United News of Bangladesh

Calling Awami League (AL) a terrorist organisation, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam on Monday demanded that the registration of the party (AL) be cancelled. Speaking virtually at an iftar event organised by the party’s Narayanganj district unit, Nahid, a former adviser to the interim government, said his party will resist if any effort is made to rehabilitate the AL again, alleging that some quarters are trying to rehabilitate it. Even before the past 15 years, the AL also had established fascism earlier and you (party fellows) know how much oppressions had been carried by the party on people, he said. Recalling the role of the Narayanganj people in the July uprising, he said the NCP was launched with new political aspirations, and it aims to build the country afresh in continuation with the July uprising. Nahid calls for consensus to end ‘Mujibbadi’ politics in Bangladesh Seeking support from people to build a new Bangladesh, Nahid said they have been demanding justice of the mass killers, structural reforms of the country and elections to the Constituent Assembly. He said ensuring visible judgment of the AL for the fascism before the next election is one of the main demands of the NCP. If the trial of AL fascists is not ensured after the mass uprising, then it is not certain that the country will not see another fascism, Nahid said. Expressing his party’s firm stance on the reforms and changes, he alleged that some parties are going back to the past’s arrangements and expressing reluctance to the reforms. “New Bangladesh is not possible with the old constitution as the constitution we have requires the election of a Constituent Assembly,” he observed. Simultaneous legislative and constituent assembly elections possible: Nahid Urging leaders and workers to stand against extortion and supremacy, Nahid expressed his desire to stand by fellows to sort out their problems.

National Citizens' Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam on Saturday said that elections would be ineffective without prior reforms, stressing the need for constitutional amendments through a Constituent Assembly for sustainable change. “We have discussed reforms and reiterated our stance on constitutional amendments. We believe that any fundamental changes to the constitution must be undertaken through a Constituent Assembly; otherwise, such reforms will not be sustainable,” he told journalists following a roundtable discussion on reform proposals. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, representatives from political parties, the National Consensus Commission and other stakeholders attended the dialogue.  In response to a question, Nahid said, “Though we view elections as part of the reform process, elections will serve no purpose without reforms.”  He emphasised that the NCP’s position on reforms is rooted in post-uprising circumstances under which the government was formed. Reforms: Guterres holds talks with political leaders, Consensus Building Commission "Reforms and justice are among its key commitments to the people. Therefore, fundamental reforms must be initiated during this government's tenure, and all political parties must reach a consensus—something that is being referred to as the ‘July Charter’,” he said.  Highlighting the need for a Constituent Assembly election, Nahid said that the upcoming national election should also include elections for a legislative body and the assembly. He also stressed the importance of ensuring justice and expressed appreciation for the UN’s role in supporting Bangladesh’s reform process, particularly in the aftermath of the July uprising.  Nahid reiterated that the NCP has called for the swift implementation of the July Charter and insisted that constitutional reforms should be carried out through a Constituent Assembly. “Amending the constitution solely through Parliament will not be sustainable,” he noted.  Nahid Islam said, “We have conveyed our party’s position. The UN Secretary-General, from his standpoint, has encouraged Bangladesh’s political parties and the government to reach a consensus and uphold the true essence of democracy by working together in unity.”

Leaders of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) on Tuesday paid tribute to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Martyrs Mausoleum in Savar, pledging to rebuild Bangladesh with the spirit of the July uprising. Party Convener Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Aktar Hossain led the delegation as they honoured the martyrs and observed a one-minute silence at the mausoleum. Fight for ‘constituent assembly’ election to establish ‘second republic’: Nahid Speaking to the media, Nahid, a former adviser to the interim government, said, “We will rebuild Bangladesh with the July spirit. Our independence was achieved through the Liberation War, but true sovereignty has remained under threat due to fascism. Now, the youth must take charge and reshape the state.” He emphasised the need for a new democratic republic, stating that the country's institutions had collapsed time and again. “A democratic constitution must be established to ensure the people's rights,” he added. Nahid also urged the nation to remain vigilant, calling for justice over the events of the July uprising. “We must prosecute those responsible and say goodbye to fascism once and for all,” he said. Jatiya Nagorik Party led by Nahid Islam launched Later, the NCP leaders visited Rayer Bazar in Dhaka to pay homage to the martyrs of the July uprising. A large number of party leaders and activists gathered at both venues to express their commitment to the movement and the ideals of a new Bangladesh.

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam has stated that the government will assist in the production of a documentary on the July Uprising. Speaking at the closing ceremony of a training course on Content Creation, Screenplay, and Visual Production Techniques at the National Media Institute of Bangladesh in Dhaka on Monday, Adviser Nahid Islam made this announcement. Emphasizing the importance of preserving video footage of the July Uprising, the Adviser said, "It is our collective responsibility to preserve the history of this uprising. We must channel the spirit of the July Uprising into our creative work." Drawing a comparison between the July Uprising and a revolution, the Adviser noted that while the uprising bears stories of the fascist ruler's brutality, it also highlights the courage of students and the public. July Uprising Directorate by next month: Adviser Nahid Islam He emphasized the need to bring the stories of the students' bravery to the forefront. The Adviser also thanked the trainees and course administration for their efforts in creating video content on the July Uprising and urged the trainees to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their work. The event was chaired by the Director General of the National Media Institute, Suhfi Zakir Hossain. Other notable speakers included the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Mahbuba Farzana; Course Director Dr. Md. Maruf Nawaz; and the Convener of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's Search Committee, Md. Al Amin Rakib Tonoy. At the conclusion of the event, Adviser Nahid Islam distributed certificates to the trainees.

A new directorate dedicated to the July Uprising will be set up next month under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, said Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mohammad Nahid Islam Addressing a press briefing at the Rail Bhaban in the capital on Monday, Adviser Nahid Islam outlined the scope of the July Uprising Directorate, saying that it will focus on providing assistance to the families of martyrs, rehabilitating the injured and addressing all matters related to the uprising. On the financial assistance for the martyrs and the wounded, he explained that the government will allocate a total of 637 crore 80 lakh Tk over time for the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs. Over Tk 637 crore allocated for families of July-August uprising victims: Nahid Starting next week, a distribution process will begin to provide 232 crore 60 lakh Tk to the families of martyrs and those who were injured in the uprising. Each martyr's family will receive a fixed sum of 10 lakh Tk in savings bonds from this allocation. The remaining 405 crore 20 lakh Tk will be provided in July 2025 for the fiscal year 2025-2026. From this fund, each martyr’s family will be given 20 lakh Tk. Besides, injured individuals will receive financial support in various categories based on the severity of their injuries. Starting from July, a monthly allowance will also be granted to those severely injured during the uprising.

Advisers Md Nahid Islam and Md Mahfuj Alam on Sunday said that consensus based institutional reform can sow the seed of true and sustainable democracy in Bangladesh and that in turn will save the future of democracy in Bangladesh.   They expressed this view in response to a question raised during the first session of a series of ‘Foreign Policy Dialogue’ themed ‘Building a New Bangladesh – Reforms and Foreign Policy’, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   Adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications Information Technology Nahid Islam and Adviser to the government Mahfuj Alam participated in the dialogue while Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin moderated the event.   At the beginning, a minute’s silence was observed for the martyrs of the July-August revolution and the event screened a special short documentary on the events of July-August 2024.   Praising the fearless roles of the young Advisers, Foreign Secretary remarked that the youth has again proved that they can take the leadership role at any critical juncture of the country’s history. India unlikely to extradite Hasina, says Adviser Mahfuj Mentioning the reform initiatives taken by the interim government, he engaged in an interactive dialogue with the Advisers and sought their views on foreign policy, reform, mass uprising and the future of Bangladesh.   An engaging question-answer session followed where young officers of the Ministry took the opportunity to ask the Advisers candid questions and get answers on the episode that turned the history pages of Bangladesh into a new chapter.   In response to a question, both the Advisers agreed that for the implementation of a robust foreign policy for making Bangladesh an important player in the international arena, support will be extended to the initiatives for enabling the Foreign Ministry to take the leading role in foreign policy issues.

In celebration of the Victory Day, the Chief Adviser to the Interim Government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has unveiled a commemorative postage stamp worth Tk10. Along with the stamp, he also released an inaugural envelope valued at Tk10 and a data card priced at Tk 5. The unveiling ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon at the State Guesthouse Jamuna, where the Chief Adviser made the release. Bangladesh set to celebrate Victory Day Monday The event was attended by the Adviser for Posts and Telecommunications, Md. Nahid Islam, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, M. Sirajuddin Mia, Secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division Dr. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, and the Additional Director General of the Department of Post S. M. Shahabuddin. During the ceremony, Adviser Nahid Islam presented the Chief Adviser with a commemorative mail box and a book titled "Natural Beauty and Wildlife."

Journalists directly linked to the deposed 'fascist' government and those who incited and supported the recent genocide will be brought to justice, said Nahid Islam, adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, on Sunday. He emphasized that if any cases are filed unfairly against individuals, a committee has been established within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to investigate such claims. He made these statements while distributing donation checks to those injured during recent protests at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Nahid Islam noted, "Financial assistance is being provided to those injured and to the families of those who lost their lives during the mass uprising through the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation." When asked about medical treatment for the injured abroad, he assured, "Necessary measures will be taken based on the recommendations of the relevant doctors." Mahmudur Rahman urges interim govt to keep spirit of July revolution alive Regarding the cases against journalists, he stated, "Those affiliated with the fascist government who instigated and supported genocide will face justice." He added, "If any journalist or their family feels they are being wronged by legal actions, we encourage them to reach out to us for support." Discussing the legal proceedings for the injured and deceased, he mentioned, "A legal team is currently working on this, and we will ensure these cases are resolved in the Special Tribunal. The individuals who were martyred and injured during the uprising are the heroes of our nation, and we honor the sacrifices made by leaders and activists from various parties." He urged, "Let us not divide the martyrs and the injured based on party lines or political banners. We should refrain from exploiting their sacrifices for political gain." Nahid Islam also confirmed that expenses for those who received treatment at different locations before arriving in Dhaka Medical would be covered as well. July Shaheed Smrity Foundation supports victim's father in returning to South Africa Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho, secretary of the foundation, presented an account of donations to the injured from the July Foundation before journalists. He announced that a total of 122 individuals have received a total of Tk 1,22,64, 400, amounting to Tk 1 lakh each. Among these, 23 out of the 30 individuals currently receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College were issued checks for Tk1 lakh each. The remaining 7 individuals received their payments via BKash. Additionally, funds have been provided through BKash for 33 individuals being treated at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and 59 individuals at the National Orthopedic Hospital and Rehabilitation Institute (Pangu Hospital). In total, the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation has donated Tk 1,71, 42, 050 to 176 injured individuals so far.  

The six coordinators of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement who were taken into DB custody have been released. The six coordinators were freed from DB custody around 1:30 pm on Thursday. Rifat Rashid, one of the coordinators, confirmed their release in a Facebook post. Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters at the secretariat today that the quota protest coordinators left DB office this afternoon. "It is also true that they had sought security from us. A GD was also filed in this regard. Now they say they don't need security anymore, when they expressed their desire to leave, we did not obstruct them. They have gone. “ The DB took six key coordinators-Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, Abu Bakar Mojumdar, Sarjess Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Nusrat Tabassum- into custody on July 27,28 and 29. On Sunday afternoon, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner Harun or Rashid, who was transferred from DB on Wednesday, said the coordinators were detained for "security reasons." UN experts are welcome to probe every incident of quota violence: PM Hasina   In a video message released while under police custody, Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the quota reform movement, announced the withdrawal of their protest programme on Sunday night. Coordinators not under police custody moved quickly to assure the movement's supporters that this was to be expected, and they agreed beforehand to reject or disregard any statement they or their fellow coordinators made while under police custody. Effectively accused was coerced into making this statement under duress. Later, a photo of the coordinators at a dining table was posted on Harunur Rashid's Facebook page, followed shortly by the release of Nahid Islam’s video message. Hearing on writ petition seeking quota coordinators release not held Despite this announcement, other coordinator of the quota movement from different universities including Dhaka University issued statements vowing to continue their protests until their nine-point demands are met.