Comilla City Corporation Mayor Monirul Haque Sakku BNP has been relieved from BNP’s national executive committee. BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhuk Kabir Rizvi said he was a member of the party’s national executive committee and he was relieved from it on Monday night. Rizvi, however, did not elaborate the reasons behind the party’s decision. A party senior leader said the action was taken against the BNP-backed Cumilla city mayor in October last, but it was out of the discussion as the party did not disclose it to the media. He said BNP leaders and activists were critical of Sakku as he sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s blessings touching her feet after taking oath as the Cumilla city mayor for the second time in May, 2017. READ: Sacrifices of martyrs to go in vain without democracy: BNP  He later became inactive in BNP’s politics and reportedly developed good relations with the local ruling party leaders, the BNP leader said. Besides, he said, their party acting chairman Tarique Rahman exchanged views with the BNP national executive committee members under the Cumilla division on September 22 last. “Though Sakku was invited to join the meeting, he skipped it.” Later, the BNP central office sent a letter to Sakku seeking explanation over his absence in that meeting. “As his reply was not satisfactory, the party high-command decided to relieve him from its national executive committee,” the BNP leader said. READ: It’s inevitable consequence of HR violations, BNP about US sanctions He said local BNP leaders also lodged various complaints with the central leaders against Sakku as he was not participating in BNP’s programmes and ignoring the party’s leaders and activists.

Local administration has decided to put four wards under Cumilla City Corporation to complete lockdown from Saturday due to alarming rise in coronavirus cases.   The lockdown will remain in force from June 20 to July 3.   The areas include Racecourse and police lines areas under No 3 ward, Dharmasagar Paschimpar and Jhautala under No 10 ward, Uttar Chortha, Nanuadighirpar under No 12 Ward and Dakkhin Chartha and its surrounding areas under No 13 ward.   The decision was taken at an emergency meeting, held at the conference room of the deputy commissioner on Tuesday.   The meeting also decided that the local administration will provide 10 kgs of rice to each family, living in those areas while oil, pulse, onion and other food items will be provided by a local MP.   Banks and financial organisations will remain closed during this period in the lockdown areas.   However, groceries and pharmacies will remain open in the lockdown areas.   Deputy commissioner Abul Fazal Mir said Cumilla Export Processing Zone (EPZ) will remain closed during this period.   District civil Surgeon Dr Niatuzzaman, Chief Executive Officer of the City Corporation Mir Shakhawat Hossain, city corporation councillors and law enforcing agencies were present at the meeting.   The overall coronavirus situation in Bangladesh kept worsening as the health authorities on Tuesday confirmed the detection of the 3,862 new coronavirus patients in the span of 24 hours, raising the total number to 94, 481.   During this period, 53 people died from coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 1,262.