United News of Bangladesh

Speculation over the BNP’s presidential nominee will end on Thursday, as its Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to meet the party’s Standing Committee members to make the final decision, with nomination papers for the presidential election scheduled to be submitted from 10am to 4pm that day. Several BNP leaders said the party’s candidate will be known after the meeting, scheduled for 12 noon, just hours before the nomination deadline expires at 4pm. They, however, indicated that BNP Secretary General and Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is likely to get the ruling party’s nomination for the presidency. The BNP’s formal announcement may come around 12:30pm after the Standing Committee meeting, they said. Earlier on August 10, the BNP Standing Committee entrusted its Chairman Tarique Rahman with the responsibility of nominating the party’s candidate for the presidential election. Since then, speculation has intensified that Mirza Fakhrul would be the BNP nominee for the country’s top constitutional post. A Standing Committee member said, “The name of the person who will be the presidential candidate will be known at the meeting with the chairman on Thursday.” He said the prospective candidate’s signature will be obtained at the meeting and a delegation will then be sent to the Election Commission for submitting the nomination paper along with the signatures of the proposer and seconder. Meanwhile, the 11-party opposition alliance, led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has named Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmad as its candidate for the presidential election. Both the ruling and opposition camps have collected nomination papers for their respective aspirants. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who is serving as the returning officer for the presidential election, has already convened a meeting of MPs at the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on August 20 for voting in accordance with the Presidential Election Act, 1991. According to the election schedule announced by the EC on August 6, nomination papers will be scrutinised on August 16, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is August 18. Voting will take place from 2pm to 5pm on August 20 at the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad. A total of 349 MPs are eligible to vote in the presidential election, with the Chattogram-4 parliamentary seat currently vacant. This will be the first presidential election in 35 years involving more than one candidate, making it the first contested presidential election since the restoration of the parliamentary system in 1991. On July 24, Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned as President, following which Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad assumed charge as acting President. Under Article 123(2) of the Constitution, an election to fill a vacant presidential office must be held within 90 days of the post becoming vacant due to resignation.

The ruling BNP on Sunday collected two nomination forms for the upcoming presidential election. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni collected the forms from the Returning Officer’s office in the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon. Speaking to the media, Moni said they collected two forms for the same candidate to avoid any mistakes or omissions in the nomination process. “We have taken the forms for one person, but collected two so that there is no error or omission. The forms have not been collected in anyone’s name,” he said. The chief whip said the party will submit the nomination papers according to the election schedule. In 2023, the then ruling Awami League also collected two nomination forms for the presidential election. Two nomination papers were submitted in the name of then presidential candidate Mohammed Shahabuddin, with one being declared valid and the other automatically cancelled. There is no restriction on collecting or submitting more than one nomination paper for a single candidate. Earlier on August 6, the EC announced the schedule for the presidential election, setting August 20 as the voting date, following the resignation of Shahabuddin as President on July 24. According to the schedule, nomination papers can be submitted from 10:00am to 4:00pm on August 13, while scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on August 16. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is August 18. If there is more than one candidate, voting will be held from 2:00pm to 5:00pm on August 20 in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The 11-party alliance, led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has already announced that it will field a candidate for the presidential election. On Sunday, it chose Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmad as its presidential election candidate. If the contest takes place, it will be the first presidential election involving more than one candidate since 1991, when the parliamentary system was restored. In the 1991 election, BNP candidate Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated Awami League candidate Badrul Haider Chowdhury. In subsequent presidential elections, candidates nominated by the ruling parties were elected unopposed. As the President is elected by Members of Parliament, the BNP candidate is expected to secure victory due to the party’s single majority in Parliament. Article 70 of the Constitution prevents lawmakers from voting against their respective political parties in Parliament. If Parliament is not in session, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin will convene a one-day sitting in consultation with the Speaker. If more than one candidate remains in the race, the CEC will convene the sitting seven days before the scheduled polling date. The sitting, however, will not be considered a regular parliamentary session.

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday accused the BNP of resorting to the same authoritarian practices that opposition parties had faced during the fascist Awami League regime, urging the party to respect the people's mandate and democratic values. Addressing a discussion, titled “Jan Debo, July Debo Na”, organised by the Bangladesh Labour Party at the Jatiya Press Club, he said both Jamaat and BNP had endured over 17 years of repression before the political change brought by the July movement.  “After the bloodstained movement that brought change, we are now seeing a photocopy of what the fascists used to do,” Shafiqur said, alleging that BNP has embraced the same “tactics of suppressing dissent through propaganda, conspiracy and the use of force.”  He also questioned BNP's stance on the referendum, further alleging that the party is ignoring the will of the people despite previously supporting the process. The Jamaat chief said Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971 was against discrimination and the denial of people's voting rights, warning that repeating such mistakes will have serious consequences.  He criticised what he described as increasing politicisation in public administration and alleged partisan appointments to key government positions. Shafiqur also called for a non-partisan election-time administration to ensure credible polls and urged the government to hold elections that genuinely reflect the people's mandate.  He further alleged that opposition activists are facing politically motivated cases and criticised incidents of violence against protesters, saying such actions contradict the aspirations of the July movement.  Among others, National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col (retd) Oli Ahmad and Labour Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran addressed the programme.

An activist of Jubo Dal, BNP’s youth wing,  was shot dead and two others suffered bullet injuries in Kafrul area of the capital on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Yusuf Ali, 45, an activist of Kafrul thana unit Jubo Dal. Witnesses said, when local Jubo Dal leader Hafizur Rahman along with 7-8 others were chatting in front of a garment factory around 11:30 pm in Mirpur-13 area 3-4 armed miscreants opened fire on them, leaving Yusuf and two others injured. The injured including Nalam Sardar, 45 and Monir Hossain, 32 were taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital around 12:30 am, where the doctors declared Yusuf dead, said Inspector Faruk, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp. Local people managed to detain a suspect and handed him over to police.

A local BNP leader in Faridpur has been expelled from the party after an obscene video allegedly involving him went viral on social media. The expelled leader is Md Obaidur Rahman, organising secretary of Aliabad union unit of BNP in Sadar upazila. The expulsion was confirmed in a letter signed by Faridpur district BNP Convener Advocate Syed Modarres Ali Isa and Member Secretary AKM Kibria Swapon on Thursday night. According to the letter, Obaidur was removed from his party post and his primary membership was revoked for allegedly engaging in an act amounting to moral turpitude. Isa said the decision to expel him was taken at a meeting of the district unit on Thursday night after the allegations against him were found to be true. Repeated attempts were made to contact Obaidur over the phone for his comments, but he did not answer the calls. Earlier, an obscene video of the BNP leader – 5 minutes and 37 seconds long – with a woman proliferated widely on social media.

Ziaur Rahman Foundation Vice President and cardiologist Dr Zubaida Rahman on Thursday called for building a humane and effective healthcare system to ensure that no villager dies for lack of medical treatment and no pregnant woman or newborn loses life due to inadequate healthcare. "We want a future Bangladesh where no sick villager dies because of lack of treatment, no pregnant woman dies without receiving proper medical care, and no newborn leaves its mother's lap because of inadequate healthcare," she said. "We want to build a healthcare system that will set an example for the world because everyone's health matters," she said at a programme as the chief guest at the Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College auditorium in the capita, where meritorious students were honoured for their academic achievements. Congratulating the award recipients, she also praised students who managed to pursue cultural activities alongside their hard academic schedules. "If you continue to nurture your talents this way, it will be highly commendable. Culture is what we are; civilisation is what we have. Culture is the foundation of civilisation," she said. Describing the students as some of the country's brightest minds, Dr Zubaida said they had earned the opportunity to study medicine through merit and urged them to combine excellence with compassion. Expressing hope that many students would pursue higher education and advanced medical training abroad, she urged them to return and serve the people of Bangladesh. Citing healthcare statistics, she said Bangladesh currently has only 0.83 physicians per 1,000 people, meaning one doctor often has to serve between 1,200 and 1,800 patients, with the situation being even worse in rural areas. "This situation can change if we commit ourselves to serving the country from our student life," she said. She noted that 70 to 75 percent of doctors work in urban areas while 78 percent of the country's population lives in rural and remote regions. Dr Zubaida also said the nurse-to-population ratio in Bangladesh is only 0.549 per 1,000 people, compared to the World Health Organization's benchmark of 1.48 nurses per 1,000 people. She added that the WHO recommends 2.28 doctors per 1,000 people while in Bangladesh there is only one government doctor for every 6,500 people. "That is why healthcare remains one of the major causes of poverty." She expressed confidence that through merit, hard work, perseverance and patriotism the students would build the healthcare system the country aspires to have. "Our villagers are often deprived of timely treatment because of the shortage of doctors. But if you dedicate yourselves to serving the people, this challenge can certainly be overcome," she said.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday said it is up to the Election Commission (EC) and the courts to determine who is eligible to contest the upcoming local government elections. "The local government elections will be held in a non-partisan manner. Who can contest and who cannot is a matter for the courts and the Election Commission. They will determine eligibility in accordance with the existing laws," he said while talking to reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Rizvi, also the PM’s political adviser, made the remarks replying to a question about Awami League’s participation in the local government elections.  Earlier, a three-member BNP delegation submitted the BNP’s annual financial statement for 2025 to EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed. Responding to a question about Jamaat-e-Islami's letter to the Election Commission seeking to prevent Awami League leaders from participating in the local government elections, Rizvi said the issue should be resolved strictly in accordance with the law. "It does not matter what any political party says. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to determine who can contest the elections and who can’t do as per the existing laws and the new legal provisions. We are leaving the matter to the Commission," he said. Asked about BNP's process for selecting candidates in the non-party local elections, Rizvi said the party's highest policymaking body would decide the process. "As the elections are being held without party symbols, our highest policymaking forum will determine how our candidates will participate. No decision has yet been taken on the matter," he said. Replying to another question whether BNP would allow anyone to seek its support in the local polls, Rizvi said the party has not yet finalised its policy. "Once a decision is made, we will inform you," he added. Regarding BNP's next national council, Rizvi said party Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have already indicated that the council would be held. "The council will definitely take place. However, no decision has yet been made on the month or date. We hope it will be held very soon, and we will announce the schedule once it is finalised," he said. The two other BNP delegation members are BNP Treasurer and State Minister for Civil Aviation M Rashiduzzaman Millat and Assistant Office Secretary Monir Hossain. According to the audited financial statement, BNP earned some Tk 22.20 crore (exactly Tk 22,19,55,182) and spent Tk 15.26 crore (Tk15,26,10,857), leaving a surplus of nearly Tk 7 crore (Tk 6,93,54,325) during the 2025 calendar year. BNP began 2025 with an opening balance of Tk 21.14 crore. BNP had the balance of a total of Tk 28.07 crore at the end of 2025.  

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has issued a show-cause notice to Fakhar Uddin Ahmed Bachchu, MP from Mymensingh-11 constituency and convener of Bhaluka upazila BNP, on charges of violating party discipline and engaging in unethical activities. According to the notice signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Bachchu was expelled from the party on September 1, 2024 over specific allegations of involvement in controversial activities that violated party discipline following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024. Later, following his apology and an application expressing regret over his actions, the party withdrew the expulsion order and restored his primary membership on October 24, 2025. The notice said recently, reports from different media outlets and party sources revealed that Bacchu and his associates have again been involved in activities, including attempts to control local scrap (jhut) businesses and exerting unethical influence, in breach of party discipline. He was asked to submit a written explanation to the party’s central office within 48 hours.

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday urged party leaders and activists to remain united as they had over the past 17 years, warning that internal division will only benefit "fascist forces" and infiltrators ahead of the upcoming local government elections. Addressing an organisational meeting of local BNP leaders and activists at the Barishal Shilpakala Academy, he said differences of opinion are natural but should never be allowed to weaken the party and destroy the unity. "You remained united during the last 17 years and brought the party to victory in the parliamentary election. You must maintain that same unity in the local government elections. If we remain united, no fascist force or infiltrator will be able to enter or take advantage. They will benefit only if our unity breaks,” the Prime Minister said. Recalling the party's years in opposition, he praised grassroots leaders and activists for keeping BNP afloat despite repression. "You suffered enforced disappearances, killings and persecution, yet you stood together and protected the party…You gave more time to the party than to your own family. You spent your own money and endured anxiety and suffering for the party. Now that fear no longer exists. If you could remain united then, why cannot you remain united now?" the BNP chief said. He warned party members to remain vigilant against "hybrid" politicians and infiltrators, saying there were many conspiracies before the election, and those conspiracies have not stopped. “Some people are still plotting inside the country, while another group is conspiring from abroad…We must further organise the party, but while doing so we must ensure that hybrids and infiltrators do not enter the party leadership,” Tarique Rahman said. He said the BNP came to power because of the sacrifices of its leaders and activists, making it essential to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots. "If you want your party to remain in government, the grassroots must remain united and strong. It is because of you that BNP has come to power," the Prime Minister said. Referring to the planned local government elections, he said the party first needs to prepare organisationally. "You say you want local government elections. Are you prepared? Without preparation, can you win? And if you cannot win, how will the government function?" Tarique Rahman asked. "We will certainly hold local government elections. We will discuss the timing after the monsoon. Before that, you must unite and decide among yourselves who will contest for chairman, who will contest for member and who will lead the organisation,” he said. The Prime Minister urged party workers not to make unrealistic promises merely to gain popularity. "I will not promise what I cannot deliver," he said, adding that the responsibilities of government requires difficult but realistic decisions rather than populism,” he said. Tarique Rahman expressed confidence that BNP leaders and activists will remain united and repeat their organisational success in the upcoming local government elections. He also instructed party leaders to ensure peaceful celebrations of the upcoming major Hindu religious festival. "I am telling everyone here, and those who are absent should also be informed, that the festival must be held peacefully at any cost. No one should be allowed to create any untoward incident or exploit the occasion," the Prime Minister said, referring to Rath Yatra.  

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) National Standing Committee has decided to make the party’s activities more active and instructed all units, including affiliated organisations, to take necessary steps in this regard. The meeting also discussed holding elections at different levels of local government and urged party units to strengthen organisational activities. It decided to arrange a meeting of the National Executive Committee as soon as possible and assigned BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to take necessary measures. The decisions were disclosed in a press release signed by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is also the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister. The meeting of the party’s highest policymaking body was held at BNP Chairman’s Gulshan office on Saturday night, with BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. According to the press release, the meeting discussed various issues in detail and took several decisions. At the meeting, the BNP Secretary General informed the members about the implementation of decisions taken at previous meetings. The meeting discussed the implementation of priority projects of the BNP government and expressed satisfaction over the progress of programmes including Family Card, Farmer Card, canal excavation initiatives, and allowances for mosque imams and muezzins, temple priests, church fathers and Buddhist temple caretakers. The meeting also discussed the implementation of the party’s election manifesto. It praised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s initiatives in this regard and expressed hope that the targets outlined in the manifesto would be achieved within the stipulated time. The meeting condemned what it described as attempts by the opposition to mislead people over the July Charter and referendum. It decided to accelerate the process of informing the public about the party’s position on the issue and directed the concerned individuals and institutions to take necessary steps. The meeting reviewed the results of the 2026 national parliamentary election and requested BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan to prepare a comprehensive report on the matter. The meeting was briefed about the agreements signed during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visits to Malaysia and China. It praised the participation of the two countries in creating mutual development and cooperation opportunities and Bangladesh’s economic progress. The meeting said significant progress had been achieved through the visits based on mutual respect and congratulated the Prime Minister for their success. The Standing Committee expressed deep concern over the resumption of clashes between Iran and the United States following a recent ceasefire. It called upon the two countries to end hostilities and establish peace through dialogue, saying the conflict was severely affecting economies across the Middle East and beyond. The meeting described the election of Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman as president of the United Nations General Assembly as a major success under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. It expressed hope that the achievement would enhance Bangladesh’s global image and play a positive role in resolving the Rohingya crisis. The meeting also expressed concern over the growing drug problem in the country and called upon the government to take more effective measures to address the issue. The meeting expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of former BNP treasurer, former MP from Munshiganj and former minister Mizanur Rahman Sinha, and former MP from Brahmanbaria, former chief whip and former minister Harun-or-Rashid. It prayed for the salvation of their souls and conveyed condolences to their bereaved families. The meeting also expressed concern over the illness of BNP Standing Committee member, former Speaker, former Acting President, former minister and former MP from Panchagarh Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar; Standing Committee member, current government adviser and former minister Mirza Abbas; and Standing Committee member, former ambassador and current government adviser Nazrul Islam Khan. It prayed to Almighty Allah for their speedy recovery. At the end of the meeting, BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman thanked all participants and concluded the session. Those present at the meeting included BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hassan Mahmud Tuku and Selima Rahman. Mirza Abbas, who is currently undergoing treatment in Malaysia, joined the meeting virtually.