politics
Int'l Women's Day Rally: Police foil Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal’s rally
Police foiled BNP women's wing Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal's rally in the city marking International Women's Day on Friday morning.
Around 10 am, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of the party's central office in Naya Paltan and brought out a rally after a short discussion, but police stopped it.
Later, they condemned the police obstruction by chanting slogans and left the place.
Afroza Abbas, president of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal, said "It is so unfortunate that the police did not allow women to hold a peaceful rally on International Women's Day."
"This is proof of how the country's women's society is. We strongly condemn and protest today's cancellation of our peaceful rally," she added.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of DMP Farzana Yasmin told reporters, " We stopped them because they did not have permission to hold a rally. They were permitted to hold discussions and they did it."
Quader returns home tomorrow after regular health checkup
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader will leave Singapore for Dhaka after a routine health check-up at Mount Elizabeth Hospital on Saturday.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the minister will land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 6pm, said a media release signed by Sheikh Wahlid Fayez, information officer of the ministry.
Quader, also general secretary of Awami League, left Dhaka for Singapore on Sunday (March 3) for going through his health check-up, reads the release.
Khaleda Zia a pioneer of women empowerment in Bangladesh: Khosru
Khaleda Zia is a pioneer of women empowerment in Bangladesh, said BNP leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Friday.
“Begum Zia had proved that a woman can become the prime minister and lead a movement against an autocrat regime as she had elected first PM of Bangladesh after a successful movement against autocrat HM Earshad in 1991,”Khosru said.
He said this while addressing a rally organised by Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal in front of BNP’s central office at Nayapalton on Friday, marking the international women’s day.
AL govt not pro-people, rather business community-friendly, says Farroque
By prioritising women's affairs ministry during her first tenure, Khaleda Zia had confirmed recruitment of women in every sector of government, Khosru added.
He said Khaleda Zia had taken initiatives to financially empower women by creating employment opportunities through farming duck, hen, goat etc. and encouraging the financial institutions such as banks to give them loan.
“If we want actual empowerment of women we should give them freedom to choose their way by themselves,” he said.
Nowadays it is seen that that women are being harassed in everywhere and everyday and in most cases by ruling party cadres, BNP leader alleged.
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Those who are working for women’s right are not raising voice against the harassment as they gear the autocratic regime, he said.
Amir Khosru said no one is getting justice as almost all sectors are occupied by Awami League (AL) men who have established the culture of fear.
There are no rights of people including those of women in the country, said the BNp leader.
Women’s rights will be established when people’s basic rights like right to vote would be secured, Khosru said.
“Now it’s time to fight unitedly to restore the rights of people including those of women,” he added.
Sirajganj Zilla Parishad by-polls: Candidature will be revoked if found any evidence of using black money
Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana has said that if there is evidence of using black money in the by-election in Sirajganj Zilla Parishad, the candidature will be revoked.
The election commissioner came up with these remarks in a views exchange meeting with the candidates of the by-election, law enforcement forces and presiding officers in the Sirajganj district commissioner's conference room on Thursday.
She gave this warning based on allegations of buying votes with money against two influential candidates.
She also said that the election will be stopped at any moment if there is any breach of the electoral code of conduct.
Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mir Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, the programme was attended by Superintendent of Police Arifur Rahman Mondal, Regional Election Officer Delwar Hossain, District Election Officer Shahidul Islam and six chairman candidates, chairman and members of various Union Parishads.
Sirajganj Zilla Parishad by-election will be held on March 9, 2024.
A total of 1196 mayors, chairman and members of seven municipalities, 9 upazilas, 83 unions of the district will vote through EVM from 8am to 2pm.
The post of chairman was left vacant following the resignation of Abdul Latif Biswas.
AL govt not pro-people, rather business community-friendly, says Farroque
BNP leader Zainul Abedin Farroque on Thursday said ruling Awami
League (AL) government is not a pro-people one, rather it is friendly to business community.
BNP has become isolated: Home Minister
“They don’t bother about the people’s right to food as the prices of daily essentials reached all-time high in the country,” he said.
The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a rally organised by JatiyaGonotantrik Party (Jagpa) protesting soaring of prices of commodities, increased power tariffs and demanding immediate release of Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners.
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Farroque, BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council Member, said Awami Leaguedoesn’t want the country’s people to have a full meal. “People are struggling to buy an egg, one kg rice and one litre of oil spending lion share of their earned money as there are no products in market within their purchasing capacity.”
As holy Ramadan is going to begin from March 12 AL-backed syndicates have increased prices of almost all commodities, putting the poor people in hardship, he said.
AL retains power by killing people, says Mirza Abbas, at event giving financial aid to families of slain BNP activists
He said an AL minister is making joke with people advising them to break their fast with plum instead of date
“We are talking about people’s rights because we (BNP) are pro-people political party. BNP believes in people’s power and never wants to grab power by any means,” he said.
AL did nothing for people’s welfare, rather did everything for cementing their power. “They don’t want that the people of the country live with honour and dignity,” he added.
He alleged that Awami League arranged a dummy election on January 7 and most of the members of the parliaments (MP) are from business community who made AL satisfied spending huge cash.
BNP has become isolated: Home Minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Thursday said BNP has become isolated from people.The minister said this while talking to reporters before attending a community policing and anti-drug rally at Kurigram Government College ground on Thursday.“On October 28 they went on a rampage. Their leader gives direction from England, but does not think about what will happen to their workers. If they do not realise the mistake, they will be extinct.”“In the 2008 election, they got only 30 seats. In 2014, they started destruction without participating in the election and burned people to death,” he said.Regarding the role of foreigners in the last general election, the home minister said, "Many countries talk a lot, everyone knows how democracy is practiced there. In some developed countries, 20 to 25 percent votes are cast. We have 42 percent of the votes cast. Even if someone says the election was not fair, then we have nothing to say.”The Prime Minister is thinking about maintaining a healthy democratic trend in this country and trying to take the country forward, he added.Kurigram-2 MP Hamidul Haque Khandaker; Soumendra Prasad Pandey of Kurigram-3 and Biplab Hasan Palash of Kurigram-4 were present among others.
Awami-style democracy prevailing in country, says Nazrul Islam
BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Wednesday said that a strange Awami League (AL)-style democracy has been prevailing in the country.
Bangladesh’s Jatiya Sangsad is unique as there is no difference between the ruling and the opposition party, he said while addressing the Jatiyatabadi Tanti Dal’s 44th founding anniversary as the chief guest held at the Jatiya Press Club.
“It’s a strange kind of parliament where ruling party has 337 seats while the opposition party has 13 with the ruling Awami League’s mercy. Independent members of parliament are not different as they AL members,” he added.
Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member, said, “We didn’t fight against Pakistan in 1971 for such type of democracy. Our democracy was buried in 1975 when Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL) was formed. President Ziaur Rahman had restored democracy by empowering people and giving back their voting right.”
Later, in 1982 autocrat H M Earshed ruined our democracy and again it was brought back on right track by Begum Khaleda Zia in 1991, he continued.
No political party except BNP has sacrificed much for restoring democracy in the country, Nazrul said adding that their thousands of their leaders and activists have been in jail and Begum Zia and Tarique Rahman were convicted in ‘false’ cases.
The BNP leader said nowadays the wavers are struggling for their existence. “Their achievements are being snatched by others. Our Tangail saree is no longer our product as its GI (Geographical Identification) recognition was snatched by neighbour India.”
Nazrul Islam asked the weavers community to get united and wage a movement for ousting the ‘dummy government’.
The programme was presided over by the Tanti Dal joint convener Golam Mawla Khan Bablu and moderated by member secretary Haji Mojibur Rahman and senior member Milon Islam Khan.
BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council Member Zainul Abedin Farroque, organizing secretary Abdus Salam Azad, information and research affairs secretary Riyaz Uddin Nasu, among others, spoke.
AL retains power by killing people, says Mirza Abbas, at event giving financial aid to families of slain BNP activists
BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has said that ruling Awami League (AL) retains power by killing people.
AL is using state apparatus to kill the taxpayers, alleged the BNP leader.
He made the comments in a financial grant giving programme organised by BNP for the families of two deceased Jubo Dal leaders- Shamim Mollah from Mugdha Thana Unit and Abdur Rashid from Adabar Thana Unit.
Shamim Mollah was killed during October 28 grand rally while Abdur Rashid on October 29 during Hartal.
The grant-giving programme on behalf of BNP Acting Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman was held at party Nayapaltan Central office onTuesday.
Mirza Abbas said about 15,000 leaders and activists of BNP had been killed by AL, making a lot of children orphans and families helpless.
He said AL destroyed BNP’s October 28 grand rally as part of their plan which included local and international conspiracy groups so that BNP could not participate in the parliament polls.
AL started arresting BNP leaders and activists 18 months before October 28 mass rally, he said.
"They were even continuously threatening our senior leaders showing fear about jail before the 28 October programme," he alleged.
Mirza Abbas said the people of the country had responded to Tareque Rahman's urges by boycotting the January 7 staged dummy election.
Before January 7 election Tarique Rahman requested people to refrain from casting their vote for AL.
BNP Standing Committee member said it is not new for AL to kill people. During 1974-1975 period, AL government had killed about 24-25 thousand people, he said.
Awami League-backed syndicates behind price hike: Farroque
BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council Member Zainul Abedin Farroque on Monday blamed Awami League-backed syndicates for unusual hike in prices of essentials.
“The traders who are responsible for price hike are part of Awami League syndicate. AL leaders fill up their pockets by depriving mass people. Awami League has snatched people’s all rights including right to food,” Farroque said.
He made the comments at a human chain programme organised by Trenomool Nagorik Andolan in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting hike in prices of essentials.
Bangladesh seeks enhanced Chinese investment in power and energy sector
The prices of essential commodities keep soaring and have gone beyond the purchasing capacity of people as the ‘illegal’ govt has snatched their rights, he added.
Farroque, also a former opposition chief whip in parliament, said this government is not the government of people. “They don’t think about people. Their one and only intention is laundering money abroad.”
He said a former minister had laundered thousand crores taka to London but the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is ‘sleeping’ instead of investigation.
Foreign Minister to join OIC meeting on Israeli aggression
Farroque said people will suffer a lot during the holy month of Ramadan if the skyrocketing prices can’t brought within the purchasing capacity of mass people .
The BNP leader blamed the ruling party for destroying democracy and said that the AL grabbed the power with the help of India and without people’s mandate.
Mirza Fakhrul off to Singapore for health checkup
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir left the country for Singapore on Monday morning for regular health checkup.
Fakhrul accompanied by his wife Rahat Ara Begum left Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight around 8:30 am, his personal assistant M Yunus Ali told UNB.
He said Fakhrul is scheduled to have treatment at a Singapore clinic for various health issues, including a blockage in his neck .
He said the BNP leader is scheduled to return home on March 18 .
After being released from jail on February 15, Fakhrul went to Bangladesh Specialized Hospital with various health problems and received treatments at home under supervision of Prof Shamsul Arfein of the hospital, he said.
BNP Vice Chairman Prof AZM Jahid Hossain said their leader Fakhrul lost six kilograms of weight in over three months in jail since October 29.
Earlier on August 24, 2023, the 77-year-old BNP secretary general went to Singapore for a medical checkup.
His internal carotid artery problem was detected in 2015 when he had been in prison in a political case.
After being released from the jail, he went to Singapore and since then he goes to the country every year for follow-up treatment.
Members of Detective Branch arrested the BNP leader from his Gulshan residence a day after police foiled the party’s scheduled 28 October grand rally in the capital.
After securing bail from the High Court, he walked out of the Dhaka Central Jail on February 15.