Forty citizens and human rights activists in Bangladesh have issued a statement urging authorities to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations, and legal action against those attempting to create communal unrest through intimidation and incitement. "We know that Durga Puja, the largest festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, began with Mahalaya on October 2 this year," the statement said. "According to the government, the festival will be celebrated in 32,460 mandaps across the country. Traditionally, the people of Bangladesh have lived together peacefully, regardless of their religion. Every religious community must have the right to observe its festivals freely and securely." The signatories expressed concern over recent years' increasing tensions during Durga Puja, pointing to incidents where false accusations of religious disrespect led to violence and vandalism of puja venues. They condemned efforts to incite violence by spreading fabricated stories on social media and attacking minority communities.  Artisans give finishing touch to idols ahead of Durga Puja 2 hours ago "In some areas, we've already received reports of idol desecration and attacks on temples. Additionally, a faction with anti-minority sentiments has published an unauthorized list of restrictions on Hindu worshippers, dictating what they can and cannot do during the puja. This is both illegal and immoral," the statement continued. The group urged the government to take firm action against those responsible for spreading unrest and inciting violence before any incidents escalate.  Foolproof security measures taken for Durga Puja: Army Chief 3 hours ago "We believe the government will fulfill its promise of ensuring peace during this festival. However, we demand that anyone involved in creating tensions or promoting violence be dealt with legally, and the masterminds behind these actions be identified and prosecuted," the statement added. The signatories warned that the public would not tolerate any attempt to disrupt the country’s social harmony and called on citizens, regardless of political or religious affiliation, to remain vigilant and take united action against communal violence if necessary. The signatories of the statement include: 1. Anu Muhammad, Professor, Jahangirnagar University 2. Sultana Kamal, Human Rights Activist 3. Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director, TIB 4. Khushi Kabir, Coordinator, Nijera Kori 5. Adv. Z.I. Khan Panna, Senior Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 6. Parveen Hasan, Vice Chancellor, Central Women's University 7. Adv. Subrata Chowdhury, Senior Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 8. Barrister Sara Hossain, Honorary Executive Director, BLAST 9. Giti Ara Nasreen, Professor, Dhaka University 10. Samina Lutfa, Professor, Dhaka University 11. Dr. Sumaiya Khair, Professor, Dhaka University 12. Robaet Ferdous, Professor, Dhaka University 13. Dr. Khairul Islam Chowdhury, Professor, Dhaka University 14. Zobaida Nasreen, Professor, Dhaka University 15. Tasneem Siraj Mahbub, Associate Professor, Dhaka University 16. Mirza Taslima Sultana, Professor, Jahangirnagar University 17. Adv. Tabarak Hossain, Senior Lawyer 18. Dr. Shahidul Alam, Photographer 19. Rehnuma Ahmed, Writer and Researcher 20. Nasreen Khondokar, Anthropologist and Human Rights Activist 21. Shamsul Huda, Executive Director, ALRD 22. Saeeda Gulrukh, Journalist 23. Dr. Shahnaz Huda, Professor, Dhaka University 24. Adv. Salma Ali, Executive Director, BNWLA 25. Adv. Minhajul Haque Chowdhury, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 26. Rozina Begum, Researcher and Rights Activist 27. Maidul Islam, Associate Professor, Chittagong University 28. Dr. Swapan Adnan, Visiting Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science 29. Manindra Kumar Nath, Joint General Secretary, Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council 30. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Executive Director, Coast Trust 31. Nova Ahmed, Professor, North South University 32. Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive, Citizens Initiative 33. Adv. Saidur Rahman, Chief Executive, MSF 34. Barrister Ashraf Ali, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 35. Barrister Shahadat Alam, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 36. Adv. Nazmul Huda, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 37. Adv. Md. Azizullah Emon, Lawyer, Bangladesh Supreme Court 38. Dipayan Khisa, Human Rights Activist 39. Hana Shams Ahmed, Indigenous Rights Activist 40. Muktasree Chakma, Rights Activist and researcher.    

Twenty one citizens of different professions have demanded to increase the service quality in inland water transport sector and an end to various types of harassment to vessel owners. They also demanded to ensure transparency and accountability in the dredging of rivers and regular removal of silt.  They made these demands in a joint statement sent to the media on Monday. The statement alleged that the owners were being harassed to get annual survey (fitness), route permit and timetable of passenger vessels. Due to these reasons, the launch owners have been complaining that unnecessary money is being spent at various stages. Apart from this, the security system and passenger service quality at different river port terminals and launch ghats are not satisfactory. Due to these reasons, passengers on the waterways have started to decrease, the statement said. Citizens complain that several mega projects have been undertaken by the direction of prime minister to dig the big rivers to restore the disappeared waterways. But in most cases the desired success has not been achieved.  According to the statement, on October 2, 2018, the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project of 'Navigability Development and Restoration of the Old Brahmaputra, Dharla, Tulai and Punarbhaba Rivers' at a cost of Tk 4,371 crore.  Read: Khalid Mahmud welcomes US support for inland waterways management Although the work of the project started on schedule, no progress has been made as expected even after almost four years. The civic group also complained that regular dredging (removal of sediment) in navigable preservation of waterways lacks transparency and accountability. They said that due to the navigability crisis, the movement of large ships carrying passengers and goods is being disrupted on important waterways including Dhaka-Barisal. As a result, many launch and cargo ship owners are thinking of shutting down their business due to anger and frustration.  In the statement, 21 citizens have strongly demanded that information on river dredging and silt removal should be regularly published in the media, along with increasing the quality of services to solve the existing crisis. Read: Proposal to double launch fares denied The signatories of the statement are- Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice-president SM Najer Hossain, prominent children organizer and freedom fighter Nurur Rahman Selim, chief executive of Nagorik Uddog Zakir Hossain, general secretary of Udichi Shilpi Gosthi Amit Ranjan Dey, executive president of Green Club of Bangladesh (GCB) Haji Mohammad Shahid Mia, General Secretary of National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways Ashis Kumar Dey, member secretary of Safe Waterway Implementation Movement Aminur Rasul Babul, Coordinator of Sundarbans and Coastal Protection Movement Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, marine engineer Md. Abdul Hamid, Vice President of Dhaka Union of Journalist Maniklal Ghosh, Executive Director of Dip Unnoyan Sangstha and freedom fighter Rafiqul Alam, Convener of Sachetan Nagorik Samaj Shakila Parveen, Executive Director of Poverty Emulation Assistance Center for Everywhere (PEACE) Ifma Hussain, President of Alokit Garments Workers Federation Bappidev Barman, Bangladesh Hawkers Union General Secretary Shekender Hayat, Poet and Children's Organizer Rajan Bhattacharya, Central Coordinator Janalok Rafiqul Islam Sujon, Joint Secretary of Dhaka North Nagorik Forum Mustafa Kamal Akand, Mukti Shikha convener Zihad Arif and old Dhaka Nagorik Uddog president Nazim Uddin.  

Fifty eminent citizens of the country in a joint statement have said that the Information Ministry’s restriction to use the word ‘Indigenous’ is unconstitutional and tantamount to contempt of the court. “The Information Ministry has sent a circular to all the television channel owners saying that they’ll have to broadcast the restriction on using the word ‘Indigenous’ to prevent those who’ll take part in programs commemorating the International Day of The World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9 from using the word. We find the restriction self-contradictory as the government which has imposed the restriction had used the word ‘Indigenous’ more than once in its election manifesto in 2008,” read the statement. The statement added that in the country’s constitution, it has been stated that if any question arises over any subject mentioned in the constitution, it’s the Supreme Court which has the only jurisdiction to provide explanation on that issue, not any other institution. The Supreme Court itself had said in one of its verdicts that there is no constitutional bindings on using the word ‘Indigenous’, which goes against the restriction put out by the Information Ministry. “The ILO convention 107 was signed by Father of The Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman-led government in 1972, where the word ‘Indigenous’ was not only used but the rights of all the indigenous people of the country were also recognized. In 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had also emphasized on protecting the rights and dignity of the indigenous people in a speech,” adds the statement. Read: Eminent citizens demand unconditional release of anti-Modi student protesters The statement also says that the restriction by the Information Ministry also denied section 39 of the country’s constitution, which ensures the right to speech and the right of media. “We strongly condemn the restriction by the Information Ministry. We urge the concerned authorities to refrain from issuing such misleading directives that disrespect the eminent citizens, journalists and intellectuals of the country. We demand for the removal of the circular immediately,” the statement concluded.   Sultana Kamal, a well-known rights activist, Khushi Kabir, Coordinator of Nijera Kori, Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Trustee of Gonoshasthya Kendra and Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), among others, signed the statement.

A total of 159 eminent citizens on Tuesday demanded immediate reversal of the decision to close down all the mills under the state-owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC)in the face of unremitting losses.