BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed grave concern on Wednesday over the evil efforts by certain individuals who, he said, are attempting to lead the nation into darkness by inciting a division through social media. “We are deeply worried following some of the events for the last few days. Just imagine the madness stirred up around the issue of religion,” he told a discussion. The BNP leader expressed concern, wondering how, despite the long-standing struggle of the BNP and other democratic parties for press freedom, media outlets such as the Prothom Alo and The Daily Star are now coming under attack. “It is unfortunate that some people, who consider themselves the most popular and patriotic, are inciting division within the nation and pushing it towards darkness," he said. Without naming anyone directly, Fakhrul questioned whether those responsible for sowing division and disunity are true friends or enemies of Bangladesh. "We do not want to see this Bangladesh. I strongly condemn the attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and other newspapers. I have fought for press freedom my entire life. That is my goal, my belief, my conviction," he said. "You ousted a fascist regime that was stifling our freedom of expression, killing us, silencing us, depriving us of our right to vote, and resorting to suppression and repression. (After her ouster, if you now seek to gag someone’s voice or eliminate them, how can you justify that?" Fakhrul said. Stating that has been on a struggle for 15 years to restore people’s rights, the BNP leader said he had been jailed numerous times for this cause. "I am ready to go to jail again at any time, but I do not want to see this kind of Bangladesh. Both I and my party firmly believe that I will speak the truth, even if it costs me my life. I believe in liberal democracy. I believe in the people's freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to vote," he added. Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) organised the event at the Jatiya Press Club to mark Shaheed Dr Milon Day, commemorating the 34th martyrdom anniversary of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon, who was killed during the 1990s anti-autocratic movement. Fakhrul said although not even three months have passed since the formation of the current interim government, the true nature of certain individuals has already started to emerge. "We’ll never succeed with such faces, no matter how grand our rhetoric," he said. "It will never be possible to overcome a crisis if there is division within my own house." He said those inciting violence were leading the country towards destruction and inviting danger. "Think about where Bangladesh is being taken. Do we understand the reason for our fears? Do you understand the assailant is standing, with a knife behind us? Had they truly realised this, they would not have made such irresponsible remarks." The BNP leader said that incidents of street violence, bloodshed, attacks on media outlets, and self-destructive actions are putting the achievements of the student-led mass uprising into question. He called for unity, urging everyone to abandon efforts to create division for the sake of the country's welfare and the well-being of its people. "If you want to protect the country and its independence and protect your rights, then all of you must unite. You will never bow to division, you will not bow to injustice, and you will not pamper injustice," Fakhrul said. He said the current interim government was established on the blood of many students and ordinary people, not through anyone's mercy. "So, we believe it is best for them (govt) to focus on achieving the people’s main goal of a democratic state.” Fakhrul also urged those in charge of the interim government to refrain from making comments that could create confusion among the people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday asked the people to remain vigilant against the anti-liberation clique which has started plotting to seize power through the backdoor ahead of the next general election. “I would like to urge everyone to keep a watchful eye so that none can snatch away the rights of the people through conspiracy. At the same time everyone should be alert so that none could create anarchy and damage the lives, livelihood and properties of the people in the name of movement,” she said. The premier was addressing the nation on Friday evening through state-owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar, marking the 4th anniversary of her current government formed on January 7, 2019 following the 11th national election held on December 30, 2018. Hasina said the next national election will be held at the end of this year or early next year. But the anti-liberation, power-hungry plunderers of public assets have already active in creating anarchy. “Their aim is to create a chaotic situation and seize state power through the backdoor, and impede the progress of democracy too,” she said in her 25-minute speech delivered at 7:30pm. The premier, who is also the president of the ruling Awami League, said the conspirators have employed hired intellectuals and statement-givers at home and abroad with looted money to malign Awami League. “They are trying to mislead people by spreading libels, false and fake information through social media. Don't be misled by their falsehoods,” she said. She requested the political parties and institutions that believe in democracy and the rule of law not to allow and fuel any weird idea (mooted by the cliques ahead of the next election) that would undermine the constitutional process. “We expect a free, fair and impartial election (to be held next time),” she said, adding that this is the first time a law has been enacted in Bangladesh to constitute an Election Commission. She said the current Election commission has been constituted under that law through a search committee. “The Election Commission was given financial independence. The Commission is working independently and will continue to do so in the future. The government will continue providing all assistance to the Election Commission for holding fair and peaceful elections,” she added. She said Awami League is a party of the people that believes in the peace of the people and the power of the people. “If the people make the party winner by voting for it, Awami League will continue to discharge the national responsibility of building the country. If they don’t make it the winner, then we will go to the line of the people. But wherever we are, we will serve the people,” she added. On the occasion of the 4th anniversary of her current regime, the prime minister extended her sincere greetings and congratulations to the citizens at home and abroad. She also wished them a very happy Christian New Year of 2023. Bangladesh has progressed a lot in last 14 years: PM Focusing on the progress of the country during her governments since 2009, she said the image of Bangladesh has become brighter in the world arena in the last 14 years. “Today none treats Bangladesh as a country of floods, droughts and disasters. Bangladesh is now an emerging economy and a role model for development,” she said. PM Hasina said Awami League has been in the charge of governing the country for 14 years in a row after the formation of government in 2009. Read more: Next general election to be held first week of 2024: PM Hasina announces at Cox’s Bazar rally “Our country has progressed a lot. But we have to take it forward further. Achieving a developed and prosperous Bangladesh is our goal. After building Digital Bangladesh, our next goal is to build a Smart Bangladesh,” she said. She said the use of robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, biological technology and digital devices will be ensured in all fields including the industrial, trade-business, health, education and agriculture sectors in a bid to build Smart Bangladesh, having smart government, smart population and smart industrial factories. “Emphasis has been placed on research in all areas,” she added. The PM focused her government’s successes in bringing the cent percent population under electricity coverage, strengthening road and rail connectivity, increasing food production, implementation of different large projects including Padma Bridge, metro-rail, Bangabandhu Tunnel under Karnaphuli River, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Dhaka-Mawa-Jajira Expressway, Bangabandhu-1 Satellite, 16-km Dhaka Airport-Kutubkhali Elevated Expressway projects, and setting up 100 economic zones. She said the prices of daily essentials including fuel have soared also in Bangladesh as it happened at abnormal rates in the world due to the Russia-Ukraine war following the Covid-19 pandemic, sanctions and counter-sanctions imposed by the Western countries and Russia. “We are purchasing some commodities at higher prices and distributing those at lower prices to the people with limited incomes,” she said adding that 10 million families can purchase rice at Tk 30 per kg and edible oil, pulses and sugar at affordable rates through TCB's fair price cards, while five million families can buy rice at Tk 15 per kg in a month. The PM depicted the present scenario of Bangladesh in different social and economic indicators, comparing to the situation 16 years ago at fag end of BNP-Jamaat alliance rule. She said the per capita income increased to US$ 2,824 now from US$ 543 in the 2005-2006FY, while poverty rate declined to 20 percent from 41.5 percent, the average life expectancy increased to 73 years from 64.5 years and the literacy rate to 75.2 percent from 45 percent. She said the GDP increased to US$ 460.75 billion in 2021-22FY from only US$ 60 billion, the size of national budget to Tk 678,64,000 crore in the 2022-23FY from Tk 61,057 crore, the export earnings to US$ 52.08 billion in 2021-2022FY from US$ 10.52 billion, and the remittance inflow went up to US$ 22.07 billion in 2021-22FY from only US$ 4.80 billion. She said the reserve of foreign currencies increased from only US$ 3.5 billion in 2005-06FY to US$ 48 billion in 2021, but declined to US$ 34 billion now due to the global economic downturn and high inflation. Still Bangladesh has a sufficient reserve to meet the five-month export expenditures, she added. The PM said the allocation against the social safety net programmes rose to Tk 113,576 crore in the current fiscal year from only Tk 373 crore in 2005-2006FY, while the subsidy to the agriculture sector went up to Tk 40,000 crore from Tk 592 crore. She said the electricity generation capacity has increased to 25,826 megawatt now from only 3,600 megawatt at the end of BNP-Jamaat regime and the population under the electricity coverage to 100 percent from only 45 percent in the same period. “We ensured electricity facilities to cent percent people in 2022. We illuminated all the houses,” she said. Read more: AL National Council: Not easy to lead both party and government, says PM Hasina said Bangladesh is currently the 41st largest economy in the world. Today, Bangladesh has graduated to a developing country from a least developed country, she said. Noting that Bangladesh has attained a revolutionary development in the communication sector, she said her government constructed and reconstructed hundreds of highways as well as bridges over major rivers, including Padma Bridge, Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge, Teesta Bridge, Payra Bridge, 2nd Kanchpur Bridge, 2nd Meghna Bridge, 2nd Gomti Bridge in the last 14 years in order to establish an uninterrupted road and rail connectivity. PM Hasina said some 100 bridges were simultaneously opened in a single day in November last, while some 100 roads were inaugurated simultaneously in a day in December last. “This is a unique achievement in the development history of the country,” she said, adding that some 718 kilometers of highways have been upgraded to four or above lanes in the last 14 years. “Today, the people have started reaping the benefits of our visionary plans,” she said Noting that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of building an exploitation-and- deprivation-free Sonar Bangla (golden Bengal), she urged all to come forward to realize his dream by building a happy-prosperous non-communal Bangladesh. "Let's work to build a smart country and bring smiles on the faces of the common people of this country," she told the nation.

The nation is celebrating the 52nd Victory Day, 2022 on Friday, the most joyous day when the country was born at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of three million martyrs and the honour of nearly half a million mothers and sisters, with elaborate programmes. On this glorious day in 1971, Bangladesh was liberated as an independent country after the Pakistani occupation forces surrendered following a bloody nine-month-long war. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War by placing a wreath at the National Memorial in Savar in the morning. The head of the state placed a wreath at the altar of the National Memorial at about 6:30am followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After placing the wreath, they stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of deep respect to the memories of the martyrs of the Liberation War in 1971. A smartly turned out contingent drawn from the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented the state salute on the occasion as the bugles played the last post. Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the ruling Awami League (AL), laid another wreath at the National Memorial as the party chief. Read more: Victory Day: President, PM pay tributes to Liberation War martyrs Later, Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister and the president of Bangladesh Awami League paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placing two separate wreaths at his portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban in the city’s Dhanmondi-32 area in the morning. Freedom fighters, their family members, foreign diplomats, leaders of Awami League and different political and social organisations and people from all walks of life also paid homage to martyrs. Various programmes will be held today to pay deep homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the country during the Liberation War in 1971. Along with the government, different socio-political, educational and cultural institutions and organisations have chalked out a series of programmes to celebrate the day. Bangladeshis will celebrate the day at home and abroad. The day’s programme began with a 31-gun salute.  Discussion meetings will be held at the national level on the theme of 'Empowering the spirit of the liberation war and the best use of digital technology in building  Sonar Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.’ Apart from this, reception of brave freedom fighters and martyr family members will be held in the metropolis, districts and upazilas. The national flag will be hoisted atop government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices across the country. On this day, an exhibition of documentary films and posters based on the history and tradition of the Liberation War will be organized at the ‘Swadhinota Stombha’ and the Museum of Suhrawardy Udyan. Bangladesh embassies abroad will also undertake similar programs highlighting the significance of the day. Read more:| Victory Day: PM pays tributes to Liberation War martyrs The day is a public holiday. National dailies brought out special supplements on the occasion. State-owned and private television channels and radios will broadcast month- long special programmes highlighting the significance of the Liberation War. Receptions will be accorded to the freedom fighters and family members of martyrs at city, district and upazila levels. Destitute children will be allowed to visit the children park in the capital on the day free of cost. Improved diets will be served in jails, hospitals, orphanages across the country. Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion.  

BNP on Wednesday greeted the Bangladesh national women's football team as the tigresses returned home from Nepal bringing great honour to the nation by clinching the SAFF Women's Championship title. ”Our girls have brought good news for our country after a long time. We're proud of it. They have returned home today (Wednesday).  We extend our warmest greetings to them,” said BNP Secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also thanked the victorious Bangladesh women's team for achieving tremendous success for the country. “Our girls have brought great honour.”  “On behalf of my party and our Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, I extend my greetings and best wishes to them (footballers) and their families,” the BNP leader said.  On Monday, Bangladesh won the maiden SAFF Women’s Football Championship by beating hosts Nepal 3-1 in the final in Kathmandu. The champions reached the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 1:50pm. Read: SAFF Women's Champs: Girls bring glory to Bangladesh Bangladesh beat Maldives, Pakistan, India and Nepal on their way to the ultimate victory. Bangladesh scored 23 goals in the event and conceded only one in the final. Fakhrul said he watched an interview of a women footballer Swapna’s mother on television and got shocked hearing what she said about her family’s poor condition.   ”When she (Swapna's mother) was asked whether she could give her footballer daughter good food, eggs and milk? She replied I couldn’t even manage rice. From where would I give her eggs and milk? That is the real picture that we usually talk about,” he observed. Narrating the poor economic condition and hardships of Swapna's family, Fakhrul said this girl has overcome poverty and reached a position in the national women's football team. "We're proud of it."

The nation is paying deep respects to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement, marking 'Amar Ekushey', the Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day. The great Language Movement, a significant event in the nation’s history, was aimed at establishing the right of the mother tongue as well as protecting self-entity, and culture and heritage. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement marking ‘Amar Ekushey’ -- the International Mother Language Day and Shaheed Dibosh. On behalf of the President Abdul Hamid, his Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past midnight. On behalf of the Prime Minister, her Military Secretary Major General Naquib Ahmed Chowdhury paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Central Shahid Minar in Dhaka at one minute past midnight. Walking barefoot to the Central Shaheed Minar with wreaths and flowers singing 'Amar bhaiyer rakte rangano Ekushey February', people from all walks of life are paying rich tributes to the heroes of the Language Movement who laid down their lives for achieving the recognition of Bangla as the state language of erstwhile Pakistan. On February 21, 1952, students and the common people in Dhaka took to the streets in protest against the then Pakistani government's denial of Bangla as the national language and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan. Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil were killed in police firings on this day in 1952 when students came out in a procession from the Dhaka University campus breaching section 144 to press home their demand for the recognition of Bangla as a state language of then Pakistan. Being a source of ceaseless inspiration, ‘Amar Ekushey’ inspired and encouraged the nation to a great extent to achieve the right to self-determination and struggle for freedom and the Liberation War.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday administered oath to the nation to build the country as a developed, prosperous and non-communal ‘Sonar Bangla’ being imbued with the ideology of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee (of the Independence) and the Victory Day in the Mujib Year, I take oath in glowing voice that I will not let the blood of the martyrs go in vain, I will love the country, I will use all my strength for the overall welfare of the people of the country,” she said in the oath words, urging the people of the country to join her vow afresh. The Prime Minister conducted the nationwide oath at 4:30pm from the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, which was broadcast live through Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other private TV channels. Also read: PM pays tributes to Liberation War martyrs People from the country’s eight divisional cities and different grassroots places took the oath together with the Prime Minister. Bangabandhu’s younger daughter, Sheikh Rehana, was present.

Stating that the low presence of voters in the recent city polls is an ‘ominous sign’ for the nation, Jatiya Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain on Tuesday said the two mayors-elect of Dhaka south and north city corporations are not elected by majority voters.