A Dhaka court on Thursday sent 445 BNP leaders and activists to jail in two cases filed over Wednesday’s clash with police that left one person dead and 50 injured. Party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Publication Secretary Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie were among the top leaders who were sent to jail, pending further legal procedures. Meanwhile, the court granted bail to BNP’s Dhaka North Convener Aman Ullah Aman and National Executive Committee member Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain passed the order after police produced the them before court on Thursday and sought remand for seven days to interrogate them. Read more: Nayapaltan clash: Over 3000 BNP activists, others sued Besides, the court placed 23 BNP leaders and activists on a two-day remand. BNP’s Co-Climate Secretary Mostafizur Rahman Babul, Co-Organizational Secretary Seluzzaman Selim, BNP Dhaka district President Khondokar Abu Ashfaq, BNP leaders Shahjahan, AKM Aminul Islam, Wakil Ahmed , Sajeen Bhuiyan, Sarwar Hossain Sheikh, Saidul Iqbal Mahmud, Mizanur Rahman, Al Amin, Saiful, Shuvo Farazi and Mahmud Hossain Rony, are among the people remanded.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday alleged that the Eid holidaymakers are facing many ordeals while travelling to their village homes due to anarchy in the transport sector fueled by ruling party-backed syndicates. "People from the metropolitan cities are returning to villages to celebrate Eid with their loved ones. But the anarchy in transport fares fueled by the government syndicates and the limitless misery on the roads are spoiling the joy of the Eid holidaymakers," he said. Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan Central Office, Rizvi also said the Awami League's transport and ticket syndicates have become active during Eid to make quick bucks. Read: AL can’t earn people’s trust even with 1000 Padma bridges: BNP He said the transport syndicates are charging two-three times extra fares from the homebound people ahead of Eid. "The ruling party's influential leaders get a share of this money. Extortion, traffic jams and harassment continue on the roads and highways for a lack of monitoring." The BNP leader also slammed the government for public suffering caused by frequent power outages. "Why are we now experiencing horrible load-shedding during the tenure of this government which could produce surplus electricity?" After lighting the Padma Bridge with so many lights, Rizvi said, the ministers are now saying that the wedding ceremonies should be finished by 7pm without any illumination. It is now being recommended to cut the office hours due to the power crisis, he added. "So, there's no doubt that the country is heading for bankruptcy like Sri Lanka." Read: Country heading for deep economic crisis: BNP warns The BNP leader also said when people are struggling to cope with skyrocketing prices of daily essentials, the government has increased the price of water by 5 percent. "The state minister for power already said the price of fuel oil will go up. Earlier, the prices of electricity and gas were increased." He alleged that the ruling party leaders are indulging in corruption in every sector, leaving people in misery. "The country is now under the grasp of the ruling party quarters." The BNP leader called upon the people to get united to save the country and establish a pro-people government through a strong street movement.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said Awami League’s assurance of a fair election is only a trap to deceive their party. “Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader assured that the next election would be fair… We would like to say joining the polls without a non-party neutral government means falling into their trap of deception,” he said. Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi also said what the ruling party leaders and the prime minister are saying about the fair election is nothing but a deception. He also said people cannot understand what Obaidul Quader exactly meant by 'fair election', as there is an 'Awami version' of the fair election which the country’s people have been watching for 14 years. Also read: AL wants election with participation of all parties: Hasan Mahmud The BNP leader also said the definition of Awami League’s fair voting is to hold the election without votes like in 2014 or stuffing ballots at night like in 2018 by using all the forces to subdue the people and by establishing a reign of terror. He said people will be able to cast their votes as per their wish only if the election is held under a non-party government. “That’s why we’re on a movement for holding the election under a non-party neutral government.” Rizvi also opposed the government’s plan to hold the election using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), noting many countries already backed off from this system due to various faults. He said ballot papers must be used instead of EVM for holding a fair, credible and transparent election. The BNP leader said people got a message in advance that the next polls will be marred with massive rigging and vote robbery from Obaidul Quader’s comment that the election will be held using EVM and the Election Commission will remain neutral. He also slammed the ruling party general secretary for his remark that BNP must join the election for protecting its existence. “Obadiul Quader’s remarks give an impression that he is not only the general secretary of Awami League, but also an advisor of BNP.” Also read: BNP forms committee to probe New Market violence Rizvi said the anarchy over soybean oil across the country has manifested that the government has no programme other than plundering public money. "The government has created a scope for profiteers to make money by increasing the price of soybean oil."

BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday alleged that the government has let loose law enforcers like "hyenas" against its leaders and activists out of fear of facing public wraths. “The Illegal political forces are always sacred of facing public wraths. They get terrified with the loud voices of people. That’s why they've let loose the law enforcement agencies like hyenas to foil BNP’s different programmes,” he said. Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi also said the government is shedding the blood of opposition activists through attacking political programmes of the opposition by law enforcers at different parts of the country. He accused the government of establishing its control over  every constitutional institution from the Election Commission to the judiciary by appointing people who hold the spirit of Awami League.  “The entire nation has been colonised by the government by placing its own people everywhere. The BNP leader said the government has obliterated democracy and snatched the civic and voting rights of people by usurping power. READ: Covid restrictions maybe to stop BNP rallies: Rizvi  “They (govt) are using the state machinery to brutally suppress the democracy-loving dissidents. The same way, they’re now using its cadres and police force to obstruct BNP programmes across the country,” he observed. The BNP leader said police and the ruling party cadres resorted to various repressive acts to foil their rallies arranged for protesting the hike in daily essential in Dhaka’s Savar, Patuakhali, Magura and Jhalakati. He said police attacked their party’s peaceful rally on Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Savar without any provocation. “They charged batons on our leaders and activists, leaving at least 15 of them injured.” READ: 300 injured in ‘police attack’ on BNP’s Habiganj rally: Rizvi He said their party’s around 50 leaders and activists were injured in Patuakhali as police and the ruling party activists attacked their rally there.

BNP on Thursday received a letter from the search committee formed by the president seeking 10 names for the appointments of the new Chief Election Commissioner and the Commissioners. “A letter from the Cabinet Division reached our central office today (Thursday). We received the letter,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Read: BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader He, however, said their party will not recommend any name as per a decision of their party’s standing committee meeting. “Our party secretary general has already said we won’t give any names to the search committee." Earlier on February 7, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said their party thinks it is valueless and meaningless to give names to the search committee. “So, there's no question of giving any name by us.”

BNP on Tuesday alleged that its ‘innocent’ leaders and activists have been convicted in “false and politically motivated” old cases as part of the government’s new master plan for hanging onto power by holding the next general election without voters.  “The government has started implementing another new master plan centring on the upcoming election. Lakhs of political cases were filed against our leaders and activists earlier to harass them, and now gradual conviction has started in those cases,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. READ: Covid restrictions maybe to stop BNP rallies: Rizvi Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he said 10 BNP leaders and activists were sentenced to five years' imprisonment in a ‘fictitious’ case filed with Bhasantek Police Station under the Explosive Substances Act. “No such incident has taken place for which they have been charged with and convicted subsequently. All these acts have started at the behest of Sheikh Hasina,” the BNP leader observed. He also said had the court not been in the ‘grip’ of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, then everyone would have been acquitted in the ‘false’ case. “BNP leaders and activists are being convicted one after another (as per govt master plan) for staying in power illegally and holding the next election without voters.” Rizvi said the Nazi face of the state has been exposed through the conviction of ‘innocent’ BNP leaders and activists by implicating them in ‘false’ cases. “This conviction is one of the examples of the inhumane acts the government will resort to until the national election is over.” He alleged that police filed ‘false' and 'fabricated' cases against BNP leaders and activists to suppress them and foil their movement. Since the misdeeds of the government have been gradually exposed in the country and abroad, the BNP leader said their party leaders and activists are being convicted to mislead people and divert their attention to a different direction. He urged the government to shun the ‘foul’ play of eliminating the opposition and annihilating democracy. READ: 300 injured in ‘police attack’ on BNP’s Habiganj rally: Rizvi Rizvi said police on Monday night arrested Narayanganj district unit BNP acting convener Monirul Islam Robi as per the government move to thwart BNP’s ongoing movement. He demanded the government immediately release Robi and withdraw the false cases against their party leaders and activists.

BNP senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday asked their party leaders and activists to make streets their permanent addresses until the current government is ousted. "The streets will have to be our addresses, or else we won’t be able to survive. Sheikh Hasina is moving forward with a horrific blueprint. We’ve to make the streets our permanent houses and addresses to foil the blueprint,” he said. Speaking at a human-chain programme, the BNP leader also urged the party leaders and followers to take a vow to ‘restore’ democracy and permanently free Khaleda Zia from jail through a strong street movement. READ: Arrest warrants issued against BNP leaders Rizvi, Dulu Swadhinta Forum, a pro-BNP platform, organised the programme demanding the release of Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners. Rizvi alleged that plainclothes police picked up Swechchasebak Dal leader Mosabbir from the city’s Karwan Bazar area on Sunday morning. “Our lives have no value and security. There’s no guarantee that we can go back home safely after this meeting. Anyone can be picked up anytime from anywhere,” he said. The BNP leader urged the law enforcers to immediately return Mosabbir to his family members. He also criticized Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for what he said accusing their party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman of conspiring against Bangladesh from London. “If Tarique Rahman makes political statements, you (PM) find conspiracy there. It’s your government that has been conspiring against people for14 years staying in power,” the BNP leader said. READ: Fakhrul visits ailing BNP leader Rizvi Rizvi alleged that Sheikh Hasina wants to establish her monarchy in Bangladesh by ‘obliterating’ democracy and ‘destroying’ the electoral system. "The people of Bangladesh will never allow this to happen."

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, who has been undergoing treatment at Square Hospitals for the past two weeks with Covid-19 infections l, was shifted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as his condition worsened. Rizvi’s oxygen level has dropped below 70, causing breathing problems l, said BNP Health Affairs Secretary Rafiqul Islam. Also read: BNP’s Rizvi hospitalised with Covid-19 Besides, he said the BNP senior joint secretary general is also suffering from fever and cough. “He (Rizvi) was taken to the ICU of the hospital around 2:30 pm.” On March 18, Rizvi was admitted to the Square Hospitals with high fever and cough caused by the coronavirus infections. He tested positive for the virus on March 17. Also read: BNP leader Mosharraf, wife infected with Covid-19 Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and his wife Bilkis Akhter was also admitted to the same hospital with coronavirus infections on Wednesday night.

BNP on Thursday alleged that the university and college campuses in the country have become ‘danger zones’ for general students due to ‘unruly’ activities by Chhatra League and Jubo League members.

At least 10 BNP leaders and activists, including its senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, were injured in the city’s Mirpur area on Saturday as police charged batons on them as they took out a procession demanding the release of Khaleda Zia.