President Abdul Hamid
Ensure justice to people without harassment, President Hamid tells judges and lawyers
President Abdul Hamid on Sunday urged judges and lawyers to work together to ensure that justice seekers are not harassed.
"People come to you for seeking support in solving their problems and getting justice. So you have to be careful so none is harassed, “ he said in a virtual address at the inauguration of the newly built Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Building and the “Rastrapati Abdul Hamid Building” for the Kishoreganj District Lawyers Association.
Law Minister Anisul Huq presided over the programme.
Read: President Hamid to police force: Drive out the corrupt members
Hamid said that not only the rule of law in the country, but also the establishment of good governance as per the expectations of the people should be the goal of all.
The benefits of the liberation war must be delivered everywhere by establishing the rule of law and justice, he said.
Saying 'There is no alternative to an independent judiciary in establishing the rule of law, Hamid said the present government is very sincere in ensuring the independence of the judiciary.
Special attention has been paid to increase the number of judges, training and resolving the court crisis as well as case management.
He also said that legal aid offices have been set up in 64 districts and in the Supreme Court of the country to provide legal assistance to the poor and disadvantaged.
"Through this effort, poor and helpless people are getting legal support," he added
"Chief Judicial Magistrate Court buildings were inaugurated in 31 districts including today's inauguration. My hope is that it will be possible to bring the benefits of justice to the doorsteps of the people through the construction of these buildings," he also said.
Read: Don’t abuse power while discharging duties, President Hamid asks DCs
The president who hails from Kishoreganj said it is a great pleasure for him to inaugurate the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Building in Kishoreganj as his life is connected with this district.
"Through this, the justice seeking people in the district will get judicial services at the fastest time. Besides, people will get a nice environment, this is a joy for me," he said.
Mentioning the sufferings of Judges and concerned officers and employees during their duties with lack of the required places, he said you will be able to conduct the trial in a beautiful environment with ease as a result of the construction of the new building.
He also hoped that it will have a positive impact on the workplace and people will benefit.
Don’t abuse power while discharging duties, President Hamid asks DCs
President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday asked the deputy commissioners not to abuse power while discharging their responsibilities to the citizens.
"The exercise of power is essential for the proper and efficient discharge of responsibilities,” the president said addressing virtually the DC Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
“But it is even more important to ensure that power is not abused. So consciously maintain the difference of responsibility and power in the workplace," he told the top district-level officials.
Also read: Work rising above fear and greed: Hasina to DCs
President Hamid reminded the officials of the great leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the creation of independent Bangladesh.
"We should not forget that since the country became independent under the leadership of Bangabandhu, today I have become the president, you have become the secretary, divisional commissioner and deputy commissioner," he said.
Stating that getting services is the right of the people, he said you will have to perform duties as a servant of the people.
"Deliver government services to the doorstep of the people. It should be remembered that we run our family with peoples' money. So providing government services is not a matter of kindness or benevolence," he said.
Mentioning social security programmes as an effective medium for poverty alleviation and social justice, the president said the officials concerned must ensure benefits of the programme reach the real poor.
"You have to provide effective leadership to meet the basic needs of poor people of the country, social protection and public empowerment of people, especially women empowerment," he also said.
He said land records and survey management is being digitized to ensure the best use of land and land related services.
Also read: PM’s 24-point directive to DCs to improve public services
"But during the land record, a group of dishonest employee is doing many irregularities in collaboration with local influential brokerage and taking illegal facilities. It is increasing the public sufferings," he said.
He also asked the officials to be strict in these matters and take a strong step to stop any irregularities and ensure the punishment against the involved officers and employees.
Describing corruption as the biggest obstacle to the development, he said "Durable development is being interrupted due to corruption. The culture of transparency and accountability in each level of field administration must be developed."
Hamid said that the Deputy Commissioner Conference is an important forum for discussions about the activities taken up for people at the field level.
Cabinet Secretary Khandhakar Anawarul Islam delivered the welcome speech while deputy commissioner of Sunamganj Jahagir Hossain and divisional commissioner of Chattagram division Kamrul Hasan spoke at the session.
President Hamid urges transparency in govt activities
President Abdul Hamid on Sunday called for establishing transparency and accountable good governance in government activities to make democracy more effective.
"Democracy needs to be made more effective ...... by ensuring proper participation of the people in all government activities," he said addressing thecParliament in the New Year's first session.
This was also the 16th session of the 11th parliament.
The president said that the government’s expenditure has increased due to huge increase of government’s development activities over the past one-and-a-half decade.
He also urged to maintain caution in all matters related to projects to prevent misuse of government funds.
Read:Islamic Front and NAP discuss formation of EC with President Hamid
"It is necessary to ensure 100 percent implementation of the project by adopting time bound action plan,” he added.
According to the constitution, the president addresses the House in the first session of New Year highlighting progrmmes and achievements of the government.
The president’s speech was approved earlier by the cabinet.
Mentioning people as the source of all power the President urged the legislators to keep public interest over everything else.
Hamid called upon members of the treasury and opposition benches to play their due role in the House.
The president called for building national conference on basic issues of democeacy. rule of law and development.
He said the new generation should be gifted a safe, happy, beautiful and prosperous Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He said peace and stability is prevailing in the country due to the zero tolerance policy of the government against terrorism and militancy,
He said that the government is trying to ensure that people from all communities of the country can practice their religion in harmony while religious festivals of all communities including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians are celebrated peacefully in a solemn and festive atmosphere.
President's address to kick off first session of 2022 in JS
President Abdul Hamid on Sunday will address the 16th session of the 11th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) in the afternoon.
President's press secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB that the President is expected to begin his speech at 4pm.
The president has to address the first parliament session of every year, according to Article 73(2) of the Constitution.
Read: JS goes into session Sunday
The President's speech has also already been approved in the cabinet.
The session will start after the president’s speech while it will be the maiden session of 2022.
Earlier, the President convened the first parliament session of 2022 exercising the power bestowed upon him as per the Article 72 (1) of the Constitution.
The 15th session of parliament ended on November 28. According to the constitution, there cannot be more than 60 days between two sessions.
3 more parties attend president’s EC dialogue
President Abdul Hamid held discussions with three political parties - Zaker Party, Bangladesh Kalyan Party and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) at Bangabhaban on the formation of an acceptable Election Commission (EC),
President's Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin briefed the reporters after the meeting.
Zaker party participated in the dialogue with the President at 6pm while a six-member delegation led by party chairman Mostafa Amir Faisal placed four-point proposals, including the enactment of electoral laws and forming a search committee comprising representatives of registered political parties to give the EC a neutral and acceptable manner.
They also proposed for using modern technology-block-chain system and e-voting system for ensuring a free, a fair and credible election.
Read: UP chairman takes oath on parole in Feni
At 7pm, Bangladesh Kallyan Party took part in the dialogue with the President with six-member delegation led by its Secretary General Abdul Awal Mamun.
They proposed to form an EC by issuing an ordinance if it is not possible to enact new law immediately.
The leaders also sought all-out cooperation of the Executives in EC activities and to ensure accountability of the Election Commission and the government in line with the Article 126 of the Constitution.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Barrister Andaleeve Rahman joined the talks at 8pm.
They placed four proposals, including enacting timely law, forming EC in accordance with the Constitution and involving armed forces as a collaborating force in the electoral process.
Welcoming the delegations in the talks, the president said elections are an important process in a democratic manner and the role of the Election Commission is very important to ensure a free, fair and acceptable poll.
Read: Another Qwwali programme held at TSC to protest attack
The valuable opinions as well as recommendations of the political parties with regarding the formation of election commission would play a fruitful role, the Head of the State hoped.
Hamid sought a very proactive role of the country's political parties to create conducive environment in politics and motivate the voters to ensure fair and credible polls.
Ruling party Bangladesh Awami League will hold a dialogue with the President on January 17 at 4 pm, as the last party in the list.
The current EC's five-year tenure is set to expire on February 14.
No scope now for law on EC formation: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday reiterated that there is no scope right now for the enactment of a law on the formation of the Election Commission.
“I said there will be a law, but that has to acceptable to all and not only to one party” he told the reporters in reply to a question at his office in the Secretariat.
Referring to the President Abdul Hamid’s ongoing dialogue with political parties the law minister said it will be too early to call it a success or a failure.
Read:Law minister rules out urgent enactment of law on election commission
“We will have to wait until the dialogue is over and see what steps the president takes after it,” he said.
He urged BNP to change its decision and take part in the dialogue with the president for the sake of the country.
Pointing to BNP he said, “If they think it is a toxic situation, then I think they have to take some steps to get out of the toxic situation. If we join the dialogue, we think it will be positive.”
Asked about the logjam of pending cases, the minister blamed it on the disruptions caused by Covid-19 pandemic. The number of pending cases could have been more unless the government introduced virtual court that cleared two lakh cases, he said.
Meanwhile, about new challenges for the government in the New Year, the law minister said, “I think we have already set the challenges. Now it is time to face those challenges.”
He added that the Padma Bridge is almost complete. Besides, all the mega projects that were taken will be completed by June or December.
Read: It’s President’s jurisdiction to appoint CJ: Law Minister
“These are the mega challenges that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is ready to deliver.”
“In fact, the challenge we always have is that we believe in public service. Our job is to improve the quality of service and deliver the service to the people and we take it as a challenge to do that,” he kept saying.
The minister said all the programs are people friendly. “We will try to make these people-friendly programs available to the people through public service.”
“Who will be sent abroad, who will not be sent abroad, that is not the priority,” he said. “Priority is that the time has come for Sheikh Hasina to prepare the ground for the services that the people should have received long ago. We will deliver.”
He said the people will deliver their verdict in the next elections on who has for their welfare and who has served only themselves.
Justice Hasan Foez Siddique takes oath as the 23rd CJ of Bangladesh
Hasan Foez Siddique, a senior judge of the Appellate Division, was on Friday sworn in as the 23rd chief justice of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban. President Abdul Hamid administered the oath of office in a traditional ceremony at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 4 pm. Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam conducted the event, said Md Joynal Abedin,press secretary of the president.
Read: Hasan Foez new Chief Justice of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, President's wife Begum Rashida Khanam, cabinet members, former chief justices, judges of both appellate and high court divisions, heads of the three services, principal secretary to the prime minister, the attorney general, Supreme Court lawyers, including SC Bar Association leaders, among others, attended the ceremony.
EC formation: BNF seeks election-time govt, search committee
Joining the ongoing dialogue with President Abdul Hamid over the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC), Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) on Wednesday presented a 3-point proposal, including formation of the EC through a search committee and an election-time government led by the Prime Minister. A seven-member delegation, led by BNF President SM Abul Kalam Azad, took part in a dialogue with President Abdul Hamid at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban in the afternoon.
Read: BNP not to join talks on EC formation Welcoming the delegation to Bangabhaban, the President said the opinions of political parties are very important for the formation of an acceptable Election Commission, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB. "It’s necessary to evaluate the sacrifices of the leaders and workers and the principles and ideals of the party without giving priority to financial issues in politics in the interest of democracy," said the President during the discussion. He said that democracy should not be limited to only elections but it should also be spread through continuous practice. The President called upon the political parties to take initiatives to motivate people in this regard. The BNF delegation thanked the President for initiating discussions with the political parties on the EC formation.
Read: EC formation process to continue: Quader On Tuesday a seven-member delegation, led by Rashed Khan Menon, President of Worker’s Party of Bangladesh took part in discussions with President Hamid. The President held talks with Khilafat Majlis (KM) as part of forming an acceptable EC on December 27. Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, led by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari, also sat in dialogue with the President at 4 pm on the same day. President Hamid opened a talk with the Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, on December 20. According to Bangabhaban press wing, the other parties invited for the dialogue are Gonoforum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon on January 3 and Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal and Islami Andolon Bangladesh on January 4. Now there are only 39 registered political parties in Bangladesh, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament. The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.
Workers Party of Bangladesh seeks law to form EC
Workers Party of Bangladesh (BWP) on Tuesday proposed to President Abdul Hamid enactment of a law early next year to guide the formation of an independent Election Commission for conduct of the next national election. This was one of the main point contained in the six-point proposals a seven-member BWP delegation, led by its president Rashed Khan Menon, submitted to the president as part of a dialogue at Bangabhaban this afternoon. The delegation thanked the President for initiating discussions with the political parties on the formation of a Election Commission as the current EC’s five-year term expires in February next year, according to Bangabhaban press wing.
Read:Rejected by some parties, president’s dialogue trudges on The BWP leaders also suggested that the president exchange views with civil society representatives on the formation of the EC, the election watchdog. They said the Election Commission should be independent capable of implementing the country’s electoral laws to ensure free and fair voting. Welcoming the delegation of Workers Party at Bangabhaban, President Hamid said that politics is for the welfare of the people. "If quality is not ensured in politics, it will be difficult for politicians to do politics in future. In this regard, the political parties have to build the right public opinion at the grassroots level," he said. On Monday Hamid discussed with Khilafat Majlis formation of an acceptable Election Commission (EC). Khilafat Majlis’ eight-member team was led by its Secretary-General Dr Ahmed Abdul Quader. Earlier yestreday, a seven-member delegation of Bangladesh Tariqat Federation led by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari also sat in dialogue with the president. Opening the current round of dialogue with the Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, on December 20 President Hamid has so far met with the leaders of six political parties. Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) joined the dialogue on Sunday. On the other hand, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), invited to Bangabhaban on Sunday last, declined the invite.
Read:Talks on EC: Tarikat urges President to sit with civil society too According to Bangabhaban press wing, the other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Islami Oikya Jote on December 29, Gano Forum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh on January 3. The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament.
The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.
President’s dialogue: NAP leaders want law to form election commission
President Abdul Hamid on Sunday heard the proposal from Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) on as he continued discussions with political parties on formation of the next Election Commission.
The tenure of the current EC is to expire on February 14 next year.
Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) joined the dialogue at 4pm and presented its views on the next EC, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.
A seven member delegation led by NAP's acting working President Ivy Ahmed met the President at Bangabhan in the evening.
Read:President to hold dialogue with 2 more political parties Sunday
Welcoming the delegation the president said the formation of the Election Commission is a constitutional responsibility. The main purpose of this discussion is to form an acceptable election commission.
President Hamid hoped that the formation of an acceptable, independent, impartial and strong election commission will be possible on the basis of discussions with the political parties in phase.
Bangladesh National Awami Party pfresdient put forward a six-point proposal to form an independent and impartial election commission.
Legislation to form Election Commission in accordance with Article 118 (1) of the Constitution, formation of Election Commission with efficient, honest and believers in the spirit of liberation war and making the Election Commission account to people were some of them.
They also thanked the president for taking the initiative of the discussion.
The other members of the delegation were - member of Presidium Abdur Rahman and Kazi Siddikur Rahman, acting general secretary Ismail Hossain, organisational secretary Shafiq Ahmed Khan, Liberation wars affairs secretary Partha Sarothi Chakrabarty and member (agriculture) of Presidium Anil Chakrabarty.
Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), invited to Bangabhaban on Sunday, declined the invite, the press secretary said.
Read:President’s dialogue with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal in progress
According to Bangabhaban press wing Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Khelafat Majlish will participate in the discussion at 4 pm and 6 pm tomorrow respectively. Bangladesh Workers' Party is scheduled to meet the President at 4pm on Tuesday.
The other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Islami Oikya Jote on December 29, Gano Forum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh on January 3.
President earlier met the leaders of Jatiya Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu).
The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament.
The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.