United News of Bangladesh

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced its mayoral candidates for five out of the country’s 12 city corporations ahead of the upcoming local government elections. The announcement came at a press conference held at the party’s central office in Banglamotor on Sunday night, where NCP Convener and Chief Whip of the Opposition in Parliament Nahid Islam unveiled the names of the candidates. According to the announcement, NCP Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan will contest for mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, while the party’s Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb will run for Dhaka North City Corporation. For other city corporations, Advocate Tarikul Islam, Convener of NCP Jubo Shakti, has been nominated for Cumilla City Corporation; Advocate Md Abdur Rahman Afzal, Convener of Sylhet NCP, for Sylhet City Corporation; and Md Mobasswer Ali, Convener of Rajshahi NCP, for Rajshahi City Corporation. The party also said it plans to announce candidates for the remaining seven city corporations by April.

Opposition Leader Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday appreciated Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal for expressing his views in his introductory speech to play impartial role in Parliament. “The sentiment you have expressed here today through your speech is exactly what the people of Bangladesh desire. They want Parliament to be turned into the center of all activities in the country,” he said. Earlier the first session of Parliament resumed on Sunday after a 14-day break as its third sitting began at 3:00pm with Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal in the chair. Jamaat Ameer mourns death of speaker’s wife Dilara Hafiz While presiding over the House for the first time, the Deputy Speaker made his introductory speech and expressed his views to remain neutral and would play impartial roles in the Parliament. He also cited that he already resigned from the post of his party (BNP) for the sake of being impartial. Following his speech, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, also the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, took the floor and hailed his views. “We congratulated you once when you were elected Deputy Speaker. Today, we are officially congratulating you again,” he said. “This chair is a very important chair of justice. The message you have given from this chair is that you will impartially consider everything and give everyone what is due to them. So, I congratulate you once again for this attitude,” he went on. The Opposition Leader assured the Deputy Speaker that they would extend all sorts of cooperation to all reasonable steps taken by him.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday asked party leaders and activists to stand by the people, urging them to act with patience and remain within the law to meet public expectations. “There are many problems in the country. We need to explain things to the people. We must stand by them and help them remain patient, and support them in being patient,” he said. The Prime Minister made the call while addressing several thousand BNP leaders, activists and supporters who gathered on the road in front of the party’s central office in Nayapaltan. He addressed them from the second-floor balcony of the office at ght.ni Tarique said people of the country are looking towards the party with high expectations. “So all our leaders and activists, both here and across the country, must remain patient and stay within the law.” Due to the presence of a huge number of party leaders and followers in front of the Nayapaltan office, vehicular movement on the road remained disrupted from the afternoon. Referring to the issue, Tarique said, “We must not do anything that causes suffering or inconvenience to people.” “Right now, the number one task is to clear this road,” he added. Mentioning that such a situation makes it difficult for him to visit the party office, the Prime Minister said if this kind of disorder continues, it will be difficult for him to come to the party office.  

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Dilara Hafiz, wife of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and a noted educationist. In a condolence message, he said her contributions to her family and society will be remembered with great respect. The Ameer-e-Jamaat also prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus and to give the bereaved family the strength to endure this difficult loss. Jamaat Ameer condoles over Daulatdia Ferry Ghat bus tragedy Dilara Hafiz breathed her last at Singapore General Hospital at 1:29pm Singapore time on Saturday. She was 78. She is survived by husband, one son, one daughter, grandchildren and many well-wishers. During her long career, Dilara Hafiz made important contributions to the development of education in the country. She served as principal of Eden Mohila College and Suhrawardy College at different times. She also served as Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education under the Ministry of Education.

BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday evening visited the party’s central office in the capital’s Nayapaltan. Tarique arrived at the office around 7:00pm, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon. Party leaders and activists welcomed him upon his arrival. Rumon said the Prime Minister worked from his chamber at the party office and discussed organisational matters with leaders of the party and its associate bodies. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed and Vice Chairman Nurul Islam Moni, among others, were present at the meeting. This was his first visit to the party’s central office since taking oath as Prime Minister. However, he had visited the office once earlier after returning to the country from London. A large number of party leaders, activists and supporters gathered in front of the office ahead of his arrival.  

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War, marking the 56th Independence and National Day. They placed wreaths at the altar of the National Memorial in Savar at 5:56am. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived at the memorial at 5:53am, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said. On the President’s arrival, the Prime Minister received him at the memorial. After placing the wreaths, they stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of deep respect for the martyrs. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute, while bugles played the last post. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan, Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraq Hossain, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani and the chiefs of the three services were present. Later, the Prime Minister laid another wreath along with members of his Cabinet. As BNP Chairman, Tarique Rahman also placed wreaths at the memorial along with party leaders including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

BNP has announced a two-day programme to mark Independence and National Day. The programmes were announced in a press release signed by the party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. According to the release, BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will pay tribute to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar along with senior party leaders after the state ceremony in the morning. Later, at 7:00am, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and members of the party’s Standing Committee will place wreaths at the graves of party founder and former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. On the following day, a discussion meeting will be held at 2:30pm at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, where Tarique Rahman will attend as the chief guest. The release also said national and party flags will be hoisted at dawn at the party’s central office in Nayapaltan, the chairman’s office and party offices across the country.

BNP has rescheduled its discussion meeting marking the Independence and National Day. The programme, which was earlier scheduled for March 25, will now be held on March 27 at 2:30pm at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Ramna. The change was announced in a press release signed by party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday. Rizvi said BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will attend the programme as the chief guest. Party Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will preside over the meeting. Earlier, at a press conference at Nayapaltan, Rizvi said the discussion would be held on March 25 at the same venue and time.

The condition of BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas who is undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital is improving, Social Welfare Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain said on Monday. “I have talked to the doctors. They said various parameters are showing positive signs. His condition is improving, Alhamdulillah,” he said. As the condition involves the brain, Dr Zahid, also a BNP Standing Committee member, said recovery will take time. “We call upon everyone to pray for his speedy recovery,” he added. Mirza Abbas, also Political Adviser to the Prime Minister, was admitted to Singapore General Hospital on March 15 after being flown from Dhaka by an air ambulance. His personal assistant Mizanur Rahman Sohel said doctors helped him sit on a chair from his bed around 10am which he described as a positive sign. “He is gradually able to speak and is under close observation of doctors,” Sohel said, requesting prayers from the public on behalf of his family. He also said Abbas’s wife Afroza Abbas and son Yasir Abbas are staying by his side at the hospital. Earlier, on March 13, Mirza Abbas underwent brain surgery at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, following a decision by a medical board formed with specialist doctors. The surgery lasted nearly four hours, after which he remained in the ICU for two days before being taken to Singapore. He was first admitted to Evercare Hospital in Bashundhara on the night of March 11 after falling ill and losing consciousness during iftar.

Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, left Dhaka for London on Sunday morning. She departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-201), according to airport authorities. The flight is scheduled to land at London’s Heathrow Airport at 9:00pm. BNP sources said Dr Zubaida Rahman is travelling to London to attend a medical training programme. She returned to Bangladesh last year after living in London with her husband Tarique Rahman for 17 years. During her stay there, she worked as a cardiologist at a London hospital. On Saturday, Eid day, she attended an Eid greetings programme with the Prime Minister at the state guest house Jamuna. Later, they visited Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and offered prayers at the graves of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.