enior BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said on Thursday said their party will avoid the trap of inciting violence by the Awami League over the December 10 rally in the capital. “As Awami League tried to provoke clashes everywhere during our seven rallies, I think it’s not unusual that they'll try to do the same in Dhaka on December 10…but I want to say clearly that we (BNP) won’t fall into the government's trap. We'll hold the rally avoiding conflict,” he said The BNP leader alleged that the government made various efforts, using the administration and stopping bus services during the party's previous rallies in a bid to provoke the opposition activists to create violence. He made the remarks while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave together with the leaders of the party’s newly formed committee of Dhaka district unit. Read more: BNP to launch one-point movement from Dec 10 rally at Nayapaltan Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, said their party has already sought permission from the authorities concerned for holding the Dhaka rally at Nayapaltan on December 10. “We’ll hold the rally there if even they (govt) are unable to give the permission. The rally on December 10 will be held atcvenue we have said. We won't wait for permission as we’ll arrange the rally whether we’re given permission or not,” he said. Asked whether BNP will announce the final phase of movement for ousting the government from Dhaka rally, Gayeshwar said they will declare programmes depending on the government’s move. “We’ll definitely give fresh programmes on December 10. We won’t say the game or our movement is over on that day. The government accept people’s demand or come up with a positive decision before December 10…” he said. As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. Read more: Economic, political crises push Bangladesh to serious trouble: Fakhrul The party has already held seven rallies in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal and Faridpur, and Sylhet while the eighth one will be held in Cumilla on November 26 while one in Rajshahi on December 23. The party will conclude the divisional rallies through a mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10. The organisers said the rallies are meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The Advisory Council of Bangladesh Awami League will sit in a meeting on Saturday morning ahead of its 22nd triennial national council to be held in December next. AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will chair the meeting to be held in her official residence Ganabhaban. Read: Awami League never wasted a single taka of Bangladesh’s money: PM AL general secretary Obaidul Quader asked the advisory council members to attend the meeting, following health protocols, said a press release on Friday. The 22nd triennial national council will be held on December 24 to elect the party’s next leadership. The decision for holding the council was taken at a meeting of AL Central Working Committee on October 28 last.

An activist of Awami League was killed and 40 others were injured in a clash between two factions of the party during its triennial conference in Dirai upazila of Sunamganj district on Monday. The deceased was identified as Ajmal Hossain Chowdhury, 27, of the upazila. Saiful Alam, officer-in-charge of Dirai Police Station, said the upazila unit Awami League organised a triennial conference at BADC field around 12:30 pm. A tense situation has been prevailing in the area over the conference for the last couple of days. Read more: At least 15 injured in Chhatra League infighting at Dhaka College Read more: AL infighting leaves 2 dead in Natore During the conference, two factions of Awami League engaged into a heated argument over failing to take position at the podium set up forr the conference. Brick chips were hurled and a chase and counter chase took place during the incident. At one stage, both groups attacked each other, leaving 41 people injured. Later, police brought the situation under control after dispersing them. Amir Hossain, an activist of Awami League was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries in the afternoon.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their stance is clear that no election will be held under Sheikh Hasina; she has to resign and dissolve parliament.  “She has to hand over power to a caretaker government. That neutral government will hold a free and fair election,” he said while addressing the crowds at Bangabandhu Udyan during BNP’s Barishal Divisional rally.  He said that Awami League is trying to snatch votes again, like they did in the elections of 2014 and 2018.  “They are trying to show that the new Chief Election Commissioner is neutral who said the election will be held using electronic voting machines. But we have strongly opposed it,” he added.  Also read: BNP divisional rally begins at packed Barishal venue He said the government keeps saying that Bangladesh is self-sufficient in food production and there is development everywhere.  “But the reality is 42 percent people in Bangladesh are still living under the poverty line,” said Fakhrul. He said the ongoing movement of BNP is not only to save its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman or any leaders but also for saving the people of Bangladesh.  He acknowledged and praised party activists and leaders who started arriving to the venue from Thursday, defying all obstacles amid no vehicular movement.  Tens of thousands of BNP activists and leaders joined the divisional rally in Barishal city, demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and national election under a non-party neutral government. Also read: Ishraque says motorcade attacked on the way to BNP’s Barishal rally The rally began around 11 am at the city’s Bangabandhu Udyan. The crowd spilled out onto the surrounding roads. Saturday’s rally is be the fifth by the BNP at the divisional level. The first one was held in Chattogram, the second one in Mymensingh, and the third and fourth in Khulna and Rangpur, respectively.

The triennial conference of Cumilla city unit of Awami League (AL) began at the city’s Town Hall ground on Saturday. The event was inaugurated by AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister. Presidium member of the party Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim spoke as the chief guest while another presidium member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya was present as special guest. Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of AL, and Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, organizing secretary of the party, among others, joined  the council. Read more: Dhaka AL Council: Benzir named president, Poniruzzaman GS The committee of Cumilla city AL was announced for the first time on July 22, 2017, six years after the formation of Cumilla City Corporation (CCC). The Committee consisted of 71 members. AKM Bahauddin Bahar, Member of Parliament (MP) from Cumilla Sadar constituency and Arfanul haque Rifat, current Mayor of CCC, were made President and General Secretary of the committee.    

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Hasan Mahmud claimed on Friday that the attack carried out on former Judge of Supreme Court AHM Shamsuddin Chowdury Manik was led by BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD). Four JCD men were arrested in this connection, he informed. The minister came up with the remarks while replying to questions from journalists about participation of BNP-backed lawmakers in talks on ‘National Jail Killing Day’ in parliament, at his government residence on the city’s Mintoo Road. He said Judge Manik is a generous person who believes in democratic spirit. Besides, he is a strong voice in favour of liberation. Read more: Attack on ex-justice Manik: 11 JCD activists put on 2-day remand “Whatever we had been claiming that the BNP drew a scratch of sabotages across the country, it is proved,” the minister said. “They (BNP) have been carrying out a failed effort to create anarchy in the country in the name of a movement which got exposed through the attack on Judge Manik,” he claimed. Read more: Attack on ex-judge Manik: 50 BNP men sued Mentionable, the attack on the judge was made from a procession of the BNP in Nayapaltan area on Wednesday afternoon when he was on his way to attend a TV talk show.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said on Thursday that declaring ‘Jail killing Day’ as a national day of mourning is a matter of a decision from the government’s high-ups. The ruling party is commemorating the Jail Killing Day on Thursday (November 3) to pay tribute to four national leaders and close aides of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who were killed inside Dhaka Central Jail in the old part of the city on the day in 1975. Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, M Mansur Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman were murdered on the day while in state custody. Following the military coup on August 15 in 1975, when Bangbandhu along with most of his family members were killed, a series of politically motivated killings took place amid a tumultuous political scenario. On Thursday, Quader paid tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmam at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the capital as part of the commemoration of the day. Read more: Jail Killing Day to be observed Wednesday About the demand from the assassinated leaders’ families to declare the day as a national mourning day, Quader said such a decision is a matter to handle from the government’s high-ups. The ruling Bangladesh Awami League began the day by hoisting the national flag and party flag at half-mast at its central and district offices across the country at dawn. Party leaders placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the capital at 7:00am to mark the day. Wreaths were also placed at the graves of Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Mansur Ali at Banani graveyard around 7:30am while fateha, milad-mahfil and munajat were offered there. Read more: Aug 15, jail killings prove conspiracy against independence, people: PM Floral wreaths were also placed at the grave of AHM Qamruzzaman in Rajshahi where prayer sessions, offering fateha and milad mahfil were held, marking the day. The ruling Awami League will hold a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital at 3:00pm when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will speak.    

The ruling Awami League has no problem with BNP’s on going anti-government programmes, unless it turns violent. “They (BNP) are holding processions, rallies and meetings in different parts of the country, we do not have any objection to that. But if they do any violent activities in the name of movement it will be tackled with iron hands,” Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque told reporters quoting the AL president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He held the briefimg emerging from Awami League Parliamentary Party (ALPP) meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with its president and leader of the House in the chair on Wednesday night. Read more: PM to address the media on UK, US visit Thursday He also said that the party will take punitive measurers against those who worked against the party nominated candidates in the local government elections.  Deputy Minister for Education Ministry Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said the prime minister asked the party's MPs to publicise the government development activities and successes made in the last 13 years. “She also told us to counter the anti government propaganda instantly,” he said     

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said that his party does not believe in holding programmes just to counter those of other political parties. “Programmes of the party will be held as per schedule. Various preparation meetings and series of programmes are being held by Awami League ahead of its national council,” he said. Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said this at a preparatory meeting for the national council at AL president’s political office in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi. He warned that if BNP initiates chaos and violence, people of the country will give fitting response. “BNP is still a big sponsor of militancy and communal forces,” he said. Regarding Mirza Fakhrul’s comment that BNP MPs are ready to resign from the parliament, he asked whether the parliament will be paralysed after their resignation. Read: AL is not obstructing BNP rally, says Obaidul Quader He said it is BNP’s call to make, not that of the government. Dr. Abdur Razzaq, Md. Farooq Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Advocate Kamrul Islam, Joint General Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif and Dipu Moni, among other AL leaders, were present at the meeting.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project – from Gazipur to Dhaka – has turned into a major issue for the government. “There are some complications on this route. The project started before I took office. The current state of this project, which is in disarray, is a result of flawed planning. However, I’ve instructed the project officials to wrap it up at any cost, so that we can open it in March-April next year,” the minister said. Quader made the remarks while talking to journalists after attending a meeting with departmental heads of his ministry at the Secretariat today. Also read: Dhaka BRT girder tragedy: Probe body find 12 reasons for the accident. Asked what actions were taken against the Chinese company responsible for the BRT girder crash (on August 15, 2022) in Uttara, Quader said that although the company has been allowed to complete the construction work, they won’t get any more projects in Bangladesh. Quader, also General Secretary of the ruling Awami League (AL), added that a total of 100 bridges in different parts of the country will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in the coming days. “The bridges will be opened whenever the PM can manage some time. Before the inauguration, three rallies will be arranged in the Chattogram region, where most of the bridges have been constructed. The first phase of MRT Line-6 and Bangabandhu Tunnel will also be completed soon,” the minister added. Read Dhaka BRT girder tragedy: Probe body find 12 reasons for the accident Replying to a question, Quader said that although the country is facing various crises, it’s still faring better than a lot of other countries in the world. “The government isn’t concerned about foreign exchange reserves as we’ll be able to make payments for 5-6 months with the current reserves. There won’t be any food crisis as we are producing ample food. We’ll also discuss the energy issue with Brunei. In a nutshell, we’re ready to face any crisis,” Quader further said. The minister also reaffirmed the government’s stance that electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in the next general election which will be held under the incumbent government. Read Dhaka BRT girder collapse: HC issues rule on providing TK 5 cr compensation.