United News of Bangladesh

Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna on Monday said it is not possible to establish a lasting political position through unruly behaviour and reckless remarks. “The people of Bangladesh are conscious, knowledgeable and wise. They do not make mistakes in taking decisions,” he said while addressing a views-exchange meeting with newly elected central leaders of Jubo Dal at a hotel in Nayapaltan in the capital. The meeting was organised to discuss the current political situation and strengthen the organisational capacity of the party. Referring to the political situation, Munna said leaders and activists must remain vigilant. “The culture of mob politics that emerged during the tenure of the interim government, along with an unruly group, is now trying to raise its head in politics. As president of Jubo Dal, I want to tell them that clever rhetoric and irresponsible remarks cannot create a permanent political position,” he said. Sharing his four decades of political experience, Munna said patience, discipline and steady organisational work are the key elements of successful politics. “In politics, being slow and steady, calm and quiet is most important. I would urge them to speak in political language, conduct organisational activities properly and refrain from making reckless comments,” he said. Describing Jubo Dal as the largest and strongest associate body of BNP, Munna said the organisation is well aware of its own strength and capacity. “We are a very strong and well-organised force. Through our organisational strength, we will face all challenges on the streets,” he added. Munna said the sacrifices and struggles of party leaders and activists have been duly recognised in the newly formed committee. He said around 114 members from the previous committee have been retained in the new one in recognition of their contributions to political movements and struggles. “However, it was not possible to accommodate some other dedicated leaders this time,” he said. “For those who could not be included this time, we are trying to create opportunities. Efforts will be made to involve at least another 100 leaders in various ways. So there is no reason for disappointment,” he said. Munna said appointments were not made based on seniority or junior status; rather, individual contributions to movements and struggles were taken into consideration. He also said Jubo Dal leaders and activists could not properly carry out social programmes in the past due to an unfavourable political environment but such activities would be expanded on a larger scale in the future. Speaking at the programme, Jubo Dal General Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan said many leaders were expelled, committees dissolved and show-cause notices issued at different times following allegations after the mass uprising. “In some cases, we even held press conferences and called on law enforcement agencies to arrest the accused. Many of them were close to us and had contributions to the party, but organisational action became necessary to maintain party discipline,” he said. Nayan warned that no one would be spared if their actions tarnished the image of the organisation. Leaders of the newly formed central committee were present at the meeting. Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal announced its 151-member full-fledged central executive committee on Thursday, appointing Abdul Monayem Munna as president and Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan as general secretary.

The 151-member fully-fledged central executive committee of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal was announced on Thursday, with Abdul Monayem Munna as president and Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan as general secretary. The information was disclosed in a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Although a partial committee had been announced earlier, the party on Thursday published the full list of the 151-member executive committee. According to the committee, Rezaul Kabir Pol has been made senior vice-president, while Billal Hossain Tarek has been appointed as the No. 1 joint general secretary. Md Kamruzzaman Jewel has been given the responsibility of organising secretary and Al Mehdi Talukder has been appointed publicity secretary. The full committee includes 29 vice-presidents, 28 joint general secretaries and 23 assistant general secretaries. For the central office, Vice-President Nurul Islam Sohel and Joint General Secretary Minhajul Islam Bhuiyan have been assigned office responsibilities. Among other key appointments, Rokonuzzaman Rokon has been made treasurer, Ashraf Jalal Khan Monon literature and publication secretary, Aminur Rahman Amin information and research secretary, and Khairuzzaman Lincoln international affairs secretary with the status of vice-president. In addition, AR Mamun Khan and Mujahidul Islam Murad have been appointed as international affairs secretaries with the status of joint general secretary. The committee also includes five law affairs secretaries and two health affairs secretaries.

Three associate bodies of the BNP -- Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal -- will hold a ‘massive’ youth rally at Nayapaltan in the capital on Wednesday, with the participation of at least ‘15 lakh young people’. Youths from Dhaka, Sylhet, Faridpur and Mymensingh will attend the rally to ensure its success, said Swechchhasebak Dal President SM Jilani. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will virtually join the rally as the chief guest and present the party’s political outline and future strategy to the country’s young generation, he said. Senior BNP leaders, including Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Salahuddin Ahmed, are also scheduled to address the rally. “We witnessed a huge gathering of youths at our Chattogram rally. Our targets in Khulna and Bogura have been fully achieved, drawing the attention of youths from all walks of life. We expect that at least 15 lakh young people will join our Dhaka rally, breaking all previous records,” he said at a press briefing on Monday. BNP disappointed over absence of clear election roadmap “Youths are eagerly waiting to join the rally... by making the rally successful with their spontaneous support, the youth, who have been deprived of their voting rights for 17 years, will highlight their prime demand for the restoration of democracy,” Jilani said. With this rally, he said, they will take a step forward in the ongoing movement for restoring the youths’ voting rights under the leadership of Tarique Rahman. Earlier, on April 28, the three BNP associate bodies announced their plans to hold four seminars and four rallies involving youths from 10 divisions, with the aim of empowering them to help build a just state structure. Three BNP bodies set to hold ‘massive’ youth rally in Dhaka Wednesday Their programme, which began on May 9 in Chattogram, will conclude in Dhaka today (Wednesday). They also held seminars and rallies in Khulna and Bogura.

A Jubo Dal activist, who was shot during a clash between two factions of the BNP over the installation of Eid greeting banners in Chattogram’s Kusumbag Residential Area, succumbed to his injuries after 12 days of treatment on Thursday. The victim, Md Jihad (27), a resident of Lalkhan Bazar, passed away in the morning while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Metropolitan Hospital in the city, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Khulshi Police Station Aftab Hossain. Jihad was known to be a supporter of Abdul Halim Shah Alam, Joint Convener of the BNP Chattogram city unit. The clash occurred on the night of March 21 at around 8pm between supporters of Abdul Halim Shah Alam and those of Shariful Islam, Member Secretary of the Chhatra Dal city unit. According to eyewitnesses and police, the two groups clashed over the installation of an Eid greeting banner at the GEC intersection. The situation escalated into a violent confrontation in the Kusumbag area, where both sides opened fire. BNP leader-led attack in Bagerhat injures four policemen; 17 arrested Jihad, who was shot during the incident, was reportedly a follower of Anwar Shah Alam, while another injured person, Ramiz, was known to be a supporter of Shariful Islam’s faction. “A case was filed the day after the incident by the family of one of the injured victims, naming 15 to 20 accused. The investigation is ongoing,” the OC added.

Azizur Rahman Bachchu Mollah, the father of Information Adviser Mahfuj Alam, has been injured in an attack allegedly carried out by Jubo Dal men in Lakshmipur. The incident took place around 9:30 pm on Sunday in front of Bachchu Mollah’s house in Narayanpur of Ramganj upazila, said officer-in-charge (OC) of Ramganj Police Station Md Abul Bashar. Media freedom pointless without accountability to people: Mahfuj He was later taken to Ramganj Upazila Health Complex for primary treatment before being brought back home, the OC said. According to police and witnesses, district Chhatra League Vice President Mehedi Hasan Manju arrived at his home in Narayanpur in Ichapur Union on Sunday afternoon, as he had been absconding since the fall of the Awami League government. After spotting Manju in the area, a group of Jubo Dal men led by Sagar Hossain Shukkur attempted to assault him. Hearing about the altercation, Mahfuj’s father went there to understand the situation. Later, enraged, Shukkur and several others started hurling bricks and stones at him, causing injuries to his hand. In protest against the incident and demanding the arrest of those involved, general students brought out a protest march in Ramganj town at around 11:30 pm. After parading key streets, they held a brief gathering in front of Ramganj Police Station, where they reiterated their demand for the immediate arrest of the attackers. Following the attack, additional police forces have been deployed in the area as tensions between the two sides remain high. Media Reform Commission's recommendations to be implemented: I & B Adviser Mahfuj Repeated attempts to contact the accused, Shukkur, for a statement over the phone were unsuccessful. "A manhunt is underway to arrest the culprits," the OC added.

Mahmudul Hasan Chowdhury Sumon, convener of Narsingdi district town unit of Jubo Dal, has been expelled from his post, hours after an allegation of torture was brought against him. Minhajul Islam Bhuiya, vice office secretary of Jubo Dal Central Committee, issued a media release in this regard. According to the notice, Mahmudul Hasan has been expelled from the party for his alleged involvement in activities contrary to party’s discipline. The party will not take responsibility for any misdeeds of the expelled leaders, it said. Jubo Dal leader ‘assaults’ railway staff over ‘extortion’ Leaders and activists of Jubo Dal at all levels have been instructed not to have organisational relations with them, said the notice. Abdul Monayem Munna, president of the central committee of Jubo Dal, and its general secretary Nurul Islam Nayan, took the decision. Narsingdi station master Abu Taher Mohammad Musa submitted a written complaint to deputy commissioner Mohammad Rashed Hossain Chowdhury against the Jubo Dal leader on Wednesday. According to the complaint, the Jubo Dal leader and his associates have been trying to extort a large sum of money from the staff of the railway station by intimidating them. They use the VIP room of the station for taking drugs and gambling and misbehave with the passengers at the station, reads the complaint. Denying the allegation, Mahmudul Hasan said the station master is spreading propaganda against him.  

A upazila-level Jubo Dal leader was killed and his two associates were injured in an attack allegedly by rivals over establishing supremacy in Sherpur Sadar upazila on Tuesday night. The deceased Jakaria Badal, 47, was joint convenor of the Sadar upazila unit of the Jubo Dal and former assistant general secretary of the Sherpur Government College Students’ Union. He was a resident of Kamaria union of the upazila. One of the injured Sohag Mia is undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital while the rest, Ruhul, 32, is at Sherpur Sadar Hospital. Badal’s relative and also a Chhatra Dal activist Ramzan Ali said there had long been rivalry between Badal and local Kamaria union unit of BNP’s convenor Lutfor Rahman over leadership. The relationship between them deteriorated recently due to alleged grouping in the district level unit of the BNP, he said. Jubo Dal leader killed in Khulna; 2 held Meanwhile, Lutfor met Badal’s another opponent Nure Alam, former chairman of the UP and a Krishak League leader who has been in jail now, he said. Ansar Ali, sub inspector of Sherpur Sadar police station, said Badal and his associates, who were riding a motorbike, came under the attack on the way to home from local Bhimganj Bazar on Tuesday afternoon. The miscreants stabbed the trio with sharp weapons, leaving them critically injured, he said. Though they were initially taken to Shere Sadar Hospital and later Badal and Sohag were shifted to Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital, he said. Jubo Dal leader killed, over 1,000 BNP leaders, activists injured in Nayapaltan violence: Fakhrul Badal succumbed to his injuries on way to Dhaka from the Mymensingh Hospital as his condition deteriorated around 11:00pm, he said. Tension gripped the union following the death of Badal, forcing them to deploy joint forces in the area to ward off any unwanted incident further, said Superintendent of District Police Md Aminul Islam. Police launched a crackdown to arrest those involved with the murder, he added.

Jubo Dal has suspended a member at Gazipur’s Sreepur upazila unit after video footage showed him in extortion from traders at local MC Bazar on Saturday. The BNP’s youth wing Jubo Dal took the action against Jahangir Alam after a video showing the Jubo Dal leader of the upazila unit of the convening committee went viral on social media, triggering severe criticism. He also held the post of former member secretary of Telihati union unit of Chhatra Dal and is son of Nuru Bepari of Mulaid village under the union. Gazipur district unit of Jubo Dal Convenor Ataur Rahman Molla confirmed that the executive committee of the Jubo Dal suspended him on saturday night and his party never supports such deeds. In the video footage, he was heard saying, “From now on, MC Bazar will run under my control as long as I am alive.... now and now, my people will start collecting khajna (extortion). If anyone obstructs, there will be dire consequences. I don't care if someone leased the market. Right now my people will start collecting money.” Jubo Dal suspends its Daulatpur VP for breaking discipline Preferring anonymity, some traders said wearing red tape on heads and covering faces with towels Jahangir and his 50 to 60 cohorts stormed the market at noon on Saturday and demanded money from traders brandishing machetes. Many traders fled the market in panic and some paid the money as per demand, they said. Sreepur police station’s Officer-in-Charge Joynal Abedin Mandal said their several teams are working to arrest those who forced the traders to pay the money.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has condemned the recent death of BNP leader Touhidul Islam, who was allegedly killed while in the custody of joint forces. Touhidul, a prominent figure from the Panchthubi Union of Cumilla’s Sadar Upazila, was abducted and killed on January 31, the day before his father's funeral. His family has accused the authorities of torturing him, claiming that his death resulted from severe physical abuse. Disturbingly, numerous marks of torture were reportedly found on his body, it said in a statement on its verified Facebook page on Saturday. Fakhrul demands justice for killing of Cumilla Jubo Dal leader The student body called the death a tragic continuation of human rights violations in post-July Uprising Bangladesh. The movement highlighted the ongoing issue of extrajudicial killings, calling them a stark contradiction to the aspirations for justice and reform that arose during the July Uprising, which was fueled by public outrage over enforced disappearances and deaths in custody under the previous regime. "The extrajudicial killing of Touhidul Islam in the custody of law enforcement agencies goes against the very ideals of the revolution that thousands of martyrs sacrificed their lives for," the statement read. "This incident not only marks a failure of the interim government but is also a clear violation of human rights." The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has called for a thorough and impartial investigation into Islam's death, urging the authorities to identify and hold accountable those responsible for the joint forces' actions. The movement also called for comprehensive reforms within law enforcement agencies to prevent the resurgence of a culture of torture, abductions, and extrajudicial killings. Anti-discrimination student movement, Nagarik Committee to launch campaign “The state must undergo radical reforms to ensure that law enforcement agencies do not continue the practices of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings,” the statement also said. “We urge the interim government to take more effective action to prevent such incidents and safeguard public safety.”

A 22-year-old man was killed and three others injured in a clash between two factions of Jubo Dal over dominance in the Shekherchar area of Narsingdi on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Manjur Mia, son of Abdur Rashid from Poulanpur village of Madhobdi Thana, said Gobindo Sarker, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Madhobdi Police Station. The identities of the injured individuals are yet to be confirmed. Police said that the clash stemmed from a dispute between Akram Hossain, senior joint secretary of Meherpara Union Jubo Dal, and Jubo Dal leader Baokhtiar, from the same union, over control of Shekerchar (Baburhat) Bazar and the local cable business. Supporters of both groups clashed and opened fire around 8:30 pm, resulting in the death of Manjur and injuries to three others. Chhatra Dal activist shot dead in Narsingdi The body has been sent to the morgue for an autopsy, the OC said. Additional police forces have been deployed in the area to prevent any further incidents, he added. Narsingdi clash leaves 2 UP members killed