BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has issued an ultimatum to the government to take necessary steps to send BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment within 48 hours, or be held responsible should anything happen to her. “I have gone to the hospital to see her and I did not see her crying ever. She has turned so thin and she can't speak properly. The physician told me that if you have anything to do, do it, she is not in good condition,” said Fakhrul while addressing a rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on Sunday, organised to demand the release of Khaleda Zia and for her to be sent abroad for treatment. BNP’s Khulna unit ready to hold Sept 26 road march He also urged the government to take steps to ensure better treatment of Khaleda Zia.  “If anything happens to her, it will be big damage for not only the BNP but also for people, democracy and country,” he said. Talking about the US visa policy, the BNP leader said it is not an honour for the country. "Khaleda Zia, a leader who, being a housewife, took to the streets for democracy, for the needs of the country and brought back democracy through mass uprising by overthrowing Ershad, has been confined without adequate medical treatment,” he said. Awami League enforced a 176-day hartal demanding the caretaker government and Khaleda Zia introduced the caretaker system after changing the constitution for the sake of democracy, he added. BNP’s associate bodies’ road march from Rangpur to Dinajpur begins this noon The people of the country are now saying that there is no possibility to hold the election freely and fairly under the government and none of the pro-democracy parties would not participate in the election under the government, said Fakhrul, adding “If this situation continues the future of the country will be destroyed.” BNP wants to indulge in evil game of 1/11 with Dr Yunus at the helm: Quader BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moin Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, BNP`s Publicity Secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie, among others, spoke at the rally.

Siddiqur Rahman Patwari, former chairman of Baraigram upazila and Health and Population Affairs Secretary of district Awami League, has been elected unopposed in Natore-4 by-polls. He was formally pronounced the winner of the by-polls on Sunday afternoon, said a notice signed by Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan. Read: BNP’s Khulna unit ready to hold Sept 26 road march His parliament membership was confirmed when District Jatiya Party president Alauddin Mridha and Chhatra Dal leader Mehedi Hasan Noman did not submit their nomination papers on September 17, last day of the submission date. The Natore-4 fell vacant following the death of Natore district Awami League President and lawmaker from (Gurdaspur-Baraigram) constituency, valiant freedom fighter Professor Abdul Quddus, on 30 August. Read: Awami League leaders take to X to react to US visa restrictions The by-election was scheduled to be held on 11 October.  

BNP is set to hold its September 26 road march with participation of over five lakh people in Khulna city with different demands, including resignation of the government and dissolution of the parliament, to ensure a “fair” election. All kinds of preparations including setting up the event venue have been completed for the road march. A festive mood prevails among BNP leaders and activists from top to grassroots-level in the district. Over 200 arches were erected at the entry points of Khulna city and a huge number of posters and banners featuring issues including price hike were put up. Read: Need a tsunami of people in Chattogram:  Khasru says of BNP’s upcoming road march Moreover, publicity through miking has been initiated since this morning with the call to join the road march to be held in the city’s Zia Hall. Over 10 lakh leaflets were handed out among general people in the city and district. Local BNP activists hoped that over five lakh people would gather to express no-confidence in the ruling government. Mizanur Rahman Milton, member secretary of Khulna division BNP’s media cell, said they are going to hold the road march to “save the countrymen from the misrule” of the Awami League government as they “snatched away all rights after coming to power.” Read:  5 road marches form centrepiece of BNP's 15 days of activism from Tuesday Khulna city unit BNP’s Member Secretary Shahifqul Islam Tuhin said the presence of general people at the previous divisional and youth rallies proved that they are not with the “illegal government”. An enthusiasm is seen among the leaders and activists alongside the general people, he said, adding that the road march will begin from Jhenaidah and end at Zia Hall in Khulna city on September 26. Khulna district BNP’s Member Secretary SM Manirul Hasan Bappi said people will join the road march on their own to realise their rights. Read more: Road march to continue until the government quits: Fakhrul

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday said Awami League does not care about visa policy and restrictions because it wants free, impartial and fair elections anyway. He also stressed the importance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's selfies with world leaders over any recent developments. Read: Some people have become rich through ‘mega corruption’, says BNP leader Nazrul "Everything in Bangladesh politics has already been decided by two selfies in the span of a week," Quader said, adding: "The selfies are causing BNP sleepless nights." “Those who want to obstruct fair elections, will be affected by the visa restriction policy,” the roads, bridges and highways minister told reporters this evening at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, after returning home from a routine health check-up at Mount Elizabeth Hospital of Singapore. Quader said that the people of the country will vote and the Election Commission will conduct the elections. Sending foreign observers is up to them. There is the Vienna Convention and they have to follow the rules to send observers, he added. Read: Tougher programmes if govt fails to get message from peaceful protests: Rizvi Awami League general secretary said that there is no alternative to the Sheikh Hasina government for the continuation of democratic process in Bangladesh. Asked if the BNP will not allow the election without a caretaker government, Quader said: "Will the election be held according to BNP’s decision?" Read: Fakhrul fears conflict in country if govt doesn’t step down If they want to boycott the election, they have the right to do so, he added. "However, if any anti-election conspiracy is made, people will resist them with iron hand," the senior AL leader said.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, was shifted to the cabin again from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) on Friday afternoon. "Khaleda Zia was taken back to the cabin from CCU around 4:30 pm,” AZM Zahid Hossain, medical board member of the former Prime Minister, told the media. Earlier, Khaleda Zia was transferred to the CCU at 11:30am on Friday as per the recommendation of her medical board. Read: Application must be submitted to Home Ministry to allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad for better treatment: Law Minister The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems. Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder. On August 9, Khaleda Zia was admitted to Evercare Hospital after falling seriously ill at her Gulshan residence Feroza by the decision of her medical board. Read: Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension extended again by 6 months Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.  

Some people have become rich through ‘mega corruption’ in the name of mega projects while the condition of the common people is getting worse day by day, said BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan on Saturday. “We have one demand….this government has to resign. Dissolve parliament and hold an election under a caretaker government,” said the BNP leader while inaugurating the party’s road march from Barishal to Patuakhali under Barishal division at Bangabandhu Uddyan in the town around 11 am.Leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies from six districts under the division joined the road march. BNP extends 15-day programmes by 2 days“Apart from our leaders and workers, journalists are not spared when anyone speak out against the irregularities of the government. So dissolution of parliament and arranging the election under a caretaker government has become our lone demand,” he added.Earlier on September 18, BNP announced a 15-day programme till October 3, including road marches, as part of their ongoing one point-movement demanding resignation of the government.The programme was extended by two days till October 5 on Thursday.  5 road marches form centrepiece of BNP's 15 days of activism from TuesdayThe six road marches spread across the country started with Bhairab to Sylhet (Sylhet division) on September 21.The road march under Khulna division will be held on September 26, then Mymensingh to Kishoreganj (Mymensingh division) on October 1, and finally Cumilla to Chattogram (Cumilla and Chattogram divisions) on October 3.Khulna Division Road March will be led by Mirza Abbas and Babu Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.On September 27, public rallies will be held at Gabtoli in Dhaka metropolitan and Fatullah in Narayanganj district. Nazrul Islam Khan and Begum Selima Rahman (Gabtoli), Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury (Fatullah) will be present as the chief guests.A women's rally will be held in Dhaka on September 29. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Begum Selima Rahman will be present at the rally. Moreover, a Workers' Convention in Dhaka will be held on September 30, road march from Mymensingh to Kishoreganj on October 1, farmers rally in Dhaka on October 2, and road marches in Faridpur Comilla, Feni, Misrail and Chittagong on October 3.

Bangladesh's Law Minister Anisul Huq today (September 23, 2023) said that an application must be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs to allow BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for better treatment. He said this while talking to reporters in Brahmanbaria’s Akhaura upazila. BNP extends 15-day programmes by 2 days “The application must be submitted to the Home Ministry, which then can ask the Law Ministry for its opinion. A decision will be reached upon their formal submission,” he said.  “Khaleda Zia continues to receive quality healthcare at Evercare Hospital despite her prison sentence, courtesy of the benevolence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the law minister added. Earlier on September 18, the Security Services Division under the Home Ministry issued a notification extending the suspension of Khaleda’s jail term by another six months. BNP’s associate bodies’ road march from Rangpur to Dinajpur begins this noon Khaleda Zia has to receive treatment in Dhaka, and she will not be allowed to go abroad during this period, said the notification. BNP held special prayers for her at the metropolitan, district, upazila, municipality, union and ward levels across the country after Jummah prayers. The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems. Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder. Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. BNP ‘secretly’ preparing for election to start nomination trade: Quader Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government of Bangladesh temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.

Awamil League (AL) leaders on Friday night took to X, formerly Twitter, to react against the US move to impose visa restrictions upon some individuals from the government, opposition and members of law enforcing agencies centring the country’s upcoming general election. Deputy Minister for Education Barrister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury Nowfel tweeted saying, “Wondering how USG (US government) can sign a defence pact with Vietnam which is a proud & strong Communist state & threaten vibrant democracy of Bangladesh with threats of visa restrictions! Many military allies of USA has challenge Re elections but, as usual their hypocrisy knows no bounds!” On the other hand, Nahim Razzaq, an AL MP from Shariatpur-3 constituency, also took to Twitter and said, “All well and good with these actions but let us be mindful that the US interest is not only on Election but a greater agenda which some of us are familiar with. Is it Anti-China move or is it a show of might or is it a Scare Tactics or is it a pressure tactics to get something out of Bangladesh.” He also tweeted that "Just a note: It’s not the Cold War anymore or is it???" Alongside the duo, AL leaders from different levels reacted to the US visa restrictions on social media. The Department of State on Friday said they are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh. "Our actions today reflect the continued commitment of the United States to supporting Bangladesh’s goal of peacefully holding free and fair national elections, and to support those seeking to advance democracy globally," said its Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement. These individuals include members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition, he said. Read: 'Nothing to lose' from visa restrictions: Shahriar Alam "The United States is committed to supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh that are carried out in a peaceful manner," Miller said. These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States. Additional persons found to have been responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh may also be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy in the future, according to US Department of State. This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of opposition and ruling political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services, Miller said. On the other hand, the United States (US) has said it will not release the names or numbers of people in Bangladesh subject to the visa restrictions. "Visa records are confidential under US law," US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB Friday while responding to a question. But, he said, the U.S. government has looked very closely at incidents since they announced this policy. Read: Visa restrictions imposed upon 'careful review of evidence': US embassy "After a careful review of the evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition,” said Bryan Schiller. In May this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the new visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) (“3C”) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections. Under this policy, the United States will restrict the issuance of visas for any Bangladeshi individual, believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh. The United States notified the Bangladesh government of this decision on May 3, 2023. Read more: US taking steps to impose first batch of visa restrictions

Claiming BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s condition as critical, the party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday again demanded that the 78-year-old Begum Zia be sent abroad immediately for better treatment. “Today when she (Khaleda Zia) is in a life-threatening situation, she is being withheld. Begum Khaleda Zia is not only a prisoner but also the number one leader of the country’s democratic movement. She served the country as prime minister thrice and leader of the opposition twice,” Fakhrul said. He came up with the remarks while addressing a rally organised on different issues including resignation of the government, release of Khaleda Zi and one point demand in Dhaka’s Uttara area on Friday afternoon. Dhaka north chapter unit BNP organised the rally on a field adjacent to Abdullahpur Polwal Super Market with the participation of thousands of leaders and activists. Fakhrul alleged that the 'fascist' government is pushing Khaleda Zia to death. However she keeps fighting against the government from the prison. Read: Khaleda Zia moved to CCU at Evercare Hospital Fearing Begum Zia’s condition, the BNP secretary general said the chairperson must be sent abroad for the treatment; her condition may deteriorate soon. Despite demands from her family, personal physicians and BNP, the government is not taking any step to send Khaleda Zia out of the country for treatment, he said, “She should be sent to an advanced treatment centre for the sake of treatment on humanitarian grounds.” Fakhrul said there are examples of sending imprisoned people abroad for treatment, as Sheikh Hasina was sent to America for treatment during the caretaker government. Leaders from the party’s central body and north unit among others spoke at the rally. Read: Tougher programmes if govt fails to get message from peaceful protests: Rizvi

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Friday reiterated his government's determination to hold fair elections. "It is not a matter of us to see who came to power or left, our goal is to organise fair elections," the minister made these remarks while talking to journalists after inaugurating the country's first-ever premium water park in Munshiganj's Gazaria on Friday. "We are always striving to arrange a peaceful election. The Election Commission is providing all kinds of support in this regard," he said. All parties never participate in elections: EC Alamgir Those who think that there will not be free, fair and participatory elections, their ideas will be proved false soon, added the minister. Mentioning reshuffling in law and order forces is an ongoing process, he said, it happens every month, every year. Schedule of 12th parliamentary election likely in November, says EC Anisur There is no issue of reshuffling based on the election, said the home minister. British Deputy High Commissioner Matt Cannell, Lawmaker from Munshiganj-3 Constituency Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, Deputy Commissioner Md Abu Jafar Ripon, and Superintendent of Police Md Aslam Khan were also present.