Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, a member of the BNP's Standing Committee and former Minister of State, urged party activists to avoid displaying arrogance. “Engage with the people and treat everyone well,” Tuku said, during a meeting with local BNP leaders and activists in Koyelgati village, Sirajganj Sadar Upazila, on Saturday. He emphasized, “Even after 16 years in power, Sheikh Hasina had to flee without having the lunch that was prepared for her. This demonstrates that arrogance leads to downfall.” BNP calls for unity against revival of Awami fascism Tuku also stated, “Tarique Rahman will return to the country at any time. On that day, millions will gather in Dhaka; no one will remain at home.” He called for the good members of the Awami League to be given a chance to participate in politics, asserting, “Those involved in oppression, torture, looting, corruption, irregularities, abduction, and murder will not be allowed to engage in politics. Their trial will take place on the soil of Bengal.” Among others, Sirajganj district BNP Vice President Najmul Hasan Talukder Rana, Joint Secretary Nur Kayem Sobuj, City BNP President Munshi Jahid Alam, Convener of the Swechhasebak Dal Abdullah Al Kayes, President of the Chhatra Dal Mirza Abdul Jabbar Babu, Secretary Muraduzzaman Murad, Union BNP General Secretary Nure Alam Munshi, and Vice President Anisur Rahman, were also present. Following the discussion, Tuku visited Shiyalkol Abdullah Al Mahmud Memorial High School and College, where he took part in a tree-planting initiative.

BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on Monday said Awami League (AL) has been caught in a trap of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. “They (AL)) cancelled the registration of Jamaat but did not outlaw it.  Should I say they have a secret relation with Jamaat,” he stated. Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said the ruling party always tried to make a political gain by involving BNP with Jamaat, but it is time now to censure Awami League involving Jamaat.  “Jamaat is an Urdu word like Awami.  So, calling Awami-Jamaat instead of BNP-Jamaat will match better.” He said when Jammat was with BNP it was called a party of war criminals. “But why didn't you still declare them illegal? It means Awami League has fallen into the trap of Jamaat. “From today, it’ll be called an Awami-Jamaat (pact). BNP-Jamaat (pact) will no longer exists.” As part of the party’s programme to hold 16 rallies in the capital, the Dhanmondi zone of BNP's Dhaka south city unit arranged the rally in a field near Sikdar Medical College Hospital at Hazaribagh in protest against the price hike of fuel, daily essentials and the killing of four opposition leaders in Bhola, Narayanganj and Munshiganj in police firing. Before the start of the rally, activists of BNP and the ruling Awami League locked in a chase and counter-chase in the Hazaribagh area, leaving at least 25 people, including two journalists, injured. The clash erupted around 2:55 pm as the supporters of local Awami League MP Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin tried to obstruct BNP activists from joining their rally venue.

BNP senior leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on Monday said the government is being forced to carry out ‘costly’ load-shedding due to its wrong policy. Tuku, a former state minister for power, said Bangladesh is now facing an economic crisis because of the government’s failure to deliver. "Before taking any power project, its sustainability has to be assessed. But the government set up fuel-based power plants without loss assessment. They didn’t consider the consequences if the fuels ever run out,” the BNP leader said. As a result of not doing that, he said people will now suffer power outages.  “It has just become a costly load-shedding.” Read: 2-hour area-based nationwide load shedding from Tuesday Tuku, also a BNP standing committee member, was talking to reporters at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on the government’s decision on Load-shedding. He said the government has set up rental power plants as part of its ‘evil’ plans to plunder public money. “Any corrupt and fascist regime acts like that.” Asked whether the government's move to carry out load-shedding will help solve the power crisis, Tuku said, "This decision has not been made to deal with the electricity crisis. They’ve taken the move to decrease import cost as they can’t import fuels and gas due to the shortage of reserves.” He said the government has long been bragging about adequate reserves. “Where did that reserve go, why did it disappear suddenly? The government also carried out a campaign that we have surpassed Singapore, Thailand and other countries. But the country is now in an economic crisis. I will blame the government for this.”  The BNP leader said people did not have to pay for load-shedding in the past. "But people have to now pay for load-shedding. That is the biggest question." After this government came to power, he said it started depending on the private sector for power generation. “This government hastily gave all the best plans to the private sector and brought the rental power plants as the best solution. I think these were bad and misguided plans.” The BNP leader said the power generation needed to be kept in the hands of the government. “Because if the government produces the electricity, it would not have to be paid the capacity charges now. But the government is now paying the rental power plants as per agreement though they are not generating power.”

BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on Friday said Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader takes a swipe at BNP before washing his face every morning as he always remains in panic about their party.