United News of Bangladesh

BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Monday urged all to work together to build Bangladesh as a truly democratic country where people’s voting, fundamental, human and economic rights are fully ensured. “Let us all work together to build Bangladesh into a genuinely democratic country where people’s fundamental rights and their right to vote are guaranteed and where human rights are established,” he said. Speaking as the chief guest at the launch of a documentary photo album, the BNP leader also said the economic rights of millions of poor citizens must be ensured in the future Bangladesh. Dr Moyeen, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, stressed the need to promote the country’s cultural development, saying, “Without education, culture, and social values, politics cannot truly exist in any country.” Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas), the cultural wing of BNP, organised the programme at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office to launch the photo album titled “Roktakto 36 July Gonobhiplaban O Jasas” (Bloodstained July-36 Uprising and Jasas). Fakhrul calls ‘all national crises’ staged dramas to mislead people Dr Moyeen said the July-36 mass uprising was not a sudden event but the result of a long struggle spanning 17 years and the sacrifices of lakhs of Bangladeshis. “The explosion of public anger on August 5 was the outcome of that prolonged struggle.” For 17 long years, he said the people of Bangladesh endured deprivation, denial of rights, enforced disappearances, killings, false cases, and attacks. “BNP leaders and activists could not even stay in their homes during that time.” The BNP leader said such prolonged repression and injustice created an explosive political situation in the country. “In that context, the anti-discrimination student movement began in July 2024. “It acted like a matchstick that ignited a spark, leading to the flames of a nationwide uprising. The autocratic Awami League government was eventually forced to flee the country in disgrace like a coward.”  This is the true history of the July-36 uprising,” he said, expressing deep gratitude to all who contributed to the movement. Stating that BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman led this movement, Dr Moyeen observed that it would not be a proper analysis to credit only the students for its success. He said the BNP, along with around 43 other political parties, had fought for years against deprivation and injustice. “Those who fought for democracy endured attacks, false and fabricated cases, and severe repression,” he said. Investment, daily life stalled as nation awaits election: Khosru “For more than a decade, our Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman guided and led this movement from nearly 10,000 kilometres away, and under his leadership we participated in this democratic struggle,” the BNP leader added. He said it is true that students were at the forefront, but it was not solely their movement. “In football, eleven players play the game, but only one may score a goal — that doesn’t mean the others didn’t play. Similarly, those who try to credit only the students for the success of this movement may not be making a complete analysis,” he said. Dr Moyeen praised Jasas for its contributions to the nationalist movement and expressed confidence that the organisation would become even stronger in the coming days.  

The BNP on Thursday called on the Election Commission to ensure that controversial government officials who were involved in conducting the past three ‘farcical’ elections are kept away from any role in the forthcoming national election.  “Particularly, officials who are controversial or whose roles have been questioned must not be allowed to participate in or influence the forthcoming election process in any manner. The Election Commission must remain extremely vigilant in this regard,” BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan told reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. He was leading a three-member BNP delegation during the meeting from 11am to 12:40pm at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city  Dr Moyeen Khan said the last three elections were farcical and the government officials who conducted the elections on behalf of the Election Commission on the polling days made these polls so. BNP to meet CEC Thursday to raise concerns over EC’s neutrality “It is not realistic to expect that those whose character was assassinated by the autocratic Awami League over the past 15 years will be corrected in 15 months. So, the Election Commission must stay alert about it,” he said. Dr Moyeen said it is also a reality that the Commission does not have its own manpower of ten lakh to conduct the election. “This is a very crucial matter. Though the Election Commission is already aware of this, we are here to make them aware of it again,” he said. Replying to a question, the BNP leader said his party wants that the referendum on the July National Charter 2025 shall be held on the national election-day simultaneously. Two other BNP delegation members were BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Ismail Zabiullah and former acting secretary of the Election Commission Dr Mohammed Jakari. Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker was also present at the meeting.    

Strongly opposing the introduction of a proportional representation (PR) system, BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Saturday said it would only strengthen political parties while weakening the link between people and their elected representatives, ultimately causing suffering for the public. “PR basically weakens the position of an individual representative and strengthens the party instead,” he said while speaking at a seminar. The seminar, titled ‘Election 2026: A Critical Look at Proportional Representation’, was arranged by Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cosmos Group, at the Cosmos Centre in the capital’s Moghbazar area. United News of Bangladesh (UNB) was the media partner of the event. Under the PR system, Dr Moyeen, a BNP Standing Committee member, said people would vote for a party, not an individual, and the party would then decide who becomes a member of parliament. “This goes against our fundamental democratic spirit, where people elect their own representatives who are directly accountable to them.” He warned that making parties stronger while weakening individuals would create a “self-contradictory system,” noting that in Bangladesh, people have always wanted to prevent political parties from becoming too powerful. “Whenever political parties became too strong in the last 54 years, it ultimately brought suffering for the people,” the BNP leader said. Dr Moyeen Khan also observed that Bangladeshis are not yet mentally or intellectually prepared for such a complicated electoral process. “People here want a simple system where they can clearly understand who represents them and who they are voting for.”  

Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan on Thursday said corruption in the energy sector often occurred within a framework of supportive laws and flawed policies. While the interim government had worked to reduce corruption and repaid most of the country USD 3.2 billion energy debt, he said it lacked sufficient time to undertake deeper reforms. Speaking at a dialogue, the Adviser acknowledged dissatisfaction with anti-corruption efforts, highlighting that vested interests benefit from corruption and that focus should shift from investigating past misdeeds to addressing present-day corruption. The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) hosted the dialogue at the CIRDAP (Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific) auditorium. Zillur warned that Bangladesh is facing a security crisis which may deepen if elections are not held on time. He noted that the issues of security, energy, and corruption are interlinked and highlighted the key questions for debate, including the risks posed by great power rivalries, the urgent need for border protection, the modernisation of defence and cybersecurity, the formulation of a national security policy, and the constitutional and legal reforms necessary to combat corruption. Questions were also raised on strengthening the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), implementing a realistic anti-corruption strategy, addressing budget loopholes that legalise illicit wealth, ensuring uninterrupted electricity, reducing reliance on energy imports, expanding renewable energy, and increasing transparency in major projects such as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Moyeen Khan outlined five key dimensions of security: state, economy, politics, diplomacy, and society. He stressed that people’s security must come first, encompassing environmental safety, technological challenges, food security, media literacy, and energy. He argued that diversity of thought must be protected and that security should not be viewed merely as protecting those in power. Badiul Alam emphasized political stability as a cornerstone of national security, underscoring the need for free and fair elections. He recounted discussions with citizens who admired the parliament building’s beauty but lamented the corruption of those in power. He argued that corruption has undermined recent elections, warning that without reforming politics and curbing money’s influence, democratic processes cannot function properly. Muniruzzaman argued that the opportunity to enact meaningful reforms following the recent uprising has already been missed. He highlighted gaps in Bangladesh’s national security, including the lack of a comprehensive national security policy, unresolved transboundary water disputes, rising sea levels threatening much of the country, and the absence of policies to address these issues. Draft law approved to intensify EC’s authority to punish negligence in election duty

A 21-member Bangladesh Friendship Delegation, consisting of leaders from eight political parties, including the BNP, returned home on Thursday afternoon after an 11-day visit to China, carrying a message of strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation between the two countries. The delegation, led by BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 1:20pm on a Southern China Airlines flight. According to Chinese authorities, the visit was part of their strategy to strengthen multiparty relations with Bangladesh following the political changes in August. The delegation also included three student leaders involved in the July-August mass uprising, along with two scholars and two journalists. During the 11-day visit, the delegation held meetings with central and provincial leaders of the CPC in Beijing, Shaanxi and Yunnan. Moyeen Khan raises concerns over BCIM corridor’s strategic impacts, seeks China’s attention They also participated in discussions on Bangladesh-China relations, China’s modernisation and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In addition to the political discussions, the delegation visited various industries, including AI technology, automobile manufacturing plants, solar and hydropower companies, an innovative agricultural project, a flower auction trading centre, a museum, a model village, Jiaotong University, the Great Wall of China, coffee and tea gardens, historical sites, factories and a hospital designated for treating Bangladeshi patients. During the discussions, CPC leaders assured that China’s cooperation with Bangladesh would continue to grow in various fields in the coming years. Chinese Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), Sun Haiyan, conveyed a message that China could be one of Bangladesh’s most trusted and special friends. During a meeting with the Bangladeshi delegation at the IDCPC office in Beijing, she also expressed China’s desire to assist Bangladesh in returning to its path of rapid development. The delegation included five leaders from the BNP and its associated organisations: BNP Legal Affairs Secretary Kayser Kamal, General Secretary of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal Shohidul Islam, General Secretary of Jubo Dal Nurul Islam Nayon, General Secretary of Swechchhasebak Dal Razib Ahsan, and General Secretary of Chhatra Dal Nasir Uddin. Seven leaders from other political parties also joined the delegation, including Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Huq, Jatiya Dal Chairman Syed Ehsanul Huda, Executive Coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Abul Hasan Md Shahidul Islam Rubel, National People’s Party Chairman AZM Fariduzzaman, Nationalist Democratic Movement Chairman Bobby Hajjaj, General Secretary of Gono Odhikar Parishad Muhammad Rashed Khan, and Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Maulana Ataullah Amin. BNP to sign Teesta water management deal with China, if elected: Moyeen Khan Other delegation members are Dr Moyeen Khan’s wife Advocate Roksana Khondker, Dhaka University’s International Relations department Prof Lailufar Yasmin, two journalists—UNB Special Correspondent Abdur Rahman Jahangir and Diplomatic Correspondent for Dainik Amader Somoy Md Arifuzzaman Mamun—and Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) researcher Md Nahiyan Shajid Khan, along with student leaders Ahsan Zonaed, Rafi Salman Rifat, and Md Reaz Hossain.

Condemning the recent eviction drive of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Ghorashal area of Palash upazila in Narsingdi, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan has said that exploiting the poor can never be the rule of law in a democratic country. “During the drive, 300 shops were demolished, after failing to realise bribes from small traders and shopkeepers. The act of BIWTA not only destroyed their means of earning an honest livelihood but also pushed them towards starvation which is deeply heartbreaking,” he said. Dr Moyeen Khan came up with the remarks after visiting the affected area at Saddam Bazar in Palash upazila of Narsingdi district on Sunday. Condemning the incident, he said, "The people of the country will now think that we ousted an autocracy to establish democracy, to ensure people's rights. But even during the tenure of this government, the ghost of Awami League's autocratic past within BIWTA has oppressed innocent people in Ghorashal area. This is even more shameful than the acts of autocracy." Over the past 15 years, BIWTA has engaged in corruption by extracting sand worth thousands crores of taka from the country's wetlands and rivers. Those discovering 'Ziaism' have bad intentions: Amir Khosru “BIWTA wants to enforce the law on the poor in Palash and Ghorashal areas. What law is this? Exploiting the poor cannot be the rule of law of any democratic country,” said the BNP leader. Claiming that BIWTA's corruption has been exposed, Moyeen said “Bangladesh has achieved its second independence. Corruption and injustice will no longer prevail here.” Issuing a warning, the BNP leader said the allies of the fallen Awami autocracy are carrying out conspiring to discredit the interim government. He also alleged that the "ghosts" of a fallen regime, within the government, have inflicted oppression on the impoverished residents of Ghorashal in Palash. He said the corrupt officials of the BIWTA have misappropriated thousands of crores of money through sand-related corruption over the past 15 years. "Now, they come under the guise of law. What law is this? Is there any law in the world that permits exploiting the poor? These innocent people were unlawfully evicted simply because they couldn’t pay bribes.” Rizvi compares call for reforms before elections to AL putting development before democracy Dr. Moyeen Khan warned that such actions would deepen the crisis for the current government. He also urged the authorities concerned to provide compensation to the affected people soon.

BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Saturday urged politicians to take lessons from the downfall of autocratic rulers like Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent escape. “The students and the masses brought about a positive change in Bangladesh's politics through the revolution, ending the one-and-a-half-decade-long autocratic rule,” he said at a civic reception. The people of Morrelganj Upazila organised the event at the Morrelganj Azizia Secondary School ground to honour BNP Central Committee Education Affairs Secretary Prof ABM Obaidul Islam for his appointment as Vice Chancellor of the Open University. Dr Moyeen, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, said autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina and many Awami League leaders were forced to flee the country in the face of the student-led mass revolution. BNP expels Lalbagh Ward leader over extortion “We must realise why they (autocrats) had to flee the country and take a lesson from it,” the BNP leader said, pointing at the political parties. He said an interim government was established in Bangladesh as students, alongside the masses, paved the way for it by sacrificing their lives. Dr Moyeen said the interim government has been working to transform Bangladesh into a liberal democratic country. “I want to remind everyone that if you wish to secure the country's interests, you must sacrifice your own. I won’t be able to protect the country’s interests if I focus on personal gains. He also said it is essential for all to accept that the new generation and the students are the future of the nation. “The students took to the streets, leaving their classrooms, to protest against injustice, and they succeeded in their struggle.” Dr Moyeen urged the students to now return to their classrooms to complete their unfinished studies. “They will undoubtedly lead the country in the future and become leaders, ministers, MPs, Prime Ministers, and Presidents.” Political parties talk about democracy but fail to practise: Fakhrul He acknowledged that it is an undeniable fact that the students will form political parties, but they must first develop the qualities required to lead the country. The BNP leader also claimed that BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has been working to nurture new leadership from the younger generation. Dr Moyeen observed that a country like Bangladesh must prioritise education above all else in order to achieve true development.

Stating that the new generation is eagerly waiting to exercise their right to vote, BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Wednesday hoped that people will get back their ownership of the country soon through a credible and impartial election. “The new generation has not had the chance to vote (for a long time). They’re eager to cast their ballots. It is our moral duty to provide them with the opportunity to do so,” he said while speaking to reporters at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman. BNP’s Moyeen Khan meets Chinese envoy Dr Moyeen, a BNP standing committee member, along with leaders and workers of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, paid homage to Zia by placing wreaths at his grave, marking the 46th founding anniversary of the BNP student body. He said reforms will continue and it will not be halted for arranging the election. “We believe that the most important reforms will be carried out, and preparations for the election will proceed through coordination. The (ownership of the country) will be returned to the people as soon as possible through a fair and neutral election.” The BNP leader said their party has been consistently working to ensure essential reforms in administration, the police and the Election Commission. “Reform is an ongoing process. Human civilisation has evolved through reforms, and they will never end. So, it’s not a meaningful question whether reforms should come first and election later, or election first and reforms later. Reforms will continue at all times, while elections will be held after every five years,” he said. Hold another long march to intensify demand for right to river water: Dr. Moyeen Khan Dr Moyeen said the common people, all democratic parties, and student bodies, including Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, participated in the July-August movement led by students to restore democracy, protect people’s democratic and voting rights and establish a government of the people through free and fair elections. “We look to the new generation, as they will lead the country in the future. It’s a natural progression. We have confidence in them that they will return to their classes to complete their studies, be well-educated, and be prepared to play a significant role in running the country, pursuing the path of right, fairness and truth, with people’s votes,” the BNP leader said. He accused the Awami League’s autocratic regime of destroying democracy, stripping people of their freedom of expression, and denying their voting rights by turning Bangladesh into a fascist state over the past 15 years. Dr Moyeen said their party had carried out a long struggle against injustice and autocracy to restore democracy in Bangladesh. He recalled how their party's rally on October 28, 2023 at Nayapaltan was foiled by the Sheikh Hasina-led despotic regime by establishing a reign of terror. The BNP leader said the country was finally freed from autocratic rule on August 5, 2024, as Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh like a coward in the face of the student-led movement in July and August. He also said students have played a pivotal role in all democratic and rights movements throughout the nation’s history, including the Liberation War, since the 1952 Language Movement.  

BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan held a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Sunday. The meeting took place at the Chinese Embassy in Baridhara in the morning, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He said the discussions focused on Bangladesh’s current political situation, as well as the future development and cooperation between Bangladesh and China. People deserve to know state reform timeline: Tarique Rahman “Given BNP’s inevitable role in the country’s future political landscape, the issues of future development cooperation between China and Bangladesh were central to the talks,” he said. Recalling that diplomatic relations with China were established during the leadership of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman,  Sayrul said Dr Moyeen expressed the hope that the bilateral relations will reach a new height if a democratic government is formed through fair and impartial elections in the future.

BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Monday urged students and the mass people to put up a strong resistance to prevent the resurgence of the Awami League and its associates. "The fascist face of the Awami League that has been exposed must remain unveiled and its cohorts must be prevented from gaining control over the government or rising again. To thwart this, the freedom-loving students and the masses must remain vigilant, united, and resolute in resisting any such attempts." Dr Moyeen made the remarks while inaugurating a financial support and rehabilitation programme for the students injured during the July-August revolution at the National Ophthalmology Hospital in Agargaon, Dhaka. BNP leaders accuse AL of using Trump’s image for political comeback He said the BNP and other parties played a crucial role through a long movement in creating a ground for the ousting of the Awami League's autocratic regime. "Subsequently, students and the masses joined the movement, and in the face of this popular uprising, the Awami regime was not only defeated but also fled the country like cowards," the BNP leader said. He said the fall of the Awami League regime had proven that truth and justice ultimately triumph over injustice, repression, and suppression. Dr Moyeen, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, said the first phase of the student-led mass movement was the formation of the interim government and their swearing in. "The second phase is securing a fair election, which we have yet to achieve. BNP firmly believes in a fair and impartial election. Once that is held, and a truly people’s representatives take charge of the country through the people's vote, the success of this movement will be realised," he added. Later, Dr Moyeen visited patients who had sustained various injuries during the movement at the hospital and provided financial assistance to 51 of them.