Politics
US may take any measure with the excuse of labor issues, politics: Bangladesh Embassy letter
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC has said the political context of the US "Presidential Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally" has many "reasons to be alarmed".
"Politics is behind what is said about labor rights in the memorandum, and the US would try to use the political purpose in different ways," said the embassy in a letter based on observation it made on the recently launched US initiative.
Therefore, the "memorandum" is a signal for Bangladesh as the US may take any measure as described in the memorandum with the excuse of labor issues, the document seen by UNB reads.
"The memorandum may also have an impact on Bangladesh's apparel sector, and it should be taken into cognizance with priority by the concerned stakeholders," it said.
The report on an initial compiled report on the "Memorandum on advancing worker empowerment, rights and high labour standards globally" issued by the US president and launched by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was also forwarded.
USA will support Bangladesh after election: Momen
Though the "memorandum" appears to be a global policy applicable for all countries, there are reasons to believe that Bangladesh may be one of the targets, said the embassy.
Labor issues in Bangladesh were specifically quoted by the secretary of state and acting secretary of labor at the launching ceremony.
US State Dept spokesperson says will ‘refrain from being drawn into’ internal Bangladeshi political matters
As per the "memorandum", the US foreign mission would directly interact/deal with labor issues, the policy may encourage the interested US diplomats/missions to interfere in many internal/ domestic issues.
"It seems that there are scopes for this policy to be imposed at individual, firm, or state level, if they anticipate/believe the labors' rights are violated," reads the document signed by the Minister (Commerce) at the Embassy to the senior secretary at the Ministry of Commerce.
‘Discussed cooperation on dev and importance of protecting democracy’: US State Dept Counselor meets Momen
The US Presidential Memorandum was rolled out on November 16.
The United States said they will work to “hold accountable those who threaten, intimidate, attack union leaders, labor rights defenders, labor organizations – including using things like sanctions, trade penalties and visa restrictions” – all the tools in their kit.
Opposition parties’ 3-day countrywide blockade underway
A three-day blockade of road, rail and waterways, enforced by BNP and like-minded opposition parties, across the country began this morning to mount pressure on the Awami League government to quit and hold the next election under a non-party, neutral administration.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami also enforced the blockade simultaneously from this morning to Thursday evening with the same demands.
Apart from BNP and Jamaat, the 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, LDP, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Labour Party and NDM are also observing the programme separately.
Meanwhile, AL has vowed to resist any violence during the blockade.
Read more: Jamaat to observe countrywide blockade program on Oct 31 and Nov 1-2
Police and other law enforcement agencies have already alerted their units to increase vigilance and beef up security across the country.
Police have also taken up positions and set up checkpoints at the entry points and all major points of Dhaka.
After observing a day-long hartal, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday evening announced the countrywide blockade for three consecutive days.
He, however, said vehicles of newspapers or media, ambulances and vehicles transporting oxygen cylinders and medicines will remain out of the purview of the three-day blockade.
Read more: BNP sends letter to foreign missions blaming govt, police for Oct 28 violence
Shun violence, work together for participatory, peaceful polls: Diplomatic Missions
Diplomatic missions in Dhaka on Monday called on all stakeholders to exercise “restraint, eschew violence and work together” to create the conditions for free, fair, participatory, and peaceful elections.
The missions in a joint statement also expressed deep concern over the recent violence during political gatherings in Dhaka.
“The governments of Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States are deeply concerned by the political violence during political gatherings in Dhaka on 28 October,” said the joint statement signed by the embassies and high commissions of the countries.
The countries extended their condolences for the loss of life and to those injured.
The statement came hours before the scheduled briefing of the government for the diplomats.
The government will brief diplomats stationed in Dhaka, representatives of UN agencies and international organizations on the current situation in Bangladesh this afternoon.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will brief the diplomats at state guesthouse Jamuna at 4 pm. Senior Cabinet members and officials of the government will attend the briefing.
Govt will brief diplomats, UN agencies today on current situation in Bangladesh
The government of Bangladesh will brief diplomats stationed in Dhaka, representatives of UN agencies and international organizations on the current situation in Bangladesh this afternoon (October 30, 2023).
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will brief the diplomats at state guesthouse Jamuna at 4 pm.
Senior Cabinet members and officials of the government will attend the briefing.
Read more: EU, its Member States “deeply saddened” to see loss of life, violence in Dhaka
BNP man dies ‘while fleeing after attempting to set bus on fire’ in Dhaka
A 35-year-old local BNP leader, who tried to set a bus on fire, died after falling off a building while fleeing in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area during the nationwide daylong hartal enforced by BNP and Jamaat on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Abdur Rashid, local government affairs secretary of Adabor ward 30 unit of BNP.
Police cordon off BNP's central office with crime scene tape
Quoting witnesses, Mahfuzul Haque, officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station, said Rashid tried to set a bus on fire in Mohammadpur Town Hall area during the hartal.
At one stage, local people chased him, forcing him to run away.
Ctg city traffic normal despite hartal
Being chased, he went to the rooftop of a building and fell from there while trying to jump to another building.
Police sent the body to the local hospital morgue.
Police conduct drives at several senior BNP leaders’ homes in Dhaka
Aminul Haque, member secretary of Dhaka North unit of BNP, said that a group of “Awami League men beat Rashid up mercilessly and killed him after pushing him from an under-construction building.”
Police conduct drives at several senior BNP leaders’ homes in Dhaka
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) launched drives at the houses of several senior BNP leaders in the city on Saturday night, following the violence at Nayapaltan that left two people, including a police constable dead.
Police, both in uniform and plainclothes, cordoned off the Shahjahanpur residence of BNP’s Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas after 3 am. Police, however, left the house as the BNP leader was not there at that moment.
Miscreants set BNP office on fire in Khulna
Earlier, police also conducted a drive at BNP’s Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Minto's Gulshan residence around 12 am, but he was not at home at the time. Later, they picked up his son Tajwar M Awal from the residence.
Police also carried out drives at several BNP leaders' residences on Sunday morning.
Police detained BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir from his Gulshan residence on Sunday morning.
6 cases filed against 1300 BNP leaders, activists including Mirza Abbas with Shahjahanpur Police Station in Dhaka
Amid BNP’s hartal, a group of law enforcers raided Fakhrul’s Gulshan-2 house and detained him around 9:25 am. Later, he was taken to DB headquarters on Minto Road.
Police also conducted drives at BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury's Banani residence at around 10:30 am but he was not at home.
Besides, police conducted drives at BNP's Joint Secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal’s homes at Lalmatia and Banani at around 10:40 am and 11:43 am respectively but the BNP leader was not there.
BNP leaders can’t deny role in yesterday’s violence that left a policeman dead: Home Minister
Police also raided the house of BNP Executive Committee member Ishraque Hossain's Gulshan residence at around 11 am but he was not there either.
Bus set on fire in Manikganj during hartal
Miscreants set a Dhaka-bound passenger bus on fire at Tara Bridge area of Manikganj Sadar upazila on Dhaka-Aricha highway during hartal this morning (October 29, 2023).
Although there were no casualties, most parts of the bus were burnt.
Read: Buses to ply amid BNP-Jaamat's hartal Sunday
Being informed, the fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after half an hour of efforts.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Golra Highway Police Station Sukhendu Basu said that some men got on the bus in the guise of passengers. When the bus crossed the Tara Bridge, they stopped the bus and called all the passengers to leave the bus.
Read: BNP calls countrywide hartal tomorrow
“Later, the bus was set on fire. Efforts are on to nab the miscreants and bring them to book,” the OC said.
BNP calls countrywide hartal tomorrow
BNP has announced a dawn-to-dusk hartal across the country to protest “police attacks” on their leaders and activists and their grand rally at Nayapaltan today (October 28, 2023).
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the hartal before leaving the rally stage amid clashes between law enforcers and BNP leaders, activists.
BNP grand rally suspended after police action
He said hartal will be observed from 6 am to 6 pm on Sunday (October 29, 2023).
BNP men attacked police, vandalised cars in Dhaka’s Kakrail: DB says
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said they announced the hartal to protest the police and ruling party attacks on their peaceful rally.
Earlier, BNP’s grand rally was suspended halfway through the program following the clashes.
The rally began around 12:40 pm, and was stopped around 2:15 pm.
BNP rally: Tense situation in Dhaka’s Nayapaltan area
BNP men attacked police, vandalised cars in Dhaka’s Kakrail: DB says
Additional Commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) Harun-or-Rashid has said that some BNP activists attacked police in front of the Judges' Residence Complex in Dhaka’s Kakrail earlier today (October 28, 2023).
“Some policemen were injured. Furthermore, they carried out an attack, vandalised and set some vehicles on fire in front of IDB Bhaban at Kakrail,” he said while talking with reporters in front of Kakrail Church.
Currently, BGB members are deployed at Kakrail Church crossing.
He said police have video footage of the incidents.
“We will identify those involved and take appropriate action,” he said.
Police, BNP men clash in Dhaka’s Kakrail area, police box set on fire
The BNP activists who were engaged in violence escaped the scene, and the situation is now under control, he added.
Earlier, a chase and counter-chase between police and BNP leaders, activists occurred in Dhaka’s Kakrail area.
Witnesses said leaders and activists of BNP brought out a procession in the Kakrail area and started going towards InterContinental hotel around 1 pm.
At one stage, police obstructed them, and BNP leaders, activists started throwing brick chips at the law enforcers.
More than 50 detained in extensive search operations at Dhaka’s entry points
Later, police fired rubber bullets, used sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse them.
The grand rally of BNP has begun in front of its Nayapaltan central office with the participation of thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies to press home their one-point demand for holding the upcoming national election under a non-party government.
AL, BNP rallies: 3 vehicles vandalised in Dhaka
Sherpur-Dhaka bus services suspended
Passenger bus services on the Sherpur-Dhaka route were abruptly halted on Friday night, ahead of the scheduled rallies of Awami League and BNP in the capital today.
All overnight bus services to Dhaka were abruptly canceled, and all Dhaka-bound buses stopped operation early today.
Police, BNP men clash in Dhaka’s Kakrail area, police box set on fire
Bus owners and drivers stopped bus movement, mentioning concerns about potential vandalism and security issues, said concerned individuals.
Sajib Ghosh, general secretary of the Sherpur District Transport Owners’ Association, said that no official orders were given to halt bus and coach services.
“However, bus owners and workers were afraid due to potential violence during the political rallies in the capital and decided not to operate their vehicles,” he said.
More than 50 detained in extensive search operations at Dhaka’s entry points
Buses traveling from Sherpur to Dhaka dropped off passengers at the Shambhuganj junction in Mymensingh on Friday afternoon.
Approximately 200 public transport vehicles typically ply the Sherpur-Dhaka route daily.
In addition to the bus service suspension, CNG-run auto rickshaws that usually operate on inter-district routes have also been halted since Saturday morning. Some commuters have resorted to using easy bikes and private vehicles to travel on the highway.
AL, BNP rallies: 3 vehicles vandalised in Dhaka
Meanwhile, local BNP sources reported that despite the bus service suspension, at least 4,000 party leaders and activists from Sherpur had left for Dhaka several days before participating in the Nayapaltan rally in the capital. They had anticipated the bus service interruption on Friday and Saturday and had already set out for Dhaka in advance, they said.