BNP acting chairmanTarique Rahman on Tuesday urged the people of the country to show utmost restraint and avoid falling prey to any provocation. “I urge my fellow Bangladeshis to show utmost restraint and not fall prey to any provocation,” he said in a post on X (formerly twitter) following the attack on the Bangladeshi consulate in Agartala. Tarique reminds BNP leaders of tough election, urges hard work The BNP leader said, “Bangladesh faces many challenges, but we have largely been, and will remain, a land of religious harmony and territorial sovereignty, where the rights and freedoms of every citizen are protected, irrespective of race, caste, and religion.”  He said since the fall of autocrat Sheikh Hasina, there is an increase of inflammatory media commentary and political rhetoric against Bangladesh coming from certain Indian quarters. There is now an echo chamber filled with misinformation, fuelling persistent anti-Bangladesh sentiment, he added. Tarique Rahman urges unity to end political vengeance “The latest attack on the Bangladeshi consulate in Agartala highlights the destabilising effects of disinformation, which only creates division and discord among neighbours,” said Tarique Rahman. He said international stakeholders must acknowledge that a destabilised Bangladesh, with near about 200 million people, is not in the interest of any country. “It is crucial to objectively understand what led to Hasina's ouster, what has been happening in Bangladesh since she fled to India, and why it’s imperative to forge people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and India, beyond any particular person or political party,” said the BNP acting chairman. It’s now time to unite, build Bangladesh: Tarique

BNP top leaders on Tuesday sent Eid greeting cards to Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sent two separate eid cards to the Prime Minister. They also greeted Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader sending cards. A BNP delegation, led by its assistant organising secretary Abdus Salam Azad, handed over the cards to Awami League leader Ali Hossain at the party president’s Dhanmondi office around 11:30am Besides, the party sent eid cards to Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh President Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain, LPD president Oli Ahmed, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, JSD president ASM Abdur Rob, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader, CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim, Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddique, Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna and some other top leaders and different political parties.

BNP has sought an explanation from its standing committee member Mirza Abbas about his recent statement on the disappearance of party leader Ilias Ali. A letter from BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reached Mirza Abbas’ Shahjahanpur residence on Thursday afternoon, party sources said. Talking to UNB, some party senior leaders, wishing anonymity, said the letter was sent as per a directive of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Contacted, Mirza Abbas said he still did not receive any such letter. Also read: Abbas claims media distorted his comments on Ilias’ disappearance Speaking at a discussion programme on Saturday last, Mirza Abbas said he thought neither the government nor the Awami League made Ilias Ali disappear. “But who did it? I want to know this from this government. He also called upon BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to find out those BNP leaders who engaged in an altercation with Ilias Ali the night before he went missing. As his remarks sparked various speculation and discontent within the party, BNP high command decided to send a letter to him seeking an explanation. Abbas on Sunday claimed that some media distorted his remarks about the disappearance of their party leader M Ilias Ali. Also read: Culture of ‘enforced disappearance’ came with Ilias Ali’s incident: BNP "It’s been published in a newspaper quoting me that some BNP leaders are responsible for the disappearance of Ilias Ali. Can anyone prove I made such a remark? It’s not possible to prove. I want to make it clear that my statement has been distorted,” he told a press conference at his residence.” He also alleged that some newspapers wrongly quoted him as saying that the government and Awami League had no involvement in the disappearance of Ilias. “I didn’t make any such comment. My statement has been distorted and twisted. I just rebuked the government and wanted to know where Ilias is.” BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali along with his driver Ansar Ali went missing on the midnight of April 17, 2012 in the capital’s Banani area. Since then, BNP has been blaming the security agencies for the mysterious disappearance, an allegation denied by the government.

‘A dreadful force’ is working with the government from behind the scene to silence those who are opposing the government, alleged BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday.

Terming ‘politically motivated’, BNP on Thursday ‘turned down’ the verdict sentencing its acting chairman Tarique Rahman to two years’ imprisonment by a Narail court in a defamatory case.

BNP will form human chains across the country on Wednesday in protest against framing of charges against party acting chairman Tarique Rahman and issuing a warrant for his arrest in a sedition case.

BNP is going to celebrate its 42nd founding anniversary across the country on Tuesday in a low-key manner due to the coronavirus prevalence.