The incumbent Members of Parliament who want to run as independent candidates do not need to resign from their positions, the Election Commission (EC) said on Wednesday. Nomination submission deadline looms at EC The EC clarified the issue in a press release on Wednesday after Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana said current MPs who want to run as independent candidates must step down from their current positions - a statement that created confusion in political arena. Now CEC says election can be rescheduled if BNP decides to join Independent candidates must submit their nomination papers along with a list of signatures from 1% of the total voters in their constituencies, said the release. However, if they have been a Member of Parliament before, they do not need to submit this list, said the release. 7 inc. Law Minister seek AL nomination from Brahmanbaria-4 constituency

Shahjahan Mia, MP of Patuakhali-1 constituency and also president of Patuakhali district unit Awami League, passed away at hospital in the capital on Saturday. He was 85. Brahmanbaria-2 MP Ukil Abdus Sattar dies at 84 Shahjahan Mia, Shahjahan Mia, former state minister for religious affairs, had been undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and breathed his last at 6 am, said his son Advocate Tariquzzaman Mony. He left behind his wife, three sons, one daughter and a host of relatives to mourn his death. DL general secretary Saifuddin Ahmed Moni dies The first namaz-e-janaza of  the three-time MP will be held at Sangshad Bhaban at 3 pm. He will be buried at Patuakhali municipality graveyard following second-namaz-e-janaza at Russel Square Balur Math in Patuakhali on Sunday. Poet Asad Chowdhury no more

Sangsad Bhaban, Apr 9 (UNB) - Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid today said politics has now become “a profession”, which used to be about passion. “Earlier, politics was about passion, and now it has become a profession,” he said while participating in the discussion on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's proposal raised under Rule 147 on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Jatiya Sangsad. He said that if anyone learns that a groom belongs to the ruling party, “they say Alhamdulillah.” Firoz Rashid said that politics is the only way to change the lives of the countrymen. “Now it has become a profession. Earlier, politics was about passion and people put their lives at risk,” he added. Read More: No one is starving in Bangladesh, people don’t want panta rice any more: AL MP Chumki During the Pakistan era, he recalled, if a man was involved in politics, he did not get married as he would not get any job. Firoz Rashid claimed that the parliament has many achievements along with weaknesses.  “Till date, it is not able to form a commission (on Bangabandhu's murder)… Because there was a major conspiracy behind the assassination of Bangabandhu. Dalim, Farooq, Rashid went and did it… it did not happen just like that. There was a conspiracy behind it, you didn't figure it out.” Pointing to Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and Jasad President Hasanul Haque Inu, the Jatiya Party lawmaker said that the names of extreme left and extreme right politicians cannot be uttered.  Read More: Inu proposes formation of parliamentary body to review constitution “Because all have boarded the boat. You (Awami League) will ride the boat. You are the captain of the boat. They are on the boat and asking ‘how far?’,” he said. Firoz Rashid said that the nation is now divided into two parts.  “There is no neutral person. Teachers, doctors, intellectuals, journalists are all divided. The entire country is now divided into two parts,” he said. He also claimed that businessmen belonging to BNP got the most business during this period. Read More: Bringing any party to election is not govt’s responsibility: Info Minister

Ruling Awami League MP Meher Afroz Chumki today (April 09, 2023) said no one in Bangladesh is now starving. “People of the country do not want panta rice any more, they don’t go door to door and beg,” she said. The MP said this during a discussion on the 50th anniversary of the National Parliament. Chumki said that poverty has disappeared from Bangladesh.  Read More: Poverty forces Thakurgaon day-labourer to put 7-month-old baby girl up for sale  “We don't deny that prices have been going up. People are suffering all over the world. They are spending money after a lot of consideration. But is there any person in Bangladesh without food? We can proudly say that the people of Bangladesh are not going without food. People do not want panta rice any more, today they want good food and clothes.  The country is self-sufficient today,” she said. Saying that Sheikh Hasina is one of the top global leaders in women's empowerment, Chumki added that the prime minister has appeared for question and answer in parliament for bringing accountability. Expressing determination to move forward while facing conspiracy, Chumki said this is not 1975, this is 2023. “Country is on track to become Smart Bangladesh in 2041. No one can get away with conspiracy here. We will move forward.”  “Why do we need to seek votes? Because, after killing Bangabandhu, a generation grew up in Bangladesh with wrong and distorted history. They do not know the history of Bangabandhu, they do not know the history of this country,” she said. Read More: Bangladesh Poverty Watch Report 2022 launched; regular monitoring of progress emphasized She mentioned that some intellectuals have forgotten that on the eve of victory, intellectuals were killed by the Pakistani army and their collaborators so that this country fails to move forward.  The ruling party MP said that with “false information and exploiting a child by paying him just Tk 10, a section of people have mocked the independence of the country.”

Six newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) took oath at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday.  Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Jatiya Party) from Thakurgaon-3, AKM Rezaul Karim Tansen (JSD) from Bogura-4, Ragebul Ahsan (Awami League) from Bogura-6, Md Ziaur Rahman (AL) from Chapainawabganj-2, Md Abdul Wadud (AL) from Chapainawabganj-3 and Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan (independent) from Brahmanbaria-2 were elected in by-polls held on February 1. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oath-taking ceremony at the Jatiya Sangsad, according to a press release from the Parliament Secretariat.  KM Abdus Salam, secretary of the Parliament  Secretariat, conducted the oath-taking ceremony. Chief Whip of Parliament Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury and Whip Iqbalur Rahim were present om the occasion.  Finally, the MPs signed the oath book as per custom.    

Moslem Uddin Ahmed, a valiant freedom fighter and Awami League MP from Chittagong-8 constituency, died at a hospital in the capital early Monday. He was 75. Moslem Uddin , also president of Chittagong South Awami League, breathed his last at Evercare Hospital around 12:30 am. He left behind wife, four daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of the ruling party lawmaker. In a condolence message, the prime minister said that "Bangladesh Awami League has lost a dedicated leader in the death of Moslem Uddin." The AL MP had been suffering from cancer for the past two years. After the death of former Chittagong-8 Constituency MP and Jasad leader Moinuddin Khan Badal, he was elected MP of Awami League on January 13, 2020 in the vacant seat. Read more: PM mourns death of AL lawmaker Moslem Uddin Ahmad Bangladesh Awami League relief and social welfare secretary Aminul Islam Amin, Chittagong Metropolitan Awami League acting president Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury and general secretary, also former mayor of Chittagong City Corporation AJM Nashir Uddin, Chittagong north Awami League president MA Salam and general secretary Ataur Rahman, Chittagong south district Awami League General Secretary Mofizur Rahman expressed deep shock at the death of the MP. He was elected Vice President of Government Commerce College in 1969 and participated in the Great Liberation War responding to the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. From 1970 to 1982, he performed various important duties in Chittagong city and district Chhatra League. He served as General Secretary of Chittagong South District Awami League from 2005 to 2013 and President of Chittagong South District Awami League from 2013 until his death.

Ruling Awami League MP elected from Thakurgaon-2 Constituency M Dabirul Islam on Thursday alleged that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNOs) are running their areas where the MPs are remaining neglected. He made the complaint that the attitude of the government officials is that the country became independent by fighting on their words and the people's representatives are uninvited people. Dabirul Islam made these allegations while participating in the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President's speech. He said that currently the public representatives cannot even give a blanket from the relief fund which is a government relief. "We (MPs) are at the mercy of UNOs and government officials." Read more: Stay away from corruption, serve people, President asks DCs The AL MP said: “Currently the bureaucracy... I don't know how it is in other areas. In my district and in my area, I have seen UNO saheeb doing everything. The idea is that the country was liberated by fighting on their words. We are strangers to them.” He claimed that the situation is not very different in other areas. “There are many in this Parliament whose areas are ruled by government officials. We are just elected. They are the owners of the real power.”

Speaking in parliament, Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu on Sunday placed a question for Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on whether news published in different media recently about overseas property  and assets owned by Bangladeshis, including MPs, is true or false. He also demanded that the government investigate these matters. Chunnu was speaking on a point of order. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, however, was not present in the house. Chunnu said news was published that the WASA MD owns 23 houses in USA. Such questions are coming about two members of parliament as well. "I request the finance minister to tell us whether all these news are true or not. Because our foreign minister said earlier that there are many bureaucrats among those who are making their homes in Begum Para in Canada. There should be an inquiry into all these things. These allegations should be resolved,” Chunnu said. Also read: JP’s Rustum Ali Faraji blasts Finance Minister for his silence on state of economy Urging the finance minister to open his mouth on these issues, Chunnu said that different media are publishing such news ahead of the next election which is tarnishing the image of the government as well as their (JP's) image as the opposition party.  The JP MP said such news is sending the wrong message among the people of the country that MPs and ministers earn hundreds of crores of taka and making houses in From in home and abroad. He said the finance minister should open his mouth about this. The Finance Ministry along with the Bangladesh Bank should conduct an investigation and make a clear statement on the matter, he added.    

Former minister and member parliament ABM Ghulam Mostafa died Saturday. He was 88. Ghulam Mostafa, also former secretary to the government, died at home after suffering health problems from old age. His namaz-e janaza will be held at Gulshan Central Masjid (Azad Mosque) Sunday after Asr prayers. Read more: Sajeda Chowdhury’s death is a great loss, PM tells JS

The High Court on Tuesday (November 01, 2022) issued a rule questioning why the authorities’ failure and inaction to free a house from Awami League MP Abdus Salam Murshedy’s illegal occupation will not be declared illegal.  It also directed the authorities concerned to submit all documents regarding allotment of the abandoned house in the capital’s Gulshan to Awami League MP Abdus Salam Murshedy.  Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) chairman, Housing and Public Works secretary and Khulna-4 constituency MP Murshedy have been asked to submit the documents within 10 days in affidavit form.  Read more: Salam Murshedy elected MP uncontested The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat came up with the directive during a hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard in the public interest.   The court has fixed November 13, for the next hearing. Petitioner Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman said the abandoned house in Gulshan is the property of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works but the Khulna-4 MP illegally occupied it with the help of Rajuk.  Read more: Defaming PM: HC grants bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader On October 30, the SC lawyer submitted the writ petition seeking an investigation into it.  According to the petition, house no 29 of road 104 at Gulshan- 2 was enlisted as abandoned by the government in 1986.   Three letters sent to Rajuk by the Housing and Public Works Ministry in 2015 and 2016 seeking an explanation for the illegal occupation of the house by Murshedy were attached to the petition.  Read More: Defaming PM: HC grants bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader As RAJUK chairman didn’t respond to the letters the writ petition was filed challenging the authority’s inaction against the occupation of the abandoned house by AL MP Murshedy.