ill-gotten money. ”The existence of Bangladesh will be at stake if they stay in power for a longer time.”
The BNP leader alleged that the government has long been suppressing people’s voice abusing different laws and acts, including the Digital Security Act.
“Our journalist brothers now can't write anything strictly. I don’t blame them. I rather express sympathy for them. If they write anything they’ll be sent to jail, implicated in cases under the Digital Security Act,” he observed.
AL, Covid both are monsters: Fakhrul
Describing both Covid-19 and Awami League as ‘enemies’ of the country, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged their party leaders and activists to prepare for a "victory" against the “two devils”.
"There’re now two enemies in the country. Awami League is the enemy on one side and Corona is another enemy on the other. These two monsters are destroying everything we have. That’s why we’re being hindered. But we’ve to win and overcome all the barriers,” he said.
Fakhrul made the remarks while speaking at a discussion at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office jointly arranged by Zia Smriti Pathagar and Jatiayatabadi Prakashana Sangstha, marking party founder Ziaur Rahman’s 40th death anniversary.
Also read: Hope that will get you through: Fakhrul to BNP activists
He called upon the party leaders to get organised to achieve success through a struggle. "There’s no shortcut to achieve a success. When you’ve to fight, you’ve to be fully equipped. We’ve to fight until we achieve the success.”
He said the current government will not easily quit as it has become a ‘dictator. “They know they won’t be able to win any election. So, they’ll play a game and drama in the name of elections, controlling everything as they did in 2014 and 2018.”
Fakhrul slammed his ruling party counterpart Obaidul Quader for what he said spreading lies against BNP and its leaders. “He (Quader) has been carrying out a false campaign like Goebbelsian propaganda.”
Also read: Govt 'doing business' over Covid vaccine: BNP
The BNP secretary general said, "Goebbels was the propaganda minister of the Nazi fascist Hitler in Germany during the Second World War. Like him, Hasan Mahmud (Info minister) has been lying fluently and calmly. He doesn't say it loudly and angrily, giving an impression that he’s not lying. This is called Goebbelsian propaganda.”
He urged BNP leaders to present the facts and real history before the new generation to counter the ruling party’s “false” campaign against Zia and his party.
Fakhrul also advised party activists to read books more to know about their party founder Ziaur Rahman and the country’s Liberation War alongside reading the books written by Rabindranath Tagore and national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Hope that will get you through: Fakhrul to BNP activists
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday advised his party colleagues to move ahead with a hope of success instead of getting frustrated over their current failures.
"Many of us question whether anything (positive) will happen. Whenever you think of it, you should understand you’re finished. A person apparently dies when he/she loses hope. So, we’ve to move on with a hope of success,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said, “One thing you have to keep in mind is that 90% of people in the country are in favour of us, and you’ll find it wherever you go. I can assure you that we must turn victorious and we’ve to move forward with this hope.”
Also read: BNP wants permanent accommodation for slum dwellers
Dhaka North city unit BNP arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 40th death anniversary of its founder Ziaur Rahman.
Fakhrul said the people of all walks of life, including the poor, have got fed up with the ‘misrule’ of the Awami League-led government and its failures to deliver on all fronts.
“You (govt) are taking mega projects worth thousands of crores of taka. Why don’t you take a project for slum dwellers when Sat Tala slum was gutted?” he said.
The BNP leader said the government is hardly concerned about public suffering as it is busy protecting the interests of the ruling party men.
Also read: Govt's apathy behind recurring slum fires: BNP
He urged the leaders and activists of the Dhaka north city unit BNP not to make their efforts only to get the posts and positions of the party. "Don’t become inactive after the formation of the committee. Let’s all try with all our strength to achieve a victory...we believe that victory is inevitable if we remain on the right path."
Recalling the role of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman in the country’s Liberation War and its development, Fakhrul urged the party leaders and activists to follow his ideology to get success in politics.
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, chairperson’s adviser Abdus Salam and organising secretary Fazlul Haq Milon, among others, spoke at the programme.
Quader slams BNP for anti-people conspiracy
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said that the BNP has chosen the path of conspiracy to avenge its defeat in both elections and movement.
"If any violent situation is created in the name of movement, Awami League will give proper response on the streets," he warned.
Quader said this while distributing corona protection materials among the representatives of the lockdown-hit districts organized by the Awami League Relief and Social Welfare Sub-Committee on Bangabandhu Avenue.
Also read: BNP desperate to regain power through dark ways: Quader
Calling on the BNP to stand by the helpless people the Awami League leader said BNP does nothing for the people apart from just lip service.
The ruling party second-in-command also commented that those who boycotted the elections can never believe in democracy.
Quader said, the people no longer believe in BNP’s wholesale criticism of the government.
He said that the BNP has no eye to see the development work done by the government.
Also read: BNP has lost interest in elections, says Obaidul Quader
Quader said that BNP gone to a state when they may even blame the government for the deaths of people in lightning strikes.
Awami League Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Health and Population Affairs Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana, Education and Human Resources Secretary Samshunnahar Champa, Central Executive Member Syed Abdul Awal Shamim and MP Nurul Amin Ruhul were also present.
Quader distributed corona protection materials among the delegates.
BNP wants permanent accommodation for slum dwellers
BNP on Tuesday demanded the government arrange permanent accommodation for slum dwellers.
“"The government's first priority should be to ensure permanent accommodation for them (slum dwellers). Adequate compensation must be paid to those who have been affected by fire here, he said.
The BNP leader made the demand while talking to reporters after visiting fire-ravaged Mohakhali's Sat Tola slum. Over a hundred shanties of the slum were gutted in a fire early Monday.
Fakhrul also urged the government to carry out a fair investigation to identify the reasons behind the fire incident.
Also read: Govt's apathy behind recurring slum fires: BNP
He said floating and homeless people like domestic helps, rickshaw-pullers and cobblers live in slums.
“It's been 50 years since the country became independent, but we still couldn’t ensure people’s basic rights like accommodation, food and clothing,” the BNP leader said.
He said the government is implementing mega projects spending thousands of crores of taka, but it is not taking any effective steps to ease the sufferings of the homeless and the poor people.
Also read: Govt 'doing business' over Covid vaccine: BNP
Fakhrul said the government can allot khas land for the accommodation of the homeless people.
Expressing solidarity with the fire victims of the slum, he assured them of providing finical assistance for them from their party shortly.
BNP organising secretary Shama Obaid, executive committee member Tabith Awal and senior leaders of the party’s Dhaka north city unit were present there.
Time not ripe yet to go for anti-govt movement: Fakhrul
Stating that the correct time has not come yet to go for an anti-government movement, BNP Secretary General on Monday said it will not be possible to stage a mass upsurge without the active participation of the young generation.
“Many of you ask why BNP is not calling for a movement? BNP will surely do it when the party thinks it is the right time for waging a movement,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, he said, “Students and workers must play a big role in the movement as they did in the past. A mass upsurge is necessary to defeat the current regime by organising the youth.”
Also read:Plot hatched to make Bangladesh 'subservient’ state: Fakhrul
Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 40th death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Recalling the role of students and youths in ousting HM Ershad in the 90s, Fakhrul said people will get united if the young generation comes forward for bringing about a change in power.
He, however, said the reality in the 90s and that of in 2021 is not the same. “There’ve been lots of changes in the course of time. We’ve to move on with the trend of change. Or else, we’ll never be successful.”
The BNP leader said one thing is clear that no election can be held in a free and fair manner under the current government and the Election Commission. “So, they’ve to go…then there must come a change through an election under a neutral government and a neutral election commission. We the country’s people have to do this. Neither America nor China, nor India will bring this change for us.”
Fakhrul alleged that the ruling party leaders are indulging in widespread ‘plundering’ and they are buying houses and making shopping malls in different countries, including Canada, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. “No one keeps money in the country anymore as they know the time will come when everyone will be made accountable to people.”
Mentioning that the government has completely failed to deal with the coronavirus crisis, he said the government’s only goal is to plunder and steal public money through corruption.
He said Health Minister Zahid Maleque was present during the signing of a deal with Regent Hospital, but later only hospital chairman Shahed Karim was sent to jail for the Covid test scam. “When Shahed can be taken to jail, then why not the minister? He (minister) is equally responsible for it."
Govt 'doing business' over Covid vaccine: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that the government is doing business over the procurement of coronavirus vaccine.
“They (govt) want to do business over Covid (vaccine procurement). They’ve started doing business over it from the very beginning,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said, “They provided around Tk 700 crore to procure three crore jabs of Oxford-AstraZeneca as per the suggestion of one of their advisers, but they still didn't get even 1.5 crore doses of the vaccine.”
Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 40th death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
Also read: Govt. mishandled procurement of Covid-19 vaccine, allege BNP lawmakers
Fakhrul said the government signed the agreement with the Serum Institute over the vaccine knowing such a consequence.
He said the government is now trying to bring vaccines from China and Russia though it earlier ignored the proposals of the two countries to sign agreements with them over their vaccines.
About the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2021-22, he said it is a good budget for businessmen, but nothing has been given for the six crore people who are now below the poverty line.
He said their party has repeatedly urged the government to give the poor Tk 15,000 for three months. “It would not be a big amount. Why didn't you give it? Every country is doing this and they have already transferred cash. If you want to run the wheels of the economy, people have to have money in their pockets.”
Also read: BNP demands emergency relief operation in Yaas-hit areas
The BNP leader said the government has been providing cash support and other facilities to the pro-ruling party big industrialists, ignoring the poor and needy people.
He said many journalists are going through serious sufferings amid the coronavirus, but the government is not giving them any incentive. “Rickshaw-pullers, small traders and other affected and jobless people are not getting any incentive.”
The BNP leader called upon all political parties to get united to overcome the current situation of the country through a joint movement.
BNP desperate to regain power through dark ways: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said BNP is desperate to take any dark path to regain power.
"The BNP is desperate to regain the lost power. So they want to take the country to the depths of darkness again, but the people will not give that opportunity to the BNP anymore," he said.
Quader said this while addressing a discussion meeting on the occasion of the founding anniversary of Awami Hawkers League on Bangabandhu Avenue this afternoon.
He spoke virtually from his official residence.
The AL leader also assumed that the BNP has practiced and is resorting to all the dark ways to get back to power.
He said the people were late in recognizing the BNP but now their true face is clear to them.
The general secretary of the Awami League commented that BNP wants to weaken the independent state for the sake of power, saying that they are going against the government and the country and the nation using communalism, opposition to India, use of religion as a political shield.
Also read: BNP has lost interest in elections, says Obaidul Quader
Quader also said the BNP skipped from the election as it did not believe in democracy. The BNP has now forgotten to reveal the truth while criticizing the government.
Mentioning that Bangladesh is now a developing country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League leader said that besides increasing the economic capacity of the country, the efficiency of budget implementation has also increased.
Reminding the BNP of their rule, Quader said that before formulating the budget every year, the BNP finance minister had to rush to the meeting of the donor group like a beggar.
He also commented that the budget would have been based on the mercy of the donors.
Mentioning that Bangladesh has turned around under the able and forward-looking leadership of Sheikh Hasina , he further said that the budget is being formulated on the basis of its own resources and not foreign dependence.
Quader claimed that the BNP was denying the achievements of the country and the nation while blindly criticizing the government.
Also read: BNP involved in Hefazat violence: Obaidul Quader
He said the BNP is also denying the socio-economic success of the people of Bangladesh.
Mentioning that the seeds of corruption and irregularities were sown in the country during the rule of BNP, the general secretary of Awami League said that BNP is the bearer and patron of irregularities, corruption and misrule.
Quader said that BNP has not stopped their conspiracy against the country. So the BNP is making baseless allegations of irregularities and corruption against the government.
He asked the Hawkers League leaders and workers to leave the sidewalks for pedestrians.
Hawkers League convener SM Zakaria Hanif presided over the function while leaders of Hawkers League including Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Relief and Social affairs seccretary Sujit Roy Nandi also spoke on Bangabandhu Avenue.
BNP demands emergency relief operation in Yaas-hit areas
Stating that many people going through untold sufferings in cyclone Yaas-affected 27 coastal upazilas, BNP on Sunday urged the government to distribute necessary relief materials among them immediately.
Besides, the party demanded reconstruction of embankments, houses, roads and educational institutions damaged by the cyclone and tidal surge in the coastal areas.
In a statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the low-lying areas in 27 coastal upazilas in Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Barishal, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola, Noakhali and Laxmipur districts were flooded as the weak dams were damaged by the Cyclone Yaas.
“Houses, croplands, export-oriented fish resources, educational institutions and roads were severely damaged, putting the lives and livelihoods of lakhs of people in various coastal areas at stake,” he said.
Also read: Yaas leaves behind Tk 60 crore worth of damage, losses in Khulna
The BNP leader said many people in those areas have become unemployed, losing their means of income. “People are now passing through an indescribable miserable life there due to the negligence and indecision of the government.”
He said people have been infected with various diseases because of the acute shortage of food and pure drinking water. “People are starving there for lack of money and food. But the government is as indifferent as ever to ease the suffering of the people of these regions, which is very condemnable and heart touching.”
Fakhrul said the government has not yet started emergency relief operations in the coastal areas. “The government has repeatedly been assuring the people, affected by the cyclone Aila, Amphan and other devastating ones in the last one decade, of taking measures to construct sustainable embankments and provide jobs to the unemployed people in the coastal areas. “But it has no reflection in practice.”
He said the ruling party leaders have only 'indulged in ‘plundering’ public money in the name of construction and reconstruction of dams.
Also read: Cyclone Yaas disrupts normal life in 23 chars of Bhola
The BNP leader said people in the Yaas-hit coastal areas have become helpless, upset and angry, losing their valuables and employment scopes.
“The sad fact is that neither any high-ranking government representative nor any official from the local administration has yet visited the affected areas, let alone starting the initial relief operations. The government has no initiative to alleviate the miseries of the people as it’s not elected by them.”
The BNP secretary general urged the government to take proper steps to supply emergency food, pure drinking water and medicine to the cyclone-affected areas and provide jobs to the unemployed people.
He also demanded the construction of sustainable embankments in the coastal areas to save the lives and property of people and protect the biodiversity.