United News of Bangladesh

Amid growing discussion and speculation surrounding his resignation as Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Minister, BNP Central Assistant Religious Affairs Secretary and MP from Rangamati-299 Dipen Dewan on Tuesday broke his silence on the issue and reaffirmed his unwavering loyalty to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). In a statement posted on his official Facebook profile, addressing the people of the three hill districts, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, Dewan said he was fully aware of the emotions, concerns and reactions generated among various sections of society following his resignation from the ministerial post. Extending greetings to the people of the region in different languages, he urged all communities in the CHT to remain calm, patient and committed to maintaining law and order as well as communal harmony. “I sincerely call upon all indigenous, Bengali and other communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to remain peaceful, exercise patience and uphold harmony. Please do not be misled by any provocation, confusion or conflict. Let us preserve an atmosphere of mutual respect, compassion and goodwill,” he said. Dewan said the Chittagong Hill Tracts belong to all its inhabitants and that safeguarding the region’s development, stability and peace is a shared responsibility. “I hope that fraternity, harmony and mutual trust among all people, regardless of ethnic identity, will grow stronger,” he added. Recalling his family’s political legacy, Dewan said his father had served as an adviser to former President Ziaur Rahman. “The ideals, patriotism and commitment to public welfare demonstrated by former President Ziaur Rahman have been a source of inspiration in my political life,” he said. Dewan said he joined BNP under the leadership and guidance of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and had remained a dedicated party activist throughout his political career. “I want to state clearly that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is the home of my political ideals. I wish to dedicate the rest of my life to this beloved party, its ideals and the welfare of the people,” he said. “Under any personal or political circumstances, my loyalty and commitment to the party will remain unchanged. I will never leave this party,” he added. Dewan stressed that public welfare should always take precedence over individual interests and again called upon the people of the hill districts to remain united for the sake of peace, harmony and development. “There may be differences of opinion, but there should be no division; there may be competition, but there should be no conflict,” he said. He expressed hope that all communities in the three hill districts would continue to live peacefully, benefit from development and help transform the region into a model of harmony, stability and peace. Concluding his statement, Dewan expressed full confidence in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership and said he wanted to contribute to building a new Bangladesh under his guidance. “I am fully confident in the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and want to move forward under his leadership in building a new Bangladesh,” he said. “I once again declare in a firm voice that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is my final destination.” Dewan submitted his resignation from the post of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister on June 1, citing physical illness as the reason. His resignation has since sparked discussion and speculation in political circles.

Former Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) Mayor Dr Selina Hayat Ivy was released from jail on Wednesday night on bail. She walked out of Kashimpur Central Women's Jail in Gazipur around 10:10pm after all necessary legal formalities were completed. Shirin Akter, superintendent of the prison, said the release order reached the prison authorities and, following verification of the documents, Ivy was released on bail. She faces a total of 12 cases. No bar to Ivy's release as SC upholds HC bail in 10 cases On May 10 last, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the bail granted by the High Court to her in 10 cases. The High Court granted bail to Ivy in five of the cases on February 26 this year following separate bail petitions. The state filed petitions with the Appellate Division seeking stay on the High Court orders of bail. Following state’s petitions, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division on March 5 this year stayed the High Court orders and sent those petitions to the full bench for hearings. Of the cases, four are murder cases filed at Fatullah Police Station over the killings of bus driver Abul Hossain Mizi, Abdur Rahman, Md Yasin and Parvez during the July uprising. Another case was filed at Narayanganj Sadar Model Police Station on charges of assault and obstructing public servants. The former NCC mayor was shown arrested in the five cases on November 9 last year, when she secured HC bail in five additional cases. The state moved the Appellate Division against the HC orders when the chamber judge on November 12 stayed the bail and sent the matter to the regular bench for hearing. Meanwhile, the High Cour on April 30 granted bail to the former NCC mayor in two other murder cases linked to the July uprising. The cases were filed at Siddhirganj Police Station in Narayanganj on charges of killing Selim Mondal and Abdus Salam during the July 2024 uprising. Ivy was shown arrested in the cases on March 2 and April 12 this year. On May 17, the Chamber Court of the Appellate Division passed no order on the state's petitions challenging the High Court's bail order in the two cases, paving the way for her release. The former NCC mayor was picked up in the early hours of May 9 last year from her residence ‘Chunka Kutir’ in Narayanganj city’s Deobhog area and later shown arrested in multiple cases.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday said excessive regulation remains the biggest obstacle to doing business and attracting investment in Bangladesh, stressing that the government is committed to removing unnecessary regulatory complexities. “If there is any major barrier for businesses in Bangladesh, it is that Bangladesh is an overregulated country,” he said while speaking at a programme titled “Pre-Budget Roundtable 2026” organised by Dhaka Forum at a hotel in the capital's Banani area. Budget to address rising poverty, expand economic opportunities: Amir Khosru The minister said the government is fully aware of the need for deregulation and has placed special emphasis on reducing unnecessary regulatory hurdles in the upcoming budget. “We have focused on deregulation in the budget. The current government is business-friendly, and the budget will contain a number of structural directives aimed at removing complexities and excessive controls to create a better business environment,” he said. Emphasising the need to involve every citizen in economic activities, Khosru said the government is committed to ensuring broader economic participation. “Everyone will be part of economic empowerment. We are placing strong emphasis on the full digitalisation of tax collection. We are aware of the various challenges and are working to address them,” he said. The finance minister also said the government plans to simplify licensing and certification procedures to make it easier for businesses and entrepreneurs to operate. “We will take centralised decisions to remove complexities related to licences and certifications for businesses and entrepreneurs. We will announce our decisions as quickly as possible.” Referring to public projects undertaken in previous years, he said many unnecessary projects had been approved despite lacking clear justification. “There are projects that were simply not needed. Some of them are already 50 to 60 percent complete. We are evaluating everything,” he said. Khosru said the government will strengthen transparency in project planning in the future, assess the necessity of proposed projects more rigorously, and prioritise approving projects that generate employment opportunities. “We will ensure greater transparency in project formulation and approve projects that contribute to job creation and economic growth,” he added.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced rallies for Thursday in all metropolitan cities, including Dhaka, in protest against the hike in electricity tariffs. In a statement on Wednesday, the party strongly condemned the decision hiking the electricity prices and demanded its immediate withdrawal, along with measures to control rising commodity prices. It said the protest rally in Dhaka will be held at the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 5:00pm. Govt moving towards fascism: Jamaat ameer In the statement, Party Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar alleged that the government is “engaged in an extreme and cruel game of cutting the pockets of the common people.” He said the increase in electricity prices ahead of the national budget is unjust and will further burden low- and middle-income groups already struggling with rising costs of essential goods. The Jamaat leader said, according to a Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) order, the average wholesale electricity price has been increased from Tk 7 to Tk 8.39 per unit, while the average retail price has risen from Tk 9.11 to Tk 10.63. He also noted that transmission charges have increased by around 24 percent. Porwar warned that the price hike will raise production costs in industry and agriculture, disrupt business activities, and push up the prices of daily essentials such as rice, pulses and edible oil. He further alleged that the burden of repeated tariff increases was being passed on to consumers to cover what he called corruption, waste and excess payments in the power sector, including capacity charges of quick rental power plants. The Jamaat leader demanded eradicating corruption and waste in the power sector, and urged the authorities to withdraw the tariff hike in the public interest. He called on people from all walks of life to participate in their protest programme.

Around 1200 leaders and activists of the Awami League joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Gopalganj on Wednesday. The joining ceremony was held at Jangal Bazar area under Nijra Union of Gopalganj Sadar upazila, where the new members formally joined the BNP by presenting flowers to Gopalganj-2 lawmaker Dr KM Babor. MP Babor said around 1,200 Awami League leaders and activists from Gopalganj Sadar upazila joined the party at the event. Leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies were present there. Dr Babor said BNP is playing an important role in fulfilling public expectations in the current political reality. He said the party would welcome experienced and popular individuals from other political parties and ensure them due respect within the organisation. The newly joined leaders said they decided to join BNP with the aim of promoting development, establishing democratic values and securing people's rights. They also pledged to work actively to implement the party’s ideals and programmes. The development has generated mixed reactions among different political circles in Gopalganj district.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged people to remain vigilant against any attempts to destabilise the country. “A vested quarter is trying to create unrest at a time when the government has begun implementing its agenda under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. We are moving forward under his leadership. You must remain alert so that we are not misled again while working to rebuild the nation,” he said. Fakhrul made the remarks while addressing a large civic reception organised by residents of the newly formed Ruhia upazila at Ruhia High School ground in Thakurgaon as the chief guest. Expressing concern over growing drug addiction among young people, he called for a social movement against narcotics. “It is painful to see many of our youths becoming addicted to drugs. Drug abuse can destroy a nation. We must free ourselves from this menace. I urge our young people to stay away from drugs and build a social movement against addiction,” he said. “We assumed responsibility amid many difficulties. We are grateful to people for their trust and support. I thank people of all faiths—Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians—whose support has enabled me to serve,” he said. Referring to what he described as a positive development for Bangladesh, Fakhrul said the country has achieved a rare honour under Tarique Rahman’s leadership through its election to a key position at the United Nations General Assembly. He said Bangladesh would continue working to address its challenges though solutions would not come overnight.“You will have to be patient. We are trying to solve all problems step by step,” he said. Highlighting the government's initiatives, Fakhrul said the administration, which has been in office for only three months, has already begun implementing several commitments made by Tarique Rahman. “We have launched the Family Card programme, started work on the Farmer Card initiative and initiated canal excavation projects. We are trying to fulfil every commitment that was made,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Tuesday claimed that the country is not in a “good condition” and accused the government of moving towards fascism. Speaking as the chief guest at a civic gathering held at the District Shilpakala Academy auditorium in Sylhet, he said “1947 is our foundation, 1971 is our pride, and 2024 is our direction for change.” Shafiqur Rahman claimed that though Bangladesh has entered a post-July uprising democratic phase, the country and its people are not in a good condition. He alleged that incidents such as child rape and murder, killings, theft, mugging, extortion, and terrorist activities have increased alarmingly. The Jamaat chief further accused the government of focusing on appointing partisan individuals at various levels of the state machinery, saying it “betrayed the nation regarding the July Charter and referendum.” According to him, the government is moving towards “fascist rule” after insulting 70 percent voters who supported the “Yes” vote in the referendum. Shafiqur Rahman warned that public anger is increasing and said those in power will have to face consequences. He also cautioned that attempts to govern in an “authoritarian manner” will lead to consequences, adding that “July will return again and again.” The opposition leader raised concerns over the banking sector, alleging that money is not available in several banks. He claimed that customers of five merged banks are struggling to withdraw their funds. The Jamat chief further alleged that efforts are underway to “take over” Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC through “night-time online meetings.” He criticised the recent increase in fuel prices, calling it an example of decisions being made “in darkness”, questioning whether this was a “night-time government.” Shafiqur Rahman said the consequences of appointing a former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank as chairman of Islami Bank will be good. He stated that even small shareholders are rightful owners of banks and threatened that depositors themselves might be forced to take to the streets in protest. “As a client, I may also have to take to the streets.” The Jamaat ameer said while they had accepted election results even with pain in the national interest, they will not tolerate injustice any longer. He said Jamaat will continue its struggle both inside and outside Parliament to establish people’s rights.

Leader of the Opposition and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Monday called on lawyers not to represent the accused in the Ramisa Akter rape and murder case, saying justice must not be delayed in such a brutal crime. “Delaying the trial of self-confessed rapists and murderers amounts to siding with criminals and supporting injustice,” he said while speaking to reporters after visiting Ramisa’s father Hannan Molla at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in the capital. Dr Shafiqur, who returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Hajj, met Hannan Molla and enquired after his condition.

Road Transport, Bridges, Rail and Waterways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Monday said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has always pursued people-oriented politics and never hadto seek apology from the public, unlike some other political parties. “BNP never had to apologise in that way. BNP has always reflected public aspirations and therefore never had to seek forgiveness from the people for its politics or governance. Whenever people got the opportunity to vote, they voted for BNP,” he said. The minister made the remarks at a doa mahfil organised in Kalabagan in the capital in observance of the 45th death anniversary of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman. Referring to the political history of the country, Sheikh Robiul Alam alleged that the Awami League had established a one-party rule in Bangladesh similar to that of Yahya Khan. “The democratic Bangladesh we see today was shaped through the contributions of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman,” he said. He said Ziaur Rahman had founded the BNP to establish a nationalist political philosophy suitable for the people of the country. “The leader is no longer with us, but his ideals remain, and so do the soldiers of those ideals,” he added. The minister said the country is still facing challenges and warned that forces associated with political misconduct and authoritarianism remained active. “The crisis is not over yet. Political irregularities are still ongoing. Those who once established authoritarian rule and those who may attempt to do so again must be cautious,” he said. He further said that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had begged for votes from the public in 1996, while Jamaat-e-Islami had recently asked voters to forgive its past mistakes and support the party in elections. The minister reiterated that BNP has always reflected public aspirations and therefore never had to seek forgiveness from the people for its politics or governance. He urged party leaders and activists to strengthen public trust, uphold the party’s image and work closely with people to implement the government’s commitments. He also called on BNP activists to serve as a bridge between the government and the public and help realise people’s expectations.

BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr Md Rafiqul Islam on Monday visited Hannan Molla, the father of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter who was raped and killed at Pallabi, at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in the capital. Hospital sources said Hannan Molla was taken to the hospital by family members after he developed health complications. He is currently under observation at the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) under the supervision of Prof Dr Md Toufiqur Rahman Faruque with suspected heart-related complications. Following the news of his hospitalisation, Rafiqul Islam visited him at the hospital and spoke with the family members as well as the attending physicians. He also inquired after his condition from Dr Toufiqur Rahman and requested the hospital authorities to ensure the best possible treatment. During preliminary examinations, doctors reportedly found potassium deficiency, and he may be suffering from viral pericarditis, according to medical suspicion. Doctors said his condition is currently stable, but further tests are required to determine his detailed health status.