Politics
BNP's candlelight vigil in Banani attacked by ruling party activists
At least 10 individuals, including BNP’s executive committee member Tabith Awal, were injured in an apparent attack by ruling party activists on an opposition programme in the capital's Banani on Saturday evening.
“Tabith has been admitted to United Hospital for treatment with a head injury,” said Nazmul Huda, his personal secretary.
Sayrul Kabir Khan, a BNP media cell member, told UNB that leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka North City unit were holding a candlelight vigil around 7:45pm on Kamal Atartuk Avenue, the main thoroughfare in Banani.
A similar, concurrent vigil was organised by the party's South City unit in front of its Nayapaltan central office.
The vigil was being held to protest the price hike in fuel and daily essentials, as well as the killing of three BNP activists in police firing last month.
“Our program was slated to be held from 7pm to 8pm, on footpaths stretching from Kakoli to Gulshan-2, but AL activists blocked the road from an hour before to prevent that," said Sayrul.
Towards the end of the programme, the activists of Awami League and its associate organisations - Chhatra League and Jubo League - suddenly attacked BNP leaders and activists with rods, brick chips and sticks, leaving at least 10 individuals injured.
Sayrul said apart from Tabith, senior leaders including standing committee member Selima Rahman, joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, and organising secretary Shama Obaid, also suffered injuries in the attack.
Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said Chhatra League and Jubo League activists took up positions on the opposite side of the road before the start of the BNP programme.
BNP urges global community to act against Myanmar's insolent activities
Voicing deep concern over the firing of mortar shells by the Myanmar Army inside Bangladesh, BNP on Saturday urged the UN and the international community to take steps to stop such insolent activities and violation of international law.
“We would like to draw the attention of the United Nations and the international community to take necessary measures to prevent such audacity of Myanmar," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at an emergency meeting at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also called upon the Awami League government to take appropriate measures boldly to protect the territorial integrity of independent and sovereign Bangladesh."
The BNP leader said an alarming situation has been prevailing along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border areas due to repeated incidents of firing mortar shells into Bangladesh territory by the Myanmar Armed Forces.
Read: Govt has divided the state system through politicization: Fakhrul
He said the military aggression of the Myanmar Armed Forces, which started on August 28, has been increasing due to the weak and subservient diplomacy of the current ‘illegitimate’ government of Bangladesh.
“In the latest incident, a Rohingya teenager who was hit by a mortar shell fired by the Myanmar forces died yesterday (Friday) on the zero-line opposite to the Ghumdhum border in Naikhongchhari Upazila of Bandarban. Five more kids were injured in the incident,” Fakhrul said.
A week after firing mortar shells along the Bangladesh border, he said the Myanmar forces repeatedly violated the airspace and fired mortar shells from warplanes and helicopters.
Read: BNP's movement cannot be suppressed by attacks, arrests: Fakhrul
“The mortar shells exploded within 120 meters of Bangladesh territory near the zero-line of Naikhongchhari border in Bandarban, which is a direct violation of international law. The Myanmar forces are often firing toward Bangladesh violating the airspace. BNP strongly condemns and protests the killing of people by firing mortar shells by the Myanmar Army along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border and the violation of international law,” the BNP leader said.
He also said Myanmar is showing such audacity by firing mortar shells inside Bangladesh only because of the government’s knee-jerk foreign policy.
Quader drills down on connecting BNP to Pakistan
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday addressed the tri-annual council of Narsingdi District Awami League. virtually from his Dhaka residence as chief guest.
In his address, Quader took the opportunity to bring up his BNP counterpart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's recent comments comparing the present era undeer AL to the pre-independence period.
"He said that the Pakistan era was good, and that has once again proved that BNP is a communal party which loves Pakistan," Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said.
Also read: Megaprojects cause BNP 'mega-pain': Obaidul Quader
The record that Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina has set in achieving development would help AL win the next election, Quader predicted.
Urging party leaders and workers to remain united, Obaidul Quader asked to have faith in Sheikh Hasina as the prime minister is handling everything and will give everything. He urged the leaders and activists not to be misled by BNP's propaganda and said that Bangladesh is moving towards good days under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter.
Also read: Govt has divided the state system through politicization: Fakhrul
Narsingdi District Awami League Acting President GM Taleb Hossain presided over the council.
Dr Kamal for formation of structure of neutral polls
Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain on Saturday suggested the formation of structure of an independent and neutral election to overcome the country’s political crisis.
Speaking at a press conference, he also slammed the Election Commission (EC) for its decision to use EVMs up to 150 seats in next polls ignoring the opinions of most opposition parties, saying it is an alarming sign.
The veteran politician said greed for money and power has sickened the current politics with a terrible disease. “A healthy politics by removing this disease can fulfill the aspirations of people.”
Read: Gonoforum finally splits amid deepening infighting
"We can’t allow the current state of uncertainty to continue. I call upon all conscious citizens, all civic organisations, students, workers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers, journalists, other professionals and women's organisations, to come up with a demand for the formation of a structure of a free and fair polls to resolve the crisis,” he said.
Dr Kamal said the electoral system has been destroyed and put into a question through the EC’s move to use the Electric Voting Machines (EVMs) in the upcoming national election.
“The nation wants to get rid of the destroyed electoral system. We all must protect the country with our united efforts,” he said.
“It will surely be possible to save the country and its economy if we all get united. Let’s get united, it’s my call to you. Let’s build people’s unity, citizens’ unity,” he said.
“Go to your respective areas and tell local people that this country belongs to all of us. We should all unite and save this country. I want to put huge emphasis on unity,” Dr Kamal said.
Read: Gano Forum: Hold next national polls under neutral govt
“We have to protect independence through the same unity with which we achieved independence. The state institutions have to be saved from corruption, he said adding the state should be saved from the negligence of the government.
Gonoforum arranged the press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on the country’s overall situation.
At the press conference, a 101-member full-fledged committee of Gonoforum was also announced with Dr Kamal Hossain its President and Mizanur Rahman new General Secretary.
Govt has divided the state system through politicization: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today alleged that the government has divided the state system through politicization.
“If you go to court, you won’t get justice. If you go to law enforcers, you won’t get security, as first you will be asked whether you belong to BNP or Awami League. If you are with BNP, then you won’t get any cooperation. Rather, they will file a case against you,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, he said three leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s Dhaka south city unit went to a police station to lodge a complaint as they came under attack while returning home at night, but they were implicated in a case instead.
“The government has divided the entire nation in the last 12/15 years. You won’t find any place where there is no division based on political identity,” Fakhrul said.
He bemoaned that committees of mosques, schools, madrasas, colleges, universities and other institutions are divided. “This division will never help any nation move forward. A nation can be taken forward through unity which was done by President Ziaur Rahman in 1975,” the BNP leader said.
Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Foundation arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in memory of Gazi Mazharul Anwar, a member of BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council, who died on September 4 last.
Fakhrul said the political sphere in Bangladesh has been ruined while the political structure has collapsed due to lack of a credible election and a truly representative parliament.
He called upon people from all walks of life to come forward, to protect the country and create a democratic atmosphere for the future generations.
Recalling the contributions of Gazi Mazharul Anwar, Fakhrul described him as a lighthouse. “We’re inspired by his songs and his works.”
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of the foundation, highlighted the colorful life and works of late Gazi Mazharul Anwar.
Jatiya Party to shun alliances at next election: GM Quader
Jatiya Party (JP) chairman and deputy leader of the opposition GM Quader has said that his party won’t join any alliance in the next national election.
Quader said this while speaking as chief guest at a conference of the Hindu Grand Alliance, held at the Mahanagar Natyamanch on Friday noon.
“JP didn’t have any alliance with the Awami League (AL) in the previous election. We just had a polls-time understanding over some seats. Activists of both parties had worked for each other due to the understanding. I would rather say that JP and AL have friendly ties,” said Quader.
Quader added that voters don’t want Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in the next general election.
“EVM is a machine for stealing votes. Anyone can be elected using this machine. We have been against it from the very start,” added Quader.
Read: Jatiya Party relieves Ranga from all party posts
The JP chairman also said that boycotting elections is a tough call to make.
“We aren’t interested in boycotting the election. We’ll take decisions in this regard after analyzing the situation on the ground. We’ll decide whether we’ll join the polls or not after discussing the matter at the party forum,” said Quader, the younger brother of JP's founder, late H.M. Ershad.
The conference was presided over by Dinbandhu Ray and moderated by Priyanka Sukul. Syed Abu Hossain Babla, co-chairman of JP and Sunil Shuvo Ray, presidium member of JP, among others, also spoke at the event.
BNP's movement cannot be suppressed by attacks, arrests: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned on Friday that the movement his party's activists have thrown themselves into can no longer be suppressed by attacks and arrests.
“We want to make it very clear that the movement can never be suppressed by such terrorist attacks, by killing, arresting and suing with false cases. BNP cannot be removed from the streets," said Fakhrul.
He was speaking in a press conference at the chairperson's office in Gulshan this morning.
Read: BNP won't budge from decision to shun polls under AL govt: Fakhrul
Fakhrul said, "Yesterday, when the stage was being prepared for the rally in Pallabi zone with the permission of the police, just then the Awami League (AL) terrorists armed with weapons and sticks attacked on our leaders and activists chanting 'Joy Bangla' slogans. This was all covered in the media.”
Around 75 of the BNP activists were injured in the attack while eight were arrested, he claimed.
The rally was scheduled to be held in the Pallabi Zone at the Eidgah ground in D Block. After the police objected, BNP leaders changed it to two other places, either in front of Old Pallabi Old Police Station or in Mukul Fauj field in front of Pallabi Kitchen Market, said Fakhrul
The police finally gave permission to hold this rally at Mukul Fauz field at 1 pm. Yet the attack was carried out just when the activists were preparing the stage for the rally, he added.
"The saddest, horrifying incident is when our leaders and activists stood up to resist the attackers yesterday, the police charged batons, tear gas and opened fire on our leaders to disperse them."
He said, "We have been saying again and again that the role of the police should be to protect, to remain neutral. But the police are fully working to suppress the pro-democracy movement on behalf of these attackers, the Awami League and the terrorists.”
Fakhrul asserted that the ruling party and police's actions reflect they want to provoke a violent situation.
Read:Outline of anti-govt 'simultaneous' movement soon: Fakhrul
"We think that they are doing these things to create a violent situation, to destroy the democratic atmosphere in the country, to keep the opposition away from politics and away from the electoral field," said Fakhrul.
Meanwhile, BNP has announced nationwide demonstrations for Sunday protesting the attack on their programme in Mirpur.
On Thursday, at least 100 BNP activists were injured during a series of clashes with ruling Awami League rivals at the capital's Mirpur area over holding a scheduled rally.
Earlier on September 10, BNP announced to hold public rallies in 16 spots under its Dhaka south and north city units until September 27 in protest against the increase in prices of essentials, fuel and transport fares.
The rallies are also meant for registering the party’s protest against the killings of Bhola Chhatra Dal leader Noor-e-Alam, Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and Narayanganj Jubo Dal leader Shaon Prodhan.
Megaprojects cause BNP 'mega-pain': Obaidul Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said BNP couldn't implement any megaprojects during their tenure due to inept economic management, and now feel pained at the success reaped by AL.
'Megaprojects' in the Bangladeshi context are understood to be the large scale, ambitious, often eye-catching and usually involving infrastructure, projects that a government undertakes. Such projects may carry a degree of risk, but the political payoff for the administration associated with them are potentially huge.
Read:People will resist if BNP creates street violence: Obaidul Quader
“BNP suffers mega-pain when they look at the megaprojects of Bangladesh. Because, the economy of Bangladesh was in such a fragile condition during their regime that they didn’t have the mentality, courage, skills and financial capacity, and even couldn’t think of any mega project in the country,” he said in a statement.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said that BNP solely indulged in corruption and looting.
He said now Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina has made Bangladesh a role model for development with her able leadership, wisdom, integrity and talent.
The AL leader said Bangladesh is now moving forward in the new development trajectory by overcoming hunger, famine, drought and poverty under her leadership.
Read: UN can't investigate Bangladesh's internal issues: Quader
Quader said their government would able to continue the development trend and build a prosperous peaceful and welfare country for the next generations overcoming all anti-state conspiracies taking the people of Bangladesh with them under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter, no matter how many evil attempts are made by the follower of Pakistan and the conspirators.
He also harshly criticised BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for his remark that ‘they had been better in the Pakistani period.’
Quader strongly condemned and protested the remark terming it anti-state conspiracy and seditious speech.
Through this comment, BNP's traditional anti-Bangladesh stance and secret agenda of anti-liberation and ill-politics have been revealed once again, he claimed.
The AL leader said BNP is now raising voices about good governance, public safety and poverty in the country. But though BNP leaders have forgotten, the countrymen have not forgotten how they turned Bangladesh into a failed state during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government, he added.
Attack on rally: BNP announces nationwide protest Sunday
The BNP has announced nationwide demonstrations for Sunday protesting the attack on their programme in the city’s Mirpur.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement at a press conference at the chairperson's office in Gulshan on Friday morning.
Read: BNP won't budge from decision to shun polls under AL govt: Fakhrul
The protests will be held in all cities, districts and upazilas including Dhaka, said Fakhrul.
BNP will also hold a demonstration in front of the party's central office in the city’s Nayapaltan at 3pm.
Fakfrul said Awami League is an anti-democratic and a terrorist force that takes away the rights of the people of the country.
“Awami League established one-party rule in the past, but they still want to establish one-party, Baksal, for the same purpose,” he added.
He said AL had attacked BNP leaders and activists attacked opposition programmes in the same way in the past.
"What Awami League wants to do now ahead of the election is to ensure that no healthy ,election environment remains here and the demand of a neutral government for which the people are protesting is not met,” said Fakhrul.
They (AL) want to hold another election without any opposition party to establish their one-party rule, he added.
Read: Over 100 injured in AL-BNP clash in Mirpur
On Thursday, at least 100 BNP activists were injured during a series of clashes with ruling Awami League rivals at the capital's Mirpur area over holding a scheduled rally.
“We took permission from police to hold the rally and accordingly asked our activists to join. As our leaders, activists were coming with a procession, activists of AL, Jubo League, and Bangladesh Chaatra League (BCL) attacked them with sticks, rods,” said Aminul Haque, member secretary of Dhaka North unit of BNP.
Police also lobbed tear shells at BNP activists, he said. Around 15 activists were held by police, said the BNP leader.
Such an attack on a protest rally against price hikes of essentials proves that the government wants to prevent democratic rights in a fascist style, said Aminul.
Earlier on September 10, BNP announced to hold public rallies in 16 spots under its Dhaka south and north city units until September 27 in protest against the increase in prices of essentials, fuel and transport fares.
The rallies are also meant for registering the party’s protest against the killings of Bhola Chhatra Dal leader Noor-e-Alam, Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and Narayanganj Jubo Dal leader Shaon Prodhan.
BNP won't budge from decision to shun polls under AL govt: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday categorically said their party will not back off from its decision against joining the next national election if it is held under the current Awami League government.
“We’ve clearly said that we won’t join any election under the current government, especially under Sheikh Hasina. This’s our unchangeable decision,” he said.
Talking to reporters at his local residence, the BNP leader also said the country’s people will not accept any election without a non-party caretaker government. “So, there’s no question of participating in the polls without a polls-time neutral government.”
Replying to a question, he said BNP and its movement partners will get a massive victory if the 12th parliamentary election is held under a non-party caretaker government.
Also read: BNP men clash with AL activists in city
The BNP leader alleged that the Awami League government has destroyed democracy and democratic institutions by cancelling the caretaker government system.
As Awami League has been there in power without public support, he said it destroyed the election system to hang onto power by manipulating polls and using the state machinery. “We’ve been on a movement to stop it. We also want to restore democracy.”
Fakhrul also warned that the entire state system and machinery will collapse further if people do not get the scope for electing the representatives of their choice in the next polls under a caretaker government.
He said the government has already politicised all the state institutions, including the judiciary, administration and police. “Even universities have been politicised.”
The BNP leader also said the country’s people have been seriously struggling to cope with the skyrocketing prices of all essential items, including rice, pulses, oil and salt.
Besides, he said the education system has been turned into a commodity while the cost of educational materials has gone up a lot. “The same situation has been prevailing in every sector. The prices of around 50 medicines were hiked by 54-135% a few days back. It has become a terrible problem for people. In every case, people's lives have been made miserable due to price hikes. Inflation has increased significantly.”
Fakhrul also said there is no governance in the country for the lack of democracy and accountability of the government officials. “The public representatives are doing whatever they want. Huge money is being spent on mega projects without any accountability. That’s why Bangladesh has now become a failed state.”