United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday defended the government’s decision to raise fuel prices and acknowledged that the hike is causing and will continue to cause hardship for people. “The move is causing and will cause hardship for people but the government has to maintain a balance between spending on fuel subsidies and other sectors including social safety-net programmes, healthcare and education,” he said while responding to questions from journalists at a press briefing held at the Secretariat on the progress of various government activities. Global oil prices has declined slightly over the past few days but the international market remains unstable, with the possibility of further increases ahead, said the adviser. “Crude oil prices have fallen by two or three percent over the last two or three days. It is still above $100 per barrel. It has come down somewhat, but there is actually little possibility that this will be sustained,” he added. Pointing to the Middle East crisis, the adviser said the risk of disruptions to key shipping routes, possible disruptions to Saudi Arabia’s oil exports and attacks on oil facilities linked to the Russia-Ukraine war as factors that could further destabilise the global fuel market. The government could not spend heavily on fuel subsidies while simultaneously allocating large amounts to social protection, healthcare and education, he said. “One of the very important tasks of a government is spending on the welfare sector. We want to spend on social safety, healthcare and education at the same time. But if we try to do everything together, it becomes difficult,” he said. The adviser also highlighted the pressure of subsidies in the gas and electricity sectors. He said around Tk 48,000 crore were allocated for subsidies in the current fiscal year, but nearly half of that amount has already been spent within two and a half months. “If you continue providing subsidies for gas and electricity at this rate, by the end of the year it will stand at Tk 1.25 lakh crore to Tk 1.5 lakh crore,” he said. Zahed acknowledged that higher diesel prices would increase transportation costs, saying the government would try to ensure that transport fares are adjusted by a reasonable amount. He also said initiatives are being taken to expand food assistance, Open Market Sale (OMS) programmes and Family Card programmes for low-income and vulnerable people. Regarding the price increases for petrol and octane, he said domestic production from condensate was insufficient to meet the country’s total demand and so petrol and octane also have to be produced from imported crude oil. He said there was also a policy rationale for keeping petrol and octane prices relatively higher, as these fuels are used more by comparatively affluent consumers. Fuel price hike not due to IMF condition Asked whether the fuel price increase was linked to any specific condition imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Zahed said there was no such condition. “No, there is actually no such condition. The basic rule of the IMF is that it does not want a government to provide excessive subsidies,” he said. He said the government is considering reducing large subsidies for fuel, gas and electricity based on economic realities rather than any specific IMF condition. Adviser explains public servants' pay hike Responding to questions about the decision to increase government employees’ salaries amid pressure from fuel subsidies, Zahed said the last pay scale was implemented in 2015 and has not been revised for around a decade. “The last pay scale was in 2015, if I am not mistaken. Ten or 11 years have passed since then, and inflation has been around 10 percent, more or less, grossly. So think about the fact that it has not been revised during this period,” he said. He said the decision was to implement the recommendations of the pay commission gradually rather than all at once, describing it as part of the government’s effort to balance resource allocation among various priorities. PM's trip shortened for cost-cutting, domestic situation The adviser said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s current foreign trip was shortened to reduce expenses and in view of the country’s domestic situation. “A shorter trip is more cost-effective than a long trip. You will notice that he has gone with a very small delegation. At the same time, the country is going through various kinds of crises. So staying in the country is certainly a better priority for him at this moment,” he said. He also said they are  not yet aware of any plan for a bilateral meeting between the prime minister and US President Donald Trump during the trip.  

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday described Awami League as a “mafia gang,” saying the attack on actress Azmeri Haque Badhan has once again raised questions about whether the party should be allowed to engage in politics in Bangladesh.  “We have seen the video of the attack on Azmeri Haque Badhan. Those who carried out the attack also recorded and published videos of it,” he said while responding to questions from reporters at a press briefing at the Secretariat on the progress of various government activities. Referring to the attack, Zahed said the process for taking legal action against those responsible has already begun. “We certainly will not let this go. It cannot be overlooked in any way.” On the Awami League, he said there have been extensive discussions over whether it should be considered a political party. “I do not consider the Awami League a political party. It is a mafia gang,” he said.  “If you have even the slightest remorse for what you have done, and if you have any intention of returning to politics, these acts of violence would not have happened. They would not have happened in any way,” he said. The adviser also described the attack on Badhan as a kind of “achievement” and “honour” for the actress, saying it showed that she has been on the right path. Addressing Badhan, he said, “Being harassed by the Awami League, being victimised by a mafia gang, proves that you are actually on the right path.” Referring to Badhan identifying herself as a “July fighter” during a Facebook Live session, Zayed said, “Yes, I am.” He added that many others shared the same position and could also face attacks. “But we don’t care. Not at all,” he said.  

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday expressed hope that the ongoing load shedding across the country will reduce significantly within a very short period. “The burden of load shedding caused by the ongoing power crisis is now being shared relatively evenly between urban and rural areas,” he said at a press briefing on the progress of various government activities at Secretariat. Zahed said Dhaka residents have recently been experiencing load shedding at a level that was comparatively uncommon in the capital in the past. “Earlier, electricity supply was ensured in Dhaka while more load shedding was imposed in rural areas. But the current government has decided that the burden of the crisis should be shared by everyone,” he said. “Electricity should be supplied more to a large city not because powerful people live there but because economic activities are concentrated there. So, there is a policy tendency in that direction. But since the government has decided that everyone will share the load shedding, we are now seeing load shedding in Dhaka as well,” he added. The adviser said the government will also publish data showing the actual extent of load shedding during the Awami League government and the interim government, despite their claims of providing uninterrupted power supply during those periods. “Please look into it. Hopefully, I will provide you with that data next week. I am working on it — how much load shedding there actually was at that time and how many megawatts of load shedding occurred,” he said. He claimed that a large portion of the load shedding during those periods were imposed on rural and remote areas. “We have moved away from that approach. We hope people will understand this,” Zahed said. Explaining the reasons behind the current power shortage, he cited fuel shortages, sudden mechanical faults at power plants, maintenance work, limitations in the transmission grid and rapidly rising electricity demand. He said economic activities tend to increase after a democratic government assumes office, resulting in additional demand for electricity. “During the interim government’s tenure, this demand was comparatively lower,” he said. Zahed said load shedding is being adjusted in areas under Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) to keep load shedding in rural areas at a tolerable level and prevent prolonged outages in any particular area. He said the electricity saved through such adjustments is being redistributed to rural areas and other parts of the country. As a result, he said, the power supply situation for important consumer groups including industries outside Dhaka is improving. At the same time, the pressure of prolonged and frequent load shedding in rural areas is declining, making it possible to distribute the burden of load shedding more evenly across the country, he said.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would be provided full security if she returns to Bangladesh to face the judicial process, said Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday. Adviser Zahed came up with the remarks while responding to a question at a press briefing on the progress of various government activities at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) at Secretariat. Describing cricketer Shakib Al Hasan as a “rotten and decayed person,” Dr. Zahed said the government will ensure his full security if he returns to Bangladesh to face the legal proceedings against him.  “He may be a good player, but he is a rotten and decayed person. A person who aligned himself with Hasina and is still aligned with her; even after the 5th, statements from him came,” he said. Shakib recently told Reuters in an interview that he wanted to return to Bangladesh and face the cases filed against him if he was assured of security. Asked about the government’s position on the matter, Zahed said there was no reason for Shakib to feel insecure if he returns to the country. Referring to Shakib’s demand for security as an attempt to put pressure on the government, the adviser said “He will come to Bangladesh to face the cases, the law and the trial. If he lands at the airport, will people mob him and do something to him? Does he think that? Do any of us think that? No way,” he said. “He will come and under the security provided to him, face whatever allegations he has and comply with all the legal matters involved. If he comes accepting all that, I see no problem,” he said. The adviser also termed Shakib’s remarks as “propaganda” against the government. “Each of these statements is actually propaganda against our government,” he said.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday said the government has been trying from the very beginning to bring former prime minister Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh to ensure justice and has formally requested India to extradite her. "We have been trying to bring her back. If she returns, we will welcome her because we want to ensure justice," he said while responding to questions from journalists at the weekly briefing on the government's activities at Secretariat. Responding to another question he said the restriction on broadcasting Hasina's statements in the media is not a policy decision of the government but an order issued by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which the government is constitutionally bound to implement. He said the government has been making efforts to extradite her and believes the judicial process should determine her fate. "She has been sentenced to death. If we can bring her back through extradition, that is exactly what we are trying to do," he said. If she returns through mutual communication between the two countries, she will face the cases pending against her, said Dr Zahed. The adviser said Sheikh Hasina would have every opportunity to defend herself through a transparent judicial process. "There is now scope for engaging foreign lawyers in the International Crimes Tribunal. She may appoint the best lawyers in the world to defend her. International observers can monitor the proceedings, video recording facilities are available," he said. Zahed said as many people in the country expect the death sentence against Sheikh Hasina to be upheld and carried out the government remains committed to allowing the court to decide the matter independently. “We believe she has caused immense damage to the state, yet we still want her to receive justice through due process," he said. Responding to a question on whether Sheikh Hasina's return could create geopolitical complications, Dr. Zahed said he did not believe the issue carried significant geopolitical implications. He also claimed that Sheikh Hasina no longer has a political future in Bangladesh. He further noted that the current government, like the previous interim government  has formally requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, saying there was no reason for the government to feel pressured if she returned. "Yesterday the State Minister for Foreign Affairs said this government has also sought Sheikh Hasina's extradition from India. Therefore, there is no question of any pressure regarding this issue," he said. Asked how her return would be managed if India agreed to extradite her, Zahed said the procedural aspects would be handled through discussions between the two countries. "I do not know exactly how or when she will return and that depends on the procedures between the two states. If she wants to return, the country where she is staying will communicate with our government and the necessary arrangements will be made. These are procedural matters and will not become obstacles,” he said “The government's policy position is to bring her back and place her under the jurisdiction of justice. Naturally, if she wants to return, the government will facilitate that process," he added.

The government is planning to announce the election schedule for local government polls in the second half of August and begin Union Parishad (UP) elections in the first half of October, said Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday. The adviser came up with the announcement  at a press briefing at the conference room of Press Information Department (PID) at Secretariat on the progress of the government's activities. The Election Commission (EC) has prepared preliminary roadmaps for separate local government elections including Union Parishads, Upazila Parishads, municipalities and city corporations. “These are expected to be finalised and published by the end of this month," he said. The local government elections will be conducted in phases across four geographical zones—haor and northeastern region, hill and coastal areas, riverine and char regions, and plain and urban areas, he said. The election process will begin with Union Parishad polls in the haor and northeastern regions, said Dr Zahed. Elections require considerable preparation and that the government prefers to hold most polls during the dry winter season, he added. Clarifying the expected timeline for completing the entire local government election process, the adviser said, "The elections are expected to begin in October. Once the process starts, it usually takes 10 to 12 months to complete all phases. This does not mean the elections will finish within 10 to 12 months from now, but rather within 10 to 12 months from the start of polling," he said. If the elections begin in October this year, the entire local government election process is expected to be completed by around October 2027, he added.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday described National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam’s remarks over the bomb blast during the party’s rally in Savar as “political”. He made the remarks while responding to questions at a press briefing on the progress of various government activities at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at Secretariat. When asked about Nahid Islam’s allegation that at the bomb attack on the NCP rally was carried out with the support of the administration, Zahed Ur Rahman said,Yesterday’s incident was very unfortunate. We condemn it. The government’s main responsibility is to investigate who were involved in the incident and bring them to justice.” Referring to Nahid’s statement, the adviser said, “There is a term called political statement and he has made such a statement. He has the right to say that.” However, he said, “We expect a more responsible statement from the head of a political party who played a very important role in our mass uprising.” Responding to a question on why no one has been arrested yet in connection with the incident, Zahed said the government is investigating the matter and efforts are underway to arrest those involved. “The incident has not even been 24 hours old. It is not always possible to complete such a process immediately. The government is making its best efforts to make arrests, and hopefully it will happen soon,” he said.  “The important issue is whether the government is taking the matter seriously and taking necessary measures. I can confirm that this government is doing so,” he said.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday said the decision on whether Awami League will be banned as a political party rests with the courts and the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The party’s status would depend on the outcome of legal proceedings over allegations of crimes against humanity, he said at a press briefing on the progress of various government activities at PID conference room at Secretariat. Responding to a question about political activities surrounding the founding anniversary of the Awami League, whose activities are currently prohibited, and the deployment of the army in six districts, Zahed said there is often confusion regarding the party’s legal status. The adviser said that until the judicial process is completed the party’s activities will remain prohibited under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009. “As long as the legal proceedings continue, their activities will remain banned. Therefore, any programme undertaken by the party would constitute a violation of the law and it is natural for the government to take action in such cases,” he said. About the deployment of the army, he said he personally did not believe that Awami League had the moral courage to undertake any significant action. “To do something significant, one needs moral courage. I do not think the Awami League possesses that kind of moral courage,” he said. Referring to the mass uprising in July, Zahed said people were able to stand in front of guns despite risks to their lives because they believed in their cause and wanted positive change for the country.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday said individuals associated with Awami League can participate in the upcoming local government elections, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and do not campaign on behalf of the party. He made the remarks when asked whether the government would allow Awami League (now facing ban on its activities) to take part in the upcoming local government elections at a press conference held at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room at Secretariat on the progress of various government activities. Dr. Zahed said there would be no obstacle to individuals contesting the polls as the elections would be conducted on a non-party basis. “There is no problem at all. If a person wants to participate in the election and fulfils the required criteria, he or she can contest,” he said. Replying to a question about candidates who may still hold positions in Awami League, the adviser said as the party’s organisational activities remain banned such positions cannot be used in any official or political capacity. “Since organisational activities of the Awami League are prohibited, those positions cannot be used. However, as individuals, anyone who fulfils the necessary criteria and wishes to contest the election may do so,” he said. He said the government has no reason to prevent any eligible individual from participating in the local government elections.  

The local government elections will begin at the end of the current year, said Prime Minister’s Adviser on Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman on Tuesday. “The election will start at the end of the year. Some preparations are needed which have already been communicated by the concerned ministry,” he said while responding to questions at a press briefing at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) at the Secretariat. Replying to a question the adviser said the whole election process is expected to take between 10 months to a year after it begins. Responding to another question whether the government plans to abolish Upazila Parishad following the allocation of office space for MPs at Upazila Parishad office, the adviser said no such decision has been taken yet. Referring to legal provisions, the adviser said under Section 25 of the Upazila Parishad Act, MPs are legally advisers to Upazila Parishad.  “If he is there legally, some may argue whether that position should exist at all — whether an MP should serve as an adviser is a separate debate. But providing an office does not make the situation worse in any way. If we follow that line of reasoning, since an MP is an adviser to the Upazila Parishad, it is only logical that they would have an office there. As I said, there is public debate on whether MPs should hold such advisory roles,” he said. The government has no intention of weakening or diminishing the role of Upazila Parishad through such measures, he noted.