Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
Fakhrul elected APDU's first vice-chairman
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been made the first vice-chairman of the Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU), an international platform of liberal political parties of the Asia Pacific.
The BNP leader was chosen for the post at a meeting of the APDU's international council session held in Washington in the US on November 6 and 7, his party said in a press release.
Also, former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed was elected chairman of the APDU.
Read more: BNP to hold its Dec 10 rally at Nayapaltan: Fakhrul
BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury joined the programme as a representative of the party.
At the programme, Khosru described the current political situation in Bangladesh and talked about the role of the democratic forces in restoring democracy and ensuring the voting rights of people in the country.
Read more: Fakhrul visits Makbul’s body at DMCH morgue, condoles his family
In March 2019, Fakhrul was elected one of the three vice-chairmen of the APDU as the organisation gave the BNP its full membership.
Fakhrul visits Makbul’s body at DMCH morgue, condoles his family
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has visited the morgue of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where the body of Makbul Hossain, who was killed on Wednesday during a clash between police and BNP activists, has been kept.
The BNP leader reached there soon after he was barred by police from going to the BNP’s Nayapaltan Central Office on Thursday morning, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a BNP media cell member.
Fakhrul condoled Halima, wife of Makbul, and their daughter Mitul at the hospital and provided them with financial assistance.
Read more: Police kept the bombs in BNP office: Fakhrul
Dr Rafiqul Islam, BNP’s Health Affairs Secretary, was present there.
Makbul Hossain, joint convener of No 5 ward unit Swechchasebak Dal, Pallabi, was killed during a clash between police and BNP leaders and activities in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan Central Office on Wednesday.
BNP to hold press conference this afternoon
Following yesterday's police action at Nayapaltan, BNP will hold a press conference on the incident this afternoon.
The press conference will be held at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office at 3pm, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a BNP media cell member.
Yesterday, the party announced to hold a press conference at 3:30pm but it was postponed.
Read more: Drive inside BNP head office was against attempts for subversive activities, says DMP Commissioner
One person was killed and over 100 were injured, and nearly 300 BNP leaders and activists were arrested yesterday after a clash between police and opposition activists in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Read more: Fakhrul barred from going into BNP’s Nayapaltan office
Govt has staged the Nayapaltan clash to foil Dec 10 rally: Mirza Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday that violent clash between BNP activists and police outside the party’s central office at Nayapaltan was planned by the government to foil the party’s upcoming divisional rally in Dhaka on December 10.
“I came to Nayapaltan and tried to enter my party office after taking permission from the Home Minister and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner. Still, police officials barred me from going inside, which is totally unacceptable in a democratic country,” Fakhrul said while sitting on the footpath outside BNP’s central office after the violence.
Fakhrul added that the government might have any other ill motive behind the day’s clash.
“I’ve called upon the Home Minister and the DMP commissioner to withdraw police from the area immediately and restore a peaceful environment here. We’ll definitely hold the government responsible for today’s unexpected incident,” Fakhrul added.
Fakhrul further said that the government has committed a heinous crime by letting police to raid BNP’s office.
“Only police will be able to tell if there was any bomb inside our party office or not. By raiding our office and planting explosives in there, police have destroyed democratic principles,” Fakhrul said.
Read: It’s an unjustified action of police: Fakhrul on Nayapalton clash
Asked about the allegation that BNP activists had entered the office carrying bags containing explosives, Fakhrul strongly denied the allegation, saying that it’s police who had entered the office with bags.
The BNP leader also said that Awami League is a political party, which continuously deceives people.
“The Home Minister had told me to go to our party office, saying that there won’t be any problem. Such a lie from him proves that Awami League is a party of traitors,” Fakhrul Said.
Replying to a question, Fakhrul added that there is no environment for holding a rally at this point. He also said that BNP will arrange a press conference at the Lakeshore Hotel on Thursday to brief the journalists about BNP’s next move.
Meanwhile, DMP Commissioner Khondker Golam Faruq justified the police action, saying that they’ve conducted an anti-terrorism drive and found cocktails inside rice and lentil sacks.
Tension was mounting for the last few days regarding the stalemate over the selection of venue for BNP’s December 10 rally. Party activists were gathering almost every day outside BNP’s Nayapaltan office and conducting political showdowns.
The presence of party workers increased on Wednesday. To keep the situation under control, more than a thousand police members were deployed in the area.
Read: 1 killed in police-BNP clash at Nayapaltan; Over 150 leaders, activists held
Around 3:00pm, the party activists gathered in front of the office and started chanting slogans. Sensing that the situation could be turning volatile, police asked the party members to leave the area immediately. This resulted in a heated argument and at one point, police started to beat the activists with batons to disperse them.
Taking shelter in nearby lanes, BNP activists started throwing brickbats in return. To quell the protesters, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets towards them, which injured around 50 people.
Falling sick due to inhaling tear gas, some 200 activists took shelter inside the BNP office. Later, police conducted a drive inside the office and arrested around 100 of these activists along with party leaders like Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie.
In another development, police obstructed Mahmudur Rahman Manna-led Ganatantra Mancha at the Nightingale Intersection of the capital from advancing towards Naya Paltan.
No to Suhrawardy Udyan, but BNP will consider other rally venue suggestions from govt: Fakhrul
Softening the party’s earlier position on holding its December 10 Dhaka rally at Nayapaltan, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said they will consider if the government offers them to hold the programme at any other suitable alternative venue to Suhrawardy Udyan.
Speaking at an impromptu press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader also accused the government of unnecessarily creating complications over a peaceful democratic programme.
“Our Dhaka rally will be the most successful and peaceful programme. We urge the government not to create any instability by trying to divert our programme to a different direction,” he said.
Replying to a question about where BNP’s rally will be held on December 10, Fakhrul said they have already said it will be held at Nayapaltan and urged the government to change its decision on Suhrawardy Udyan.
Fakhrul said their party standing committee member Mirza Abbas on Saturday called upon the government to come up with an alternative venue to Nayapaltan and Suhrawardy Udyan for holding the Dhaka rally. “Let it happen like that. If we get a proposal for any suitable alternative venue, then we will consider it. “
At that time, Mirza Abbas, the advisor to the party’s rally preparatory committee, said, “If they offer an acceptable alternative proposal, we’ll think of it. But it should not be Suhrawardy Udyan or on the Turag (river) bank,” he added.
Read: Successful divisional rallies show people turning around: Mirza Fakhrul
Responding to another question, Fakhrul said they will in no way hold the rally at Suhrawardy Uduan.
He also warned the government that it will be held responsible if any chaotic situation is created over the rally.
On November 29, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) permitted BNP to hold its rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on December 10 on 26 conditions. But the party turned down it saying it sought permission to hold the programme at Nayapaltan, not Suhrawardy Udyan.
As a political party, Fakhrul said they have the constitutional and democratic right to hold the rally anywhere in the country, but the government is trying to snatch that right by talking in advance about sabotage.
Read: BNP’s Rajshahi rally draws huge turnout
“I think everyone should play a role in creating a healthy atmosphere for keeping the existence of democracy in the country. The government has the most responsibility in this regard. I repeat again that our rally in Dhaka on December 10 will be completely peaceful," he said.
Fakhrul alleged that the government has established a reign of terror across the capital over the rally by issuing threats, filing cases and arresting and harassing the BNP leaders and activists.
He claimed that over 1,000 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested since November 30 in Dhaka division centring the rally. “Our leaders now can’t even stay at their homes due to the raids by police.”
The BNP leader urged the government to stop arresting BNP leaders and activists and release those who were arrested for creating a convenient and democratic environment.
Stating that their party has already held nine divisional rallies peacefully without any chaos despite various obstacles and provocations by the government and the ruling party, he said Dhaka’s programme will also be peaceful with the participation of lakhs of people.
"No one, but the government can only carry out subversive acts in Dhaka and it will be held responsible if anything bad happens here,” Fakhrul said.
He thanked the Inspector General of Police for his Saturday's remark that they have no information about any possible subversive acts centring BNP’s rally in Dhaka. “So, why are you filing cases (against BNP leaders and workers)?"
Fakhrul alleged that the government agencies are resorting to subversive acts like the explosion of crude bombs to destabilise the Nayapaltan area ahead of the rally.
On September 27, BNP announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. The party will conclude the divisional programmes by holding its last rally in Dhaka on December 10.
People to give fitting reply to govt’s repressive acts through movement: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday warned that the people will give a fitting reply to the government's repressive acts through a strong movement.
"Our seven leaders and workers have so far been shot dead while two others were tortured to death by the Awami League cadres in our ongoing movement. A former MP also lost his life today (Monday) due to their torture,” he said.
The BNP leader said people have woken up against the government’s repression and suppression.” We believe that we’ll be able to avenge the death of Shahjahan Khan through the current movement as the people will give the government a fitting reply."
The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to journalists after consoling the family members of Khan, the former MP of Patuakhali-3 Constituency, at LabAid Hospital in the city’s Dhanmondi area.
read more: Govt conspires to cross election hurdles by putting BNP leaders in jail: Fakhrul
On November 4 Khan was injured critically in an attack allegedly by the Awami League activists in Telikhai area on his way to Barishal to join BNP’s divisional rally from Patuakhali.
He was admitted to a hospital in Patuakhali and later shifted to LabAid Hospital on November 22 as his condition deteriorated.
Khan breathed his last at the same hospital at 10am on Monday while undergoing treatment at the age of 71.
Herring the news of his death, Fakhrul and the party’s other senior leaders rushed to the hospital and talked to the bereaved family members.
Fakhrul said Khan’s death was not a natural one as the ruling party men beat him indiscriminately, leaving him seriously injured. “One of his kidneys was damaged and the blood of his entire body became toxic due to tremendous beating.”
"A serious vacuum for nationalist politics in the southern region has been created through the demise of Shahjahan Khan,” he observed.
He also recalled the former MP’s contributions to BNP saying he was a guardian of the people of the southern region as he carried out struggle throughout his life for establishing their rights and ensuring their welfare.
On behalf of BNP, its Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul expressed deep shock at the death of Khan.
He also prayed for the salvation of Khan’s departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family members.
The BNP leader paid homage to Khan by standing in solemn silence for a while in front of his mortal remains at the hospital.
Business in tatters due to plunder, money laundering: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said businesspeople are going through a very tough time due to the economic crisis, mainly caused by widespread plundering and siphoning off money abroad.
“Every big businessman is now saying one thing that they’re facing a very bad time and their businesses and factories are shutting down. They are also now in a situation that they even don’t have money to pay the wages of their workers,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said the government has been blaming the Russia-Ukraine war for the economic crisis. “Maybe there are some reasons behind it. But TK86 lakh crores were laundered in the last 10 years, including Tk,78,000 crores in the last one year. Can the economy of a country exist where people belonging to the ruling party indulges in widespread plundering and money laundering?”
Uttar Banga Chhatra forum and Bangladesh Chhatra Forum jointly arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s 58th birthday.
Fakhrul said the businesses now need incentives and facilities from the central bank at this time to overcome the situation.
Read: Successful divisional rallies show people turning around: Mirza Fakhrul
“But the banks are refusing to open new LCs due to dollar shortage while huge money from the reserves was plundered earlier. The common people, including the rickshaw pullers and hawkers now say this government is a thief," he said.
The BNP leader said people have woken up to get rid of the current situation and oust the government. “A struggle has already begun as people have taken to the streets. I’m getting encouraged in this old age from our every rally to wage another Liberation War to defeat the current regime.”
Govt must pay price for taking 7 lives:
Fakhrul alleged that police shot dead Bancharampur’s Sonarampur Union Parishad unit JCD leader Nayon Miah on Saturday without any provocation and reason. What kind of a country it is. You have to face trial in the people’s court.”
He said their party’s seven leaders and activists, including Nayon Miah, were killed in their ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy and people’s voting rights. “We lost our seven warriors and you (govt) must pay a heavy price for it.”
Read: BNP’s ideology stands poles apart from Jamaat, it sees India as a special friend, says Mirza Fakhrul in an exclusive interview with UNB
Fakhrul also asked the government to quit power safely before time runs out. “Otherwise, the turbulent mass wave that has already been created will sweep you away like a tsunami.”
Accusing the government of implicating the BNP leaders and activists in false cases, he urged the judiciary to ensure justice.
Govt unleashes police to foil BNP’s rallies
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the government has unleashed the police to try and foil their party’s remaining divisional rallies.
“You (govt) are using the police to thwart our rallies. They’re creating trouble in different areas. They opened fire in Sirajganj. They shot the wife of our leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku. They also shot in Habiganj and Sylhet and created troubles there,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said the government is afraid of BNP’s rallies as people have woken up against misrule.
Jatiyatabdi Krishak Dal, the party’s agricultural wing, arranged the rally in front of BNP’s Nayaplatan central office, demanding lowering the prices of agricultural inputs, including fertiliser seeds, diesel and pesticides and ensuring the fair prices of all agricultural products.
Leaders and workers of the Krishak Dal from different districts, including Dhaka, joined the rally.
At the beginning of the rally, tribute was paid to national leader Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, marking his death anniversary.
Fakhrul urged the government to resign immediately, dissolve the parliament and hand over power to a non-partisan caretaker government, creating a scope for holding a credible national election to be conducted by a fresh election commission.
Successful divisional rallies show people turning around: Mirza Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Sunday that the people are turning around against the misrule of the government with desperation to remove the monstrous regime.
Fakhrul made the remark while attending a meeting organised by Nagorik Oikya at the National Press Club on Sunday afternoon.
“People have started turning around against the government. Seeing the divisional rallies I have that feeling that the people are ahead of us,” he said. “People have joined the rallies defying all the obstacles in Barishal, Khulna and Mymensingh.”
He said that when every mode of transportation was cut off in Barishal ahead of the rally, people have crossed the river by swimming and spent the night under the open sky to attend the rally.
“This has inspired us, and we have started believing that people want change,” said Fakhrul.
The BNP leader said the government has now started the process of suppressing movement by filing politically motivated cases.
He said RAB detained general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal Sultana Ahmed from the city while 110 people including BNP’s foreign affairs committee member Ishraque Hossain have been sued in Barishal. Bhola’s BNP President Golam Nabi Alamgir has also been sued, he said.
Fakhrul said BNP is moving forward with the decision to hold a simultaneous movement with patriotic political parties.
Read: BNP’s Sylhet divisional rally on Nov 19 instead of 20
“We believe if we want to oust this terrifying monster and form a people’s government, the movement will be much stronger. It is not necessary to form an alliance for that,” he added.
He said that it can be decided through discussion whether there will be a caretaker government or an election-time government.
He proposed to form a national government through discussion with all the parties whoever comes through the election after the movement.
Later on Sunday, Fakhrul addressed another rally organised by Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal in front of BNP’s Naya Paltan office protesting the arrest warrants against Tarique Rahman and Zubaida Rahman.
BNP MPs ready to resign; Govt must go for credible election: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said MPs from his party are ready to resign from the current parliament as their main goal is to restore democracy by ousting the Awami League government.
“We would like to straightly say that no election will be held in the country under Sheikh Hasina and without a caretaker government. Our only demand is the resignation of this regime.” He told a massive anti-government rally in Rangpur.
The BNP leader said the government must dissolve the parliament.
“Our MPs Harun, Rumeen and Zahid are ready to resign (from parliament) as per the directive of the party. The government must hand over power to a caretaker government which will form a new Election Commission and a fresh election will be held under it,” he said.
He said a national government will be formed after a credible election to repair the state, economy and politics that have been destroyed by the current government.
As part of the party’s planned rallies at division level, the Rangpur city unit BNP organised the programme on Rangpur Collector Eidgah ground.
Thousands of leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies joined the rally, defying a transport strike.
An adequate number of police and other security officials have been deployed around the rally venue and at different points in the city to prevent any untoward incident.
The organisers said the rally was meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.