United News of Bangladesh

The Chief Adviser of the interim government, Dr Muhammad Yunus, will hold a meeting with BNP senior leaders Monday afternoon. BNP standing committee members, led by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will join the meeting at the Chief Adviser’s residence at 4pm, said party media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He said Dr Yunus invited the BNP leaders for the meeting. This will be the first formal meeting between the head of the interim government and BNP leaders since its formation on August 8. As former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country after resigning in the face of a student-led mass movement, the interim government was fomed under the leadership of Nobel-winning economist Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Jannatul Prome hopes to leave Bangladesh to study more or possibly find a job after she finishes her university degree, frustrated by a system that she says doesn't reward merit and offers little opportunity for young people. “We have very limited scope here,” said the 21-year-old, who would have left sooner if her family had enough money to pay tuition at foreign universities for both her and her older brother at the same time. But recent events have given her hope that one day she might be able to return to a transformed Bangladesh: After 15 years in power, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country last week — chased out by young protesters, Prome among them, who say they are fed up with the way her increasingly autocratic rule has stifled dissent, favored the elite and widened inequalities. Students initially poured into Bangladesh's streets in June, demanding an end to rules that set aside up to 30% of government jobs for the descendants of veterans who fought the country's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Protesters said that benefitted supporters of Hasina's Awami League, which led that struggle — and who already were part of the elite. The quota and others for marginalized groups meant only 44% of civil service jobs were awarded based on merit. That such jobs lay at the center of the movement was no coincidence: They are some of the most stable and best paying in a country where the economy has boomed in recent years but not created enough solid, professional jobs for its well-educated middle class. And that Generation Z led this uprising was also not surprising: Young people like Prome are among the most frustrated with and affected by the lack of opportunity in Bangladesh — and at the same time, they are not beholden to the old taboos and narratives that the quota system reflected. Their willingness to break with the past was clear when Hasina belittled their demands in mid-July, asking who, if not the freedom fighters, should be awarded government jobs. “Who will? The grandchildren of Razakars?” Hasina retorted, using a deeply offensive word that refers to those who collaborated with Pakistan to quell Bangladesh’s independence struggle. But the student protesters wore the word as a badge of honor. They marched on Dhaka University’s campus, chanting: “Who are you? Who am I? Razakar. Who said this? The dictator.” The following day, protesters were killed during clashes with security forces — only galvanizing the demonstrations, which widened into a broader uprising against Hasina's rule. Sabrina Karim, a professor at Cornell University who studies political violence and Bangladesh’s military history, said that many of the protesters are so young they cannot remember a time before Hasina was prime minister. They were raised, like the generations before them, on stories of the independence struggle — with Hasina's family at the center. Her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was the first leader of independent Bangladesh and was later assassinated in a military coup. But Karim said this narrative had much less meaning for the young protesters than it did for their grandparents. “It doesn’t resonate with them anymore as much as it did (before). And they want something new,” she said. For Nourin Sultana Toma, a 22-year-old student at Dhaka University, Hasina's equating of the student protesters with traitors made her realize the gulf between what the youth wanted and what the government could provide. She said that she had watched as Bangladesh was slowly lulled into becoming immune to inequities and people lost hope that things would ever get better. The country’s longest-serving prime minister prided herself on boosting per capita income and transforming Bangladesh’s economy into a global competitor — fields turned into garment factories and bumpy roads became winding highways. But Toma said she saw the daily struggle of people trying to buy essentials or find work and her demand for basic rights met with insults and violence. “It could no longer be tolerated,” Toma said. This economic distress was keenly felt by Bangladesh’s youth. Eighteen million young people — in a country of 170 million — are not working or in school, according to Chietigj Bajpaee, who researches South Asia at the Chatham House think tank. And after the pandemic, private sector jobs became even more scarce. Many young people try to study abroad or move overseas upon graduation in the hopes of finding decent work, decimating the middle class and resulting in brain drain. “The class differences have widened,” said Jannatun Nahar Ankan, a 28-year-old who works with a nonprofit in Dhaka and who joined the protests. Despite these problems, none of the protesters seems to have truly believed that their movement would be able to dethrone Hasina.  

The Metrorail will start running again from August 17 (Saturday), bypassing the two damaged stations in Mirpur-10 and Kazipara, almost exactly a month after closing. The Advisory Council of the Interim Government on Sunday took the decision. Trains won’t stop at the two damaged stations till repair is done. The two stations in Mirpur-10 intersection and Kazipara were vandalized during the recent student movement that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s regime. The Metrorail services were suspended on July 18 last amid demonstrations by students demanding quota reform in public service.  

On what was its first full workday, the Advisory Council of the Interim Government on Sunday took a number of decisions, including bearing the treatment costs of the protestors who were injured in the recent student movement that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime, and immediate cancellation of disputed contractual appointments in the public services. As per the Advisory Council’s decisions, a list of all injured protestors shall be prepared at the earliest, their treatment costs shall be borne fully by the government and the health ministry shall accordingly instruct all hospitals. The government shall also support the families of the deceased protestors. ‘If you don’t return by Thursday, I’ll assume you’re not interested in your jobs’: Adviser Sakhawat to absent policemen The Foreign Affairs Ministry shall immediately start consultation for release of the 57 Bangladeshis arrested and sentenced by the UAE authority for protesting in support of the Bangladeshi students and people.  If needed, Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus himself shall talk to the concerned government. The list of all contractual appointments is being prepared, while some disputed and controversial contracts shall be immediately terminated and the rest shall also be terminated in phases. The resignation letters of the Governor of Bangladesh Bank and the Chairman of Security Exchange Commission (SEC) have been accepted. The governor of Bangladesh Bank will soon be appointed. A search committee has been formed comprising Muslim Chowdhury, Ahsan H. Mansur and Nazrul Islam for recommending appointments in the vacant posts of deputy governors of Bangladesh Bank. Some traffic police seen performing duties in Dhaka The Advisory Council also decided that adequate supply of all essentials will be ensured. The attacks on religious minorities in some places have been noted with grave concern. The Chief Adviser shall immediately sit with the representative bodies and other concerned groups to find ways to prevent such heinous attacks. The Advisory Council also decided the Metrorail shall be running from Saturday next (17 August), 2024, but it shall not stop at the damaged stations in Kazipara and Mirpur till repair is done. Deputy governor Nurun Nahar will look after routine work until BB gets a new head

Bangladesh Railway is going back to its service from Monday with freight trains , after more than three weeks. Besides, they will resume operation of mail, express, local and commuter trains on August 13, intercity trains on August 15, according to a press release signed by Public Relations Director Md. Nahid Hasan Khan. However, the movement of Parabat and Jamalpur Express trains will remain suspended temporarily. Tickets for intercity trains will be available online from 5:00pm on Monday, read the release.

A number of traffic police have been seen performing their duties in different points of the capital on Sunday. Abu Raihan Md Saleh, Joint Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said, a number of traffic policemen joined their duties from 10 am on Sunday in a limited scale and others will likely join the office from Monday. Traffic police were seen performing duties at Bangla Motor, Matshya Bhaban, Police Headquarters under Ramna division, Bijoy Sarani intersection, Jahangir Gate, Airplane intersection under Tejgaon division, Kakoli crossing, Gulshan-2 and Banani-27 under Gulshan division, Abdullahpur, Airport and Khilkhet under Uttara division. They were also seen greeting students with flowers for controlling traffic in the capital. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, the students have taken the responsibility of controlling traffic in Dhaka.  

The Cabinet Division has distributed the portfolios of two news advisers to the interim government on Sunday. Of the two advisers, Supradeep Chakma has been given the charge of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry while Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar has been given Primary and Mass Education Ministry.  The Cabinet Division issued a notification  in this regard on Sunday. Chief Justice, two more advisers take oath The two advisers to the interim government took oath at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban on Sunday. On August 9, the Cabinet Division announced the portfolios of the interim government, with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to oversee 27 ministries and divisions. Thirteen advisers to the interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus took oath on Thursday last. BEA greets Chief Adviser Prof Yunus, other advisers The interim government took oath Thursday night four days after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the county amid a student-led upsurge.  

A Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader has been released from the secret detention centre known as Aynaghor, allegedly operated by Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). Md Atiqur Rahman Russel, 1st vice-president of JCD Dhaka College unit, was released on August 6, after one month and six days from the detention center and narrated the horrific experience of brutal torture.  He got fainted at one stage of telling his terrible experience to his family members.  According to victim Russel, he was dropped on Dhaka's Kuril Bishwa Road area around 3am on Tuesday. Later, he managed to call his family members through a pedestrian’s phone. Around 5am, his relatives rescued him and admitted to a hospital. However, his physical condition is almost normal now. Russel, son of Shariatpur District Journalist Union president Md Abul Hossain Sardar, was picked up by the law enforcement agencies on the evening of July 1, from Azimpur Sapra Mosque area and tortured inhumanely. His whereabouts were unknown since then. After Russel's disappearance, his family members searched all possible places to know his whereabouts. They went to DB office, RAB offices, various police stations in Dhaka including DGFI but could not trace him. No law enforcement agencies admitted that he was detained or arrested. Without getting help, his father filed a general diary at Dhaka's Lal Bagh police station on July 2. On July 6, he submitted an application to the DC of Lalbagh Zone. Meanwhile, Russel's father filed a writ in the High Court on July 10 to get his missing son back. The High Court issued a rule on July 11 and asked to submit a report regarding Russel's whereabouts. But, there was no progress. For a long month, he had been searching his son in Dhaka and fell sick. Finally, he was released after the ouster of fascist AL government on August 5 in the face of students-led mass upsurge. Otherwise, it was doubtful whether he would have been found again, Russel's family member said. His family expressed their gratitude to all the media and well-wishers and party leaders who helped them to find Russel.    

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) arrested two Myanmar citizens along with 29.15 kgs of gold ornaments worth Tk 28.75 crore from a house at Hinla in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district. The arrestees were identified as Yeahia Khan, 45, son of Liakat Ali of Kutupalong Rohingya camp and Anwar Sadek, 40, son of Mir Ahmed of Maungdaw in Myanmar. Saudi Airlines cabin crew member arrested with 2 kg gold at Dhaka Airport Tipped off, a team of BGB conducted a drive at a house in Teknaf upazila around 8:30 pm on Saturday and arrested them along with the gold ornaments worth Tk 28.75 crore, said commanding officer of BGB-2 Lieutenant Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed. They also seized Tk 26,010 in cash from their possession. After primary interrogation, BGB came to know that Yeahia with the help of Anwar brought the gold ornaments here from Myanmar for selling purpose. Two Chinese nationals held with 46 gold bars at Dhaka Airport

Finance Advisor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Sunday said that those who were involved in the clashes and shootings in front of Islami Bank will soon be brought under law. He said that the Islami Bank incident will be discussed with the law enforcement agencies. “Those who are guilty will not be spared.” The Finance Adviser said this while speaking to reporters at the secretariat today (Sunday) in the Ministry of Finance. Main task is to restore order in financial sector: Dr Salehuddin Regarding the appointment of the new governor and the NBR chairman, the financial advisor said, "Now I am worried about the appointment of the governor, NBR is different." “The chairman comes from the administrative service. The governor of central bank and the chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission will be appointed soon,” he said. In response to a question from reporters -what criteria will be considered in appointing the governor — the finance adviser said, “These are being looked into”. He also said that even if the governor is not present, the deputy governors can continue to work. In response to the question of what message was given to the officials in today's meeting, the finance advisor said, "I told the officials to work for the people with dedication. Nothing can be left out. I also talked about ensuring transparency and accountability.” Not repaying loans a new business model in Bangladesh: Dr. Salehuddin Regarding setting a limit on withdrawing cash from banks, Dr Salehuddin said, “There is no shortage of money in banks, this is done due to insecurity. ATM booths were also attacked, for which there was apprehension. The finance secretary will look into the matter quickly.” The finance adviser also said, “I know, bankers from Bangladesh Bank take money in big trunks every day. But now it is dangerous to transport that money by road. That's why it's done. The situation will return to normal soon.”