United News of Bangladesh

The students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) continued their protest on Monday demanding the unconditional release of all those detained of the quota reform movement including the coordinators. On Monday (July 29) at 4 pm, they BROUGHT out a procession from the road adjacent to the central Shaheed Minar of the university. The procession passed through the main road to the university and ended with a short rally at the premises of Shaheed Minar. Despite vacant dormitories, around a hundred students joined the protest under the banner of Anti-discrimination Student Movement. A few teachers of the university also expressed their solidarity to the protest. They also placed 4-point demand. These are: Unconditional release of JU student Arif Sohel, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, prosecution of the brutal torture of the central coordinators, immediate prosecution of those involved in the killing of students, and stop mass arrests against ordinary students. Zahidul Islam, a coordinator of the movement JU branch, said in the rally, "We have seen that genocide was carried out by shutting down the Internet in Kashmir and Palestine, now the dictatorial government also shut down the Internet and carried out genocide in Bangladesh." He also rejected the statement of the coordinators that was released from DB custody on Sunday, and said the statement was extracted through coercion. "We demand the release of all the coordinators first, then we will take a collective decision," he added. Sohagi Samia, said, "This dictator government has attacked ordinary students by using its lewd cadre Chhatra League. Wanted to resist with armed forces. This movement is the people's movement. No despotic ruler can survive in a country where students can stand in front of the Machete of Chhatra League and protest in front of police bullets. Professor Mohammad Golam Rabbani of the history department said in the rally, "Students and ordinary people who were agitating for quota reform across the country have been killed. As a teacher, I want justice for them. I want students to sleep safely, stay safe. Let them come back to the university, come back to class.' Meanwhile, the teachers of different departments of the university took part in the demonstration expressing solidarity with the students' movement. The teachers are Professor Mohammad Mafrohi Sattar of the University's Pharmacy Department, Professor Shamima Sultana of the Bengali Department, Professor Jamal Uddin of the Department of Environmental Science, Associate Professor of Geography and Environment Department Mohammad Rezaul Rakib and others.  

In response to severe allegations of constitutional, legal, and human rights violations related to the quota reform protests, a 'National Inquiry Commission' has been established. The commission was announced in a press release sent to the media on Monday by joint secretaries of the commission, Tanzimuddin Khan and Maha Mirza. ‘Who’s asking you to do this?’: High Court rebukes DB for publicizing image of quota reform coordinators The press release details that violence against students began on July 16 when excessive force was used to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement in the Dhaka University area. Protests erupted nationwide in response, leading to Abu Saeed being shot in the chest in Rangpur. Despite the incident, when a case was filed, the blame was placed on ordinary students and the public, raising questions about the integrity of the investigation process and demands for truth. While national newspapers reported at least 209 deaths related to the protests, the official count stands at 147. Allegations of severe constitutional, legal, and human rights violations have been made due to the attempts to control the movement through torture, shootings, and mass arrests. The newly formed National Inquiry Commission aims to uncover the causes of these incidents, ensure a thorough investigation, and seek justice. Quota protest deaths: Mourning day to be observed tomorrow The commission will be headed by the retired judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court Justice Md. Abdul Matin,  and includes legal luminaries in the field of human rights law such as the activist Sultana Kamal, senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna, lawyer Aneek R. Haque, as well as writers and researchers such as senior journalist Abu Saeed Khan, Professor Gitiara Nasrin, senior journalist Ashraf Kaiser,  Professor Tanzimuddin Khan, and writer and researcher Maha Mirza. According to the press release, Justice Md. Abdul Matin and Sultana Kamal will serve as the co-chairpersons of the commission, while Professor Tanzimuddin Khan and Maha Mirza will act as joint secretaries. The commission will also include advisors such as senior lawyers Tobarak Hossain and Sara Hossain, distinguished legal mind Dr. Shahdeen Malik, , senior lawyers Rashna Imam and Jyotirmoy Barua, and law professors Syemum Reza Talukdar and  Kazi Mahfuzul Haque Supon, as well as the academic Salimullah Khan.  The National Inquiry Commission will soon request all concerned individuals to submit any information related to the violence, torture, killings, shootings, threats, lawsuits, and human rights violations that have occurred since July 1st, including audio, video, photographs, and written materials. Writ petition seeks order not to shoot protesters, release of 6 quota coordinators from DB custody Aneek R. Haque, in an update on his Facebook profile Monday night,  said the commission in its work would "maintain the confidentiality of those who will give evidence," which can be important in encouraging more people to come forward with whatever they have.  He also added the Terms of Reference of the Commission and a Call for Evidence will be published soon, "in a day or two."

Broadcast Journalist Center-BJC, the key organization of broadcast journalists of the country, has expressed deep concern as the mass media, especially the broadcasting medium television, has been heavily affected during the recent quota agitation and the clashes and violence. In a statement, BJC also demanded fair investigation and justice in all recent killings and violent incidents. In an emergency meeting of the board of trustees of the organization on Saturday, July 27, it was said that 4 journalists were killed while gathering news and more than half a hundred media journalists were injured. Besides, 35 media vehicles were vandalised, 8 were set on fire, state broadcaster BTV was heavily damaged in the attack and set to fire. The BJC believes that when journalists are attacked or blocked in a crisis, independent journalism suffers and the crisis worsens. Because in today's age of new media only professional and independent editorial organization can counter disinformation, distorted information and rumours, which is essential for everyone. BJC also called on all parties including the government to take a role in ensuring the safety of journalists and a suitable environment for their work.

State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has called on power sector entities to establish their own communication systems to ensure uninterrupted bill payments and other operations during emergencies. Addressing a progress meeting of the Revised Annual Development Programme (RADP) at the Power Division on Monday, Hamid emphasized the importance of having independent communication systems. “If you have your own communication system, other communications, including bill payment, can be done quickly during emergencies,” he told officials. This directive comes in response to the recent internet blackout during student protests, which disrupted consumers’ ability to recharge their prepaid and smart prepaid cards, resulting in automatic disconnections of electricity services until internet services were restored. Hamid urged officials to prioritize cyber and physical security for power infrastructures and to ensure the implementation of decisions taken in various meetings. He stressed the need for a roadmap to build a smart Bangladesh swiftly. The meeting revealed that the Power Division achieved 101.82 percent implementation of the revised annual development plan (RADP) for the financial year 2023-24. The total allocation for 64 projects under the Power Division was Tk 30,063.66 crores, with actual expenditure reaching Tk 30,609.89 crores. Commending the officials for exceeding the implementation target, Hamid expressed his gratitude and emphasized the importance of setting and achieving monthly targets in a planned manner for the financial year 2024-25. The meeting was attended by Senior Secretary of the Power Division Md. Habibur Rahman, Chairman of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) Munira Sultana, Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Chairman of BREB Ajay Kumar Chakraborty, Director General of Power Cell Mohammad Hossain, and heads of various entities under the Power Division.    

China’s General Administration of Customs has made an announcement giving approval for Bangladeshi mangoes’ export to China. Miyazaki: Why are the world's costliest mangoes considerably cheap in Bangladesh? On July 26, the General Administration of Customs of China issued an announcement on phytosanitary requirements for importing fresh mangoes from Bangladesh. On July 10, Bangladesh and China signed “Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Exporting of Fresh Mangoes from Bangladesh to China” witness by the two leaders of the countries in Beijing. Agri-materials to be provided on time to boost mango production: Agriculture Minister The release of the announcement is an important measure to implement the outcomes of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to China, which will provide a huge Chinese consumer market to Bangladeshi high-quality mangoes and help Bangladesh achieve its export diversification goals, said the Embassy of China in Dhaka on Monday. 50MT mangoes of Satkhira exported to Europe The Embassy said it vividly demonstrates the essential features of mutually beneficial and win-win results of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified security measures across the country, particularly in key areas of Dhaka, to maintain law and order. Shariful Islam, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of BGB, confirmed the heightened security. The increased security presence comes in response to new demonstrations by students in various parts of the country on Monday. 229 BGB platoons deployed across the country amid shutdown call In Mirpur-10, police obstructed protesters attempting to bring out a procession around 12:30 pm. Members of BGB, police, and the army have been deployed at various strategic points to ensure public safety.    

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) Chief Harun-or-Rashid on Monday said that the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement for quota reform, who are currently in DB custody for “security and questioning,” will be released soon. The DB chief also dismissed claims that the six coordinators were “coerced into issuing a statement” to end the student protests as “baseless rumour.” “These rumours are unfounded. We urge those spreading them to stop,” he said.              Speaking to journalists at the DB office’s main gate at around 2:45 pm, Harun said, “DB is a place of trust. No one is detained here without cause, nor are statements extracted under duress. The students themselves acknowledged in writing that the government has met all their demands, which is why they decided to withdraw their movement.” He also highlighted his own background as a former Dhaka University student, reinforcing his empathy towards the current students. “We brought these six coordinators here for their security. There are many rumours surrounding them, but we have been in touch with their families. Due to their and their families’ sense of insecurity, we took them under our protection,” he said. Harun added that the families had visited the DB office and confirmed that the students were safe and well-treated. “As police officers, it is our duty to care for anyone who feels unsafe and seeks our help. That’s exactly what we are doing,” Harun asserted. He reiterated that the coordinators had voluntarily issued a statement “disassociating themselves from the quota reform movement.” “Since last night, we have seen rumours suggesting they did not give this statement willingly. We firmly believe that the DB office is a place of trust, where no one is mistreated or unjustly detained. Our role is to ensure the safety of those who come to us or whom we bring in due to safety concerns,” Harun said. When asked about the duration of their stay in DB custody, the DB chief responded, “We are in continuous dialogue with them and their families. They will be reunited with their families very soon.” Harun also addressed concerns about the infiltration by destructive elements in the student protests. “The quota reform movement was initiated by innocent students, but it was hijacked by a group with destructive intentions, including Jamaat-BNP elements, who committed acts of violence, including the murder of a police officer and arson attacks on state properties. We believe that if these conspirators attempt to exploit the situation again, the coordinators’ safety could be compromised. Therefore, we must ensure their security,” he said.

Ganatantra Mancha, an alliance of several opposition parties, announced on Monday that they will hold a protest rally at the Purana Paltan intersection in the capital on Wednesday to press home their various demands, including the resignation of the Awami League government. Bangladesh-er Biplobi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque made the announcement at a press conference at Rashtra Sangskar Andolan’s Central office in the city’s Mehrababa Plaza. He also urged all democratic and patriotic political parties, as well as social and professional organisations, to join in a peaceful movement demanding the resignation of the current regime, eschewing the instigation and the evil efforts for sabotage by the government and the ruling party. Saiful said Ganatantra Mancha will come up with gradual programmes across the country to realise their demands. He said they hoped that other political parties that have been carrying out a simultaneous movement will also announce similar gradual programmes in a coordinated manner. “We’ll hold a rally on July 31 at 11 am at the Purana Paltan intersection to protest the violent incidents centring the mass uprisings of students and citizens and to demand justice for the brutal killings, the resignation of the government, and other related demands,” Saiful said. He alleged that the government has committed the most brutal killings in the country’s history in connection with the mass upsurge following the student movement. Saiful alleged that the government has already arrested 12,500 opposition leaders, workers, and students. He condemned the brutality of the government, including the arrest and torture of senior opposition leaders, including two BNP standing committee members, the brutal torture of the President of Gono Odhikar Parishad Nurul Haque Nur, and the reported torture of the five coordinators of the quota reform movement in police custody.

Police dispersed students who took position at ECB chattar at Mirpur on Monday noon protesting the recent deaths during students’ movement and release of people arrested by law enforcement agencies. The students started demonstrations around 12 pm police dispersed them around 12:30 pm, said our reporter from the spot. Then the protesters took position in different alleys. Besides, police obstructed protesters at Mirpur-10 when they attempted to bring out a procession around 12:30 pm. Members of BGB, police and army have taken position at different points.

Police have detained several protesters who gathered at Dhaka’s Purana Paltan on Monday noon as part of their scheduled demonstration. The protesters were rallying against the detention of seven coordinators of the quota reform movement by the Detective Branch (DB) and the “pressure to withdraw their ongoing movement,” UNB's photographer reported fromt the spot.  Additional gatherings of protesters were reported at Mirpur 10 intersection and Rajshahi University. 14 more cases filed, 243 arrested over recent violence: DMP On Sunday night, Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the quota reform movement, announced in a video message, while under DB custody, the withdrawal of their protest programme. Despite this announcement, students from several universities, including Dhaka University, issued statements vowing to continue their protests until their nine-point demands are met.