BNP
Dr Zafrullah wants Zaima to be back home to intensify movement
Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Wednesday urged BNP to bring back home Zaima Rahman, the granddaughter of Khaleda Zia, from London to intensify the anti-government movement.
Speaking at a discussion, he also called upon the BNP leaders to take to the streets shunning political rhetoric and making hollow statements on political issues.
“Bring Zaima back. I’m saying it as she’s young. She’ll learn politics … if Zaima remains with them (BNP leaders), there’ll be a wave in (politics of) the country and you’ll see then they (AL) won’t even know when their boat will sink,” Zafrullah said.
The Gonoshasthya Kendra founder said BNP followers become unhappy if he makes any remark about the party leadership. “But I would like to say one thing that Khaleda Zia is a brave lady...her leadership is necessary to make the anti-government movement a success.”
READ: Dr Zafrullah describes how Bangladesh can go for low-cost vaccine production
He also said BNP will not be able to drum up public support with only its political rhetoric and light statements on political issues.
"If you want to remove this vote robber, you’ll have to take to the streets with sticks and rods whatever you have…then you’ll see where they flee,” Zafrullha said.
He said BNP and other parties should get united to ensure the fall of the current government.
Speaking at the programme, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna urged the political parties to reach a consensus that the national election cannot be held under the current government.
“We want a government that can guarantee a fair election in the country. If we can get united with such a demand we have a bright prospect of achieving a victory,” he said.
READ: Bring Zaima back home to revive BNP: Dr Zafrullah
BNP vice-chairman Barkatullah Bulu said there is no alternative to a united movement to free the country from the ‘misrule’ of Awami League.
"Under the current situation, we would like to say all democratic and progressive forces in Bangladesh should unite and come under a single platform to restore democracy,” he observed.
BNP grassroots leaders want unity of opposition parties
BNP grassroots leaders on Tuesday urged the party policymakers to give focus on bringing the opposition political parties under a single platform to wage a strong movement for the restoration of election-time government.
In a closed-door meeting, they also opined that the party high-command should intensify its diplomatic and political efforts to mount pressure on the government to take steps for holding a credible national election and forming a neutral Election Commission.
A party leader, who was present at the meeting, also said most of the grassroots leaders highlighted the importance of promptly overhauling the party for getting success in the anti-government movement.
As part of their second phase of series meetings with the grassroots leaders, BNP top leaders first sat with its executive committee members under Dhaka and Faridpur organisational divisions at the party chairperson's Gulshan office.
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
Party sources said 75 leaders participated in the meeting and gave their opinions about how BNP should get ready for an anti-government movement and the next general election.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku was present at the meeting. Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined it from London.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said their meeting discussed the current political situation in the country and the organisational issues of BNP.
BNP policymakers will also hold another meeting with members of the executive committee in Chattogram, Cumilla, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions on Wednesday.
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
Earlier, the BNP policymakers had three closed-door meetings with party vice-chairmen, advisory council members, joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries and top leaders of the party’s different associate bodies last week.
The meetings were held as part of the party’s planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action ahead of the next general election.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.
Get organized, Fakhrul to farmers
Stating that farmers are now the most neglected section of people in Bangladesh, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday urged the peasants to get organised for waging a strong anti-government movement.
“No one is now happy in Bangladesh and our farmers are the most neglected ones. They don't get the fair prices of their produce. They also don't get any help or any incentive from the government even at this horrible time of Corona,” he said.
Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to the members of the newly-formed partial committee of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
He congratulated the Krishak Dal committee members and asked them to form a full-fledged committee within a short time.
“The central committee of the Krishak Dal was announced at the critical juncture of the nation. So, they’ve bigger responsibilities in organising the farmers throughout the country by reaching out to them,” Fakhrul said.
He alleged that the current ‘fascist' government has been running the country by ‘usurping’ power. “The people of all walks of life have to play a role in ousting this regime. “Our responsibility now is to organise ourselves and forge unity. There’s no other alternative to that.”
Criticising the government for what he said continuing its repressive acts, the BNP leader said their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been kept under house arrest. “Around 35 lakh leaders and activists of our party are facing ‘’false’’ cases while over 500 ones have been made disappeared and over 1,000 killed.“
Speaking at the programme, Krishak Dal president Hasan Jafir Tuhin said they will work sincerely to strengthen the movement for the ‘restoration' of democracy by mobilising famers’ support across the country.
On Monday, BNP announced a seven-member partial committee of its associate body, Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal, five months after its national council.
Hasan Jafir Tuhin has been made president while Shahidul Islam Babul general secretary of the seven-member partial committee of the Krishak Dal.
On December 30, 1980, BNP founder late Ziaur Rahman established the Krishak Dal to ensure the rights and welfare of farmers.
Krishak Dal gets 7-member partial committee
BNP on Monday announced a partial committee of its associate body, Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal, five months after its national council.
Hasan Jafir Tuhin has been made president while Shahidul Islam Babul general secretary of the seven-member partial committee of Krishak Dal.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir approved the committee, said a press release.
Tuhin was the member secretary of the organisation’s previous convening committee while Babul is BNP's Dhaka divisional assistant organising secretary.
Helaluzzaman Talukder Lalu has been made senior vice president of the committee while Gautam Chakraborty vice-president, Engineer TS Ayub and Mosharraf Hossain joint secretaries and Shafiqul Islam office secretary.
READ: Krishak Dal’s convening committee formed after 21 yrs
The fourth council of Krishak Dal was held on March 12 this year and BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir dissolved its convening committee at the inaugural session. But no fresh committee could be formed at the council due to conflict among its leaders.
On February 27, 2019, BNP constituted a 153-member new convening committee of Krishak Dal after 21 years of its third council.
READ: Thank govt for suspending Khaleda’s sentence, Hasan tells BNP
On December 30, 1980, BNP founder late Ziaur Rahman established the Krishak Dal to ensure the rights and welfare of farmers.
Thank govt for suspending Khaleda’s sentence, Hasan tells BNP
BNP should remain thankful to the government for yet another six-month suspension of Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence under an official order, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Monday.
“If that order is revoked tomorrow, Khaleda Zia will have to return to jail immediately. I think the BNP needs to keep this in mind as well,” said the minister.
Hasan, joint general secretary of the Awami League, said this while replying to questions from journalists after launching the BSRF Barta, a publication of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum at the ministry’s conference room.
Also read: Khaleda’s conditional release extended by another six months
Asked about BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comment that the government is afraid of freeing Khaleda the minister said, BNP should rather thank the government for suspension of her sentence for another six months.
Elaborating Hasan said BNP chairperson was not released on bail or freed by any order of the court. “Khaleda Zia is out of prison because the prime minister suspended her sentence by exercising power given by the law,” he said.
Hasan also brushed aside another BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain’s recent call to the people to take to the streets demanding that the next national election is held under a neutral caretaker government.
He said the next election will be held according to the constitution which does not provide for any caretaker government.
Also read: Govt restricting Khaleda from going abroad out of ‘fear’: Fakhrul
He said elections are held under the Election Commission. When the election schedule will be announced, all the polls-related government officials and employees will work under the Election Commission, he said.
The election-time government, Hasan said, cannot transfer a single police constable after announcement of the polls schedule. The Election Commission has already conducted many elections very successfully, he added.
He said BNP’s demand for a caretaker government has no constitutional basis and so it will fail to get any response from the people like it happened in the past 12 and a half years.
President of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum Tapan Biswas and General Secretary Masudul Haque and other leaders of the forum were present at function.
BNP policymakers now to sit with grassroots leaders
BNP policymakers have now decided to sit with their grassroots leaders after holding three closed-door meetings with central leaders to work out the party’s next course of action ahead of the 12th parliamentary election.
The decision was taken at the party’s standing committee meeting held on Saturday, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he said the series of meetings with the grassroots leaders will begin on Tuesday next and continue for three consecutive days.
“We exchanged views with the members of our party’s national executive committee on September 14th, 15th and 16th. Our standing committee meeting yesterday (Saturday) decided to hold meetings with the remaining executive committee members on September 21, 22 and 23,” Fakhrul said.
Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting
He said the presidents of their party’s all district committees will be present in the meetings as they are the national executive committee members as ex-officio.
Earlier, the BNP policymakers had closed-door meetings with party vice-chairmen, advisory council members on Tuesday, with joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries on Wednesday and with the top leaders of the party’s different associate bodies on Thursday last.
The meetings were held as part of the party’s planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action ahead of the next general election.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.
Fakhrul said they will inform the media about the outcomes of the meetings once those are concluded. “We’ll also let you know our next course of action and strategy.”
Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
In the three closed-door meetings, he said BNP senior and mid-level leaders discussed the current political situation in the country and the party's organisational issues. “They also talked about a wide range of issues, including the government’s efforts to establish a one-party rule, repression on the opposition leaders and activists, false and fictitious cases and Khaleda Zia’s release.”
The BNP leader said their party’s organisational activities have been going on in full swing. “Most of our committees have started the overhauling process. The work on reorganising our associate bodies has also long been going on… we couldn’t hold the councils in different areas due to the Corona epidemic.”He said they have a plan to hold councils in some districts within a short time.
Quader condemns BNP’s protests against PM’s visit in New York
Denouncing BNP’s street protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s UNGA visit in New York the Awami League general secretary on Sunday accused the opposition party of damaging the country’s image abroad. “BNP is not only creating chaos in the country, it is also conspiring to tarnish the nation’s image abroad,” said AL leader Obaidul Quader at a briefing at his residence this morning referring to BNP’s demonstration ahead PM’s arrival in New York. Condemning the BNP's deep-rooted conspiracy, Quader also said that the prime minister did not go on a visit abroad in the last 19 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The PM decided to attend the important 76th UN General Assembly in person considering national interest, he said. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina did not want to miss the opportunity to speak on behalf of the people of Bangladesh in the UN forum on various issues including Corona, climate change, and the Rohingya crisis,” said Quader. He said "We are surprised to observe that BNP has started protesting before the arrival of Sheikh Hasina in New York.”
READ: Govt working to constitute EC as per constitution: Quader
He said the BNP has lost the confidence of the people due to its harmful politics. None can break the record of cruelty and political oppression set by the BNP while in power, he added. The AL leader said that no matter how much BNP tries to destroy the country’s existing stability, it will never succeed. Quader said the BNP has again started conspiring with new tactics to obstruct the establishment of democracy.
READ: Payra Bridge to be opened in Oct: Quader
Khaleda’s conditional release extended by another six months
The government has extended the suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's jail sentence in two corruption cases by another six months with all the previous conditions remaining unchanged.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan came up with the disclosure while talking to reporters at his Secretariat office on Sunday.
He said the government took the decision following an application submitted by the BNP chief’s family.
“Khaleda Zia’s younger brother Shamim Iskander submitted an application to us seeking extension of her jail term suspension. We approved it following due process,” he said.
The minister said it is for the fourth time the government has extended the BNP chief’s release by suspending her jail sentence in Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.
He said the fresh six month’s jail term suspension of Khaleda will be counted from September 25 next.
As per the conditions, he said Khaleda Zia will receive treatment at her Gulshan residence the way she wants. “But she won’t be able to leave the country. The conditions that were there before will remain the same.”
Read: Ailing Khaleda’s family seeks permission to send her abroad
Asked about BNP’s demand for her permanent release, the Home Minister said it is a matter of court. “They’ve to go to court if they want her permanent release.”
Khaleda’s family submitted an application to the Home Ministry early this month seeking further extension of her conditional release and allowing her to go abroad for receiving advanced treatment.
The Home Ministry sent the application to the Law Ministry a few days back seeking its legal opinion.
The Law Ministry gave its opinion on September 7 and sent it back to the Home Ministry.
Earlier on September 12, Law Minister Anisul Huq said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia must return to jail for submitting a fresh application to seek permission to go abroad for treatment.
“There’s no scope to reconsider the application seeking permission to send Khaleda Zia abroad under section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). She has to go back to jail and then submit a fresh application if she wants to go abroad for treatment,” the minister said.
Read: Khaleda takes 1st dose of Covid vaccine
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.
The government extended her release for six more months on August 27 last year and it was extended further for another six months on March 15 last.
Khaleda Zia tested positive for Covid-19 on April 10, and she was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27. She received treatment there until June 19 for post-Covid complications and some other underlying health problems.
On May 5, her family applied to the government seeking permission to take her abroad for better treatment, but the government turned it down saying there is no scope for a convicted person to avail of such a scope.
BNP policymakers now will sit with grassroots leaders
BNP policymakers are now planning to sit with the grassroots leaders after holding three closed-door meetings with its central leaders to work out the party’s next course of action ahead of the 12th parliamentary election.
"We’ve already had three consecutive meetings. Our standing committee has a meeting next Saturday where we’ll decide whether we should hold a few more meetings,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Talking to reporters after the third consecutive meeting with party leaders, he said they still could not sit with some members of their national executive committee. “We also have a plan to hold meetings with the presidents and secretaries of our party at the district level.”
The BNP leader said they have also a plan to sit with the leaders of different professional bodies. “If our standing committee takes a decision in this regard, we’ll hold these meetings.”
Also read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
Mirza Fakhrul said they sat with the top leaders of different associate bodies of their party today (Thursday) as part of their planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action.
“The meeting discussed the current political situation in the country, our organisational issues and our party’s next course of action,“ he said.
Asked about the outcomes of the three meetings with the party central leaders, he said they will disclose it later at the right time.
Earlier, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with the standing committee members began the meeting with the leaders of different associate bodies at 4pm at the party chairperson's Gulshan office. The meeting continued for four and a half hours where BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined from London.
Also read: Now state ‘backs corruption’: BNP
Party sources said 92 leaders of Jubo Dal, Sewchchasebak Dal, Chhatra Dal, Mohila Dal and other associate bodies of the party took part in the meeting.
The party policymakers started the series of meetings with the party's rank and file on Tuesday.
The BNP top leaders had also similar meetings with BNP vice-chairmen, advisory council members on Tuesday and with joint secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries on Wednesday.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.
BNP’s mid-ranking leaders prefer movement seeking polls-time govt
BNP’s mid-ranking leaders on Wednesday urged the party policymakers to wage a movement to force the government to hold the next polls under a neutral government.
In a closed-door meeting, they also told the party top leaders that it will be pointless for BNP to join the next national election if it is held under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a party joint secretary general, who was present at the meeting, told UNB.
He said some leaders wanted to know from the party high command about what BNP gained by joining Jatiya Oilkyafront under the leadership of Dr Kamal Hossain and the talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of the last general election.
The BNP leader said they also urged the party top leaders to work out a strategy for the next polls taking lessons from the mistakes the party made during the last two national elections.
The BNP top leaders sat in the marathon meeting with the BNP joint secretaries general, secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries around 4pm at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office. The meeting continued for around seven and a half hours.
Also read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings
Party sources said 122 leaders participated in the meeting and gave their opinions about how BNP should get ready for an anti-government movement and the next general election.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku was present at the meeting. Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined it from London.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said they sat with the party’s mid-level leaders after the senior ones as part of their planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action.
“The meeting discussed the current political situation in the country and the organisational situation of the party,” he said.
Fakhrul said they will also hold a meeting with the leaders of different associate bodies on Thursday. “We may hold similar meetings with other leaders and the party in the days to come and it will be finalized at our standing committee’s next meeting.”
Also read: Now state ‘backs corruption’: BNP
The BNP leader said their party will also hold dialogues with different organizations over the political issues.
Earlier on Tuesday, the BNP policymakers had a closed-door meeting with the party’s vice-chairmen and advisory council members.
BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee, including 35 vice-chairmen, through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.