Politics
BNP ready to make any sacrifice to forge greater unity: Fakhrul
Dhaka, Sept 8 (UNB) - BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their party is ready to make any sacrifice to forge a greater unity soon with other political parties to ‘restore’ democracy.
JP to announce pre-polls programmes on Oct 6
Dhaka, Sept 8 (UNB) – Jatiya Party will hold a public rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on October 6 to announce its pre-election programmes, aiming to return to power to build ‘New Bangladesh’.
Quader takes a dig at BNP, calls it a ‘dead river’
Dhaka, Sept 8 (UNB) - Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday shrugged off BNP's threat to wage a movement, saying that the party has no capability to do that in the future.
Terming BNP a ‘dead river’, the senior AL leader said there will be no high tide in it.
He came up with the remarks while addressing a rally at Santahar Railway Station in Bogura in the afternoon.
“If BNP in any way returns to power, they would flow a river of blood in the country. To keep up the development pace, we’ve to vote for Boat to strengthen the hands of Sheikh Hasina,” he said.
Referring to the grassroots leaders, he said, “Nominations won’t be given by seeing pictures and billboards. Only those will get nominations who will work for the country and people.”
Addressing another gathering at Muladuli Railway Station in Pabna around 1 pm, Obaidul said, “Failed to launch any movement, BNP is now planning to carry out acts of sabotage and arson attacks.”
“They (BNP) always want to make the country unstable. After losing public support, they’re now planning to destabilise the country,” he added.
Earlier, addressing a rally at Natore Railway Station the minister said: "How will BNP wage a movement within two months as it couldn't do it over the last 10 years?"
The AL leader also turned down BNP leaders' assertion that the ruling party's votes have declined. "It didn't happen due to Sheikh Hasina's positive politics."
Rather, Quader said, the votes of BNP have dropped for its negative politics.
Later, he addressed a rally organised by Awami League Natore district unit.
Earlier in the morning, an Awami League delegation, led by party general secretary, Obaidul Quader, left Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital for Nilphamari by a train aiming to carry out electioneering in northern districts.
They are supposed to hold more than 11 rallies at railway stations in Tangail, Pabna, Natore, Bogura, Joyurhat, Dinajpur and Nilphamari districts, said AL Rajshahi unit organising secretary Khaled Mahmud Chowdhury.
Talking to reporters at the Kamalapur Railway Station before his departure, Quader said the aim of the train journey is to reach the message of development works carried out by the AL government to the grassroots level and strengthen the party.
The organisational activities of the party will play an important role in making the grassroots aware about the 'rumour politics' of BNP and Jamaat, he said.
The delegation members include AL joint secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, publicity and publication secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, organising secretaries Ahmad Hossain, Abu Sayed AL Mahmud Swapan, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, cultural secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil and Biplob Barua.
Quader, also the Road, Transport and Bridges Minister said, "This journey is our election journey. The tour will continue. We'll launch election campaign on September 13. Then, it's scheduled to start our campaign to Chattogram, Mymensingh and Kishoreganj by road."
He said, "The upcoming election will be a competitive one and we've to take preparations considering this. If there's any internal dispute, we've to solve that. This campaign is to revitalise the grassroots leaders."
Railways Minister Mujibul Haque was present at the station to see the team off.
Meanwhile, speaking at a rally at Tangail railway station, Quader urged Awami League grassroots leaders not to create any indiscipline and chaos in the party.
He also said action against those violating party discipline has started. "Show-cause notices will be served within three days."
Issuing a note of warning to party local leaders, he said, "Don't try to build too many houses in one house...Sheikh Hasina's action is direct action."
About the demand of local leaders and general people, he said a train service will be launched on Dhaka-Tangail route soon for the office-going people.
Trump has 4 or 5 suspects for op-ed writer
Washington, Sept 8 (AP/UNB) — President Donald Trump says he can identify up to five people who could have written the anonymous New York Times opinion piece criticizing his leadership.
Common people now getting benefits of development: PM
Dhaka, Sept 8 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the common people are now getting the benefits of her government’s development programmes as it has been able to lower the inflation rate with sustainable GDP growth.
Govt out to kill Khaleda in jail, alleges BNP
Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB) – Voicing serious concern over its chairperson’s health condition, BNP on Friday alleged that the government is out with an ‘evil plan’ to kill Khaleda Zia in jail.
No longer in opposition bench in JS: Ershad
Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB) - Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Friday said his party no longer wants to remain as the opposition party in parliament.
4 lawyers meet Khaleda at jail
Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB) - Four lawyers of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia met her at the Old Dhaka Central Jail at Nazimuddin Road on Friday.
Book on Bangabandhu with Pak Intelligence info to be a good read: PM
Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said the new book containing the secret documents of Pakistani Intelligence Branch (IB) on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will provide an immense opportunity to people to know about the Father of the Nation properly and elaborately.
"To me, it’s the diamond out of a coalmine. We’d been able to find the diamond mine inside the coalmine," she said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the publication ceremony of the first edition of 'Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Emeritus Professor Rafiqul Islam chaired the function while Bangla Academy Director General Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan was the discussant.
Sheikh Hasina, the elder daughter of the Father of the Nation, said there is a priceless depot of information in these books.
"The IB reports are against Bangabandhu. There’s nothing in favour of him, everything is against him. Why have we published these reports? It’s my interest that by this publication, people will know each and every activity, move and speech of the Father of the Nation from 1948-71. There’re so many information there," she said.
The Prime Minister also said the IB reports will give the readers, researchers and others an opportunity to find out the most valuable information about Bangabandhu. "Country’s people will be able to know a lot about the Father of the Nation."
Mentioning that there are some questions about how Bangabandhu had contributed to the Language Movement as he had been in jail at that time, Hasina said, “The hostile attitude of a section of people will be removed after reading these documents."
Explaining the reason behind the publication of the IB reports, she said, “I took the step to publish those as country’s people will be able to divulge truth from these. They’ll know the history of Bangladesh. They’ll be able to know how we got the independence."
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Javed Patwary, Golam Mostafa of Hakkani Publishers, Father of the Nation Bangbanadhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust Member Secretary Sheikh Hajizur Rahman and Curator Nazrul Islam Khan also spoke at the programme.
Bangabandhu Memorial Trust is funding the publication of the book. Hakkani Publishers will publish the book in 14 volumes.
Pakistani Intelligence Branch (IB) used to make reports on Bangabandhu every day.
The book will contain different information on the country’s War of Liberation and founding of Awami League, letters written to Bangabandhu by his party leaders and workers, relatives and speeches delivered by him at different meetings and public rallies.
Nat’l unity to turn political unity, says Mosharraf
Dhaka, Sept 7 (UNB) – BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Friday said different political parties’ current efforts to forge a national unity for holding a fair election will soon turn into a political unity.