United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on Friday has announced a two-day programme of milad and prayer sessions to mark the 81st birth anniversary of former BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. According to a press release issued by JCD on Thursday, milad and prayer programmes will be held at all universities, districts and metropolitan areas across the country on Saturday (Aug 15). JCD congratulates successful SSC candidates The press release was signed by Md Jahangir Alam, JCD’s Office Secretary (holding the rank of Joint Vice-President). Similar programmes will be organised at all educational institutions across the country on Sunday (Aug 16), it said. JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir announced the programmes. The organisation called upon its leaders and activists at all levels to participate in the programmes and pray for Khaleda Zia.

BNP will hold doa and milad mahfils across the country on Saturday to mark the 81st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The programme was announced in a press release signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday morning. According to the release, the doa and milad mahfils will be held at party offices or mosques across the country. In Dhaka, the programme will begin at 11:00am at the party’s Nayapaltan central office. The party urged its leaders and activists and those of its affiliated organisations to observe the programme with due respect. Khaleda Zia was born on August 15, 1945. She died on December 30 last year. She served as Bangladesh’s prime minister three times and remained BNP chairperson until her death. Khaleda’s elder son Tarique Rahman is currently leading the BNP and serving as Prime Minister after securing a mandate in the 13th parliamentary elections held in February this year.

A new central committee of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) is expected to be announced within the next one or two days, as outgoing President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir posted separate farewell messages on Facebook on Friday, wishing best wishes for the next committee. In his post, Rakib expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah, saying the best chapter of his life is coming to an end in a highly respectful and cordial environment. He expressed gratitude to BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and late BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for giving him the opportunity to serve in the JCD central committee and at Dhaka University for a long period. Rakib also thanked outgoing BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP Student Affairs Secretary Rakibul Islam Bakul, the party's senior leaders and former JCD leaders. He said he personally tried to promote positive student politics on campuses out of special respect for students of all educational institutions. The JCD leader said he paid particular attention to ensuring that no general student faced an unwanted situation on campus because of JCD activists. Even when students outside his organisation approached him with various problems, he tried to resolve them from his position, he said. He also thanked leaders of fellow student organisations for their role in the anti-fascist movement. Assessing the performance of the Rakib-Nasir committee, the outgoing president said its major success was formulating programmes in coordination with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement during the July uprising and playing an effective and heroic role on the streets. He said after August 5, 2024, they had to confront hundreds of mob incidents at educational institutions while also continuing to lead the organisation despite persistent bullying on social media. Rakib said after leaving office, he wants to start a new life and develop himself into a more refined, humane and honest person. Admitting that nobody is free from mistakes, he said he might also have made mistakes during his long tenure and requested those whom he may have hurt to forgive him. He also expressed hope that everyone will warmly welcome the upcoming new JCD committee. Meanwhile, outgoing JCD General Secretary Nasir said his political career began during the difficult period of the 1/11 political crisis and that, after 17 years of uncertainty, they were now standing in a different Bangladesh. He said the journey has not been easy and has marked by struggle, sacrifice, repression, enforced disappearances and killings. He paid deep respect and expressed gratitude to all leaders and activists who were victims of enforced disappearance, murder and repression during the period, saying their sacrifices had laid the foundation for the organisation's present position. Saying Thursday was his final day as JCD general secretary, Nasir described the end of his tenure as the conclusion of a long, difficult, eventful and glorious chapter. He said more than 2,000 organisational committees were formed during their tenure, describing it as the collective result of the hard work of activists at all levels rather than the achievement of any individual. However, Nasir admitted that there were some shortcomings. He expressed full confidence in the incoming leadership and said he will remain by their side as before if they need him.

Thakurgaon has erupted in celebration following the nomination of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the party’s candidate for the presidential election, with party leaders, activists and many local residents hailing the development as a matter of pride for the district. Processions and sweet distribution were held at different places in the town after the ruling BNP announced his nomination on Thursday. In Thakurgaon, the name Mirza Fakhrul now dominates conversations at tea stalls, political gatherings and on social media. From serving as chairman of Thakurgaon municipality to becoming a central figure in national politics, Mirza Fakhrul has travelled a long political road. His nomination for the presidency has brought a fresh wave of excitement among people in his home district. The celebrations spread from the district BNP office to villages across Thakurgaon. Many locals see the development not merely as the nomination of a politician but as the prospect of someone from their own district occupying the country's highest constitutional office. For many residents, it is also a moment of pride for the northern region. Mirza Fakhrul grew up in Thakurgaon. After completing his higher education in economics at Dhaka University, he worked as a teacher at Dhaka College and government colleges in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon. He later served in senior positions in the education administration before leaving government service in 1988 to enter politics. His career as an elected representative began with his election as chairman of Thakurgaon municipality. He subsequently played a key role in organising BNP in the district before rising through the party's central leadership. Mirza Fakhrul was elected an MP from Thakurgaon-1 constituency in the 2001 general election and later served as a state minister. He eventually became BNP's acting secretary general before being appointed secretary general in 2016. Throughout his political career, he has faced arrests, cases and political challenges while remaining involved in the party's activities. For residents of Thakurgaon, his nomination is therefore being viewed as the culmination of a long political journey. Ramzan Ali, a farmer from Akcha union in Sadar upazila, said the development has brought him immense joy. “Fakhrul is one of our own. After years of struggle and sacrifice, hearing that he is now receiving the country's highest honour has made us very happy,” he said.

BNP leaders on Thursday denied that the party held a meeting at the Secretariat on the nomination of its candidate for the presidential election, rejecting criticism from opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. “There was no meeting today. Since Tarique Rahman is the prime minister and our party chairman, we had entrusted him with the responsibility of choosing the candidate. He called us and informed us of the decision. There was no meeting there,” BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said. He was speaking to reporters after submitting the nomination paper for BNP’s presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to the Election Commission in the Nirbachan Bhaban. The BNP leader was responding to a question about Jamaat's criticism over the announcement of Mirza Fakhrul as the BNP's presidential candidate following what was described as a party “meeting” at the Secretariat. A BNP delegation, led by its Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who is serving as the returning officer of the presidential election, at 2:24pm. In the nomination paper, Moyeen Khan proposed Mirza Fakhrul as a presidential candidate while Gayeshwar Chandra seconded his candidacy. Responding to the criticism, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, also a delegation member, reiterated that there was no meeting at the Secretariat in this regard. “What took place at the Secretariat today was not a meeting. We held discussions there. Discussions can take place anywhere in Bangladesh,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was nominated and elected from a party. The chief whip said the decision on the presidential candidate had already been taken and Tarique Rahman just announced it now. PM’s adviser and BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also claimed that it was not a meeting of the BNP Standing Committee as it had earlier authorised Tarique Rahman to select the party’s presidential candidate. Earlier in the morning, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and coordinator of the 11-party alliance AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad questioned the holding of a BNP meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat to select its candidate for the presidential election. “The Secretariat is an executive place. A top-level political meeting has been held there! We are not aware of any such precedent. Yet they are doing it. So, how do they view democracy?” he told reporters after submitting the nomination paper for their alliance’s presidential candidate Col (retd) Oli Ahmad to the CEC. During the briefing, Gayeshwar Chandra welcomed the 11-party alliance’s participation in the presidential election slated for August 20. About the participation of both BNP and Jamaat-led opposition camps in the presidential election, Moni said, “The beauty of democracy is that we are contesting and being elected.” Noting that this Parliament was formed through a neutral election after 17 years of movement, he said BNP Tarique Rahman is working to fulfil the expectations of the people. The delegation members include Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, whips of Parliament Miah Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, GK Gouse, ABM Ashraf Uddin (Nizan), Rakibul Islam and Akhtaruzzaman Miah, BNP joint secretaries general Habib Un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Abdus Salam Azad.

Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General and coordinator of the 11-party alliance AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad on Thursday questioned the holding of a BNP meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat to select its candidate for the presidential election. “The Secretariat is an executive place. A top-level political meeting has been held there! We are not aware of any such precedent. Yet they are doing it. So how do they view democracy?” he said. Fakhrul nominated as BNP’s presidential candidate Azad made the remark while talking to reporters after the nomination paper of Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, the presidential candidate of the 11-party alliance, was submitted to Chief Election Commissioner and presidential election officer AMM Nasir Uddin in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban. In this time, the Jamaat leader also referred to a recent remark by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, saying that there had been no change from the past in the administration over the last five or six months of the current government. Azad said the 11-party alliance is contesting the presidential election despite lacking a majority in parliament in order to uphold the “beauty of democracy” and restore democratic practices to the right track. “We want to create a new trend in democratic practice in Bangladesh,” he said. Referring to the 1991 presidential election, Azad said there had been a possibility of a competitive contest then because the BNP did not have a parliamentary majority. “There is not even that possibility now, as the BNP has already ensured its majority through its own tactics. So they are on the safe side,” he said. “This is not about whether we will win or lose. We do not want any election to be held without a contest. That is the beauty of democracy. We have taken this decision to restore democracy to the right track,” he added. Describing Oli Ahmed as a decorated freedom fighter, Azad said he was a nationally respected figure who had remained above controversy and had made significant contributions to the country over a long period. “The nation is viewing this positively and appreciating the decision of our 11-party alliance,” he said. However, he said constitutional provisions (Article 70 of the Constitution that bars MPs to cross the floor) had created an obstacle to democratic practice in the presidential election. Under Article 70 of the Constitution, lawmakers cannot vote against their party’s decision. Azad claimed that the BNP could have introduced secret-ballot voting for the presidential election (bringing change in the Article 70). He said implementation of the July Charter would have led to an amendment to Article 70, allowing MPs to vote independently in the presidential election. The Jamaat leader claimed that the reform has not been implemented due to what he described as the BNP’s “stubbornness” and “narrow partisan interests” after the February 12 election. Asked about expelled Jamaat MP Gazi Nazrul Islam of Satkhira-4, Azad said MPs would have to vote according to Article 70 as long as the provision remained unchanged in the Constitution. A delegation of the opposition alliance, led by Azad, submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at 11:49am. In the nomination paper, Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman MP proposed Oli Ahmed as the Presidential candidate, while NCP lawmaker Abdullah Al Amin seconded the proposal. The delegation members include Jamaat MPs Nurul Islam Bulbul, Nazibur Rahman, Mardia Momtaz, NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, NCP MPs Abdullah Al Amin and Mahmuda Mitu; Labour Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran and Jagpa Vice-President Rashed Pradhan.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who has risen through the political ranks from grassroots activism and steered the BNP through some of its most difficult years, is now the party’s nominee for the presidency. A BNP delegation submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area Thursday afternoon, formally putting forward its Secretary General for the country’s highest constitutional office. Fakhrul nominated as BNP’s presidential candidate Earlier, BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman nominated  Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the BNP’s candidate for the presidential election. Tarique announced his decision at the beginning of a meeting with the party’s Standing Committee members and senior leaders at the Prime Minister’s Office at secretariat. Mirza Fakhrul was a student leader in his youth, an economics teacher in his professional life and eventually a politician who went on to become a municipality chairman, a member of parliament, a state minister and a minister. Now, he is set to become the country’s 23rd president. At 78, Fakhrul has had a long and varied political journey, marked by political responsibility, organisational leadership and periods of adversity. Fakhrul, widely regarded as a moderate and seasoned politician within the BNP, remained one of the party’s most visible leaders during its prolonged political struggle against the Awami League government. Early life and education Fakhrul was born on January 26, 1948, in the Kalibari area of Thakurgaon town. His father, Mirza Ruhul Amin, was a lawyer who served twice as a member of the Pakistan Provincial Assembly and later as a member of Bangladesh’s Parliament. He also served as a minister in the Ershad government. Fakhrul completed his primary and secondary education in Thakurgaon before passing his Higher Secondary Certificate examination from Dhaka College. He then enrolled in the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka where he obtained both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. His involvement in politics began during his university years. He joined leftist politics and became president of the East Pakistan Students’ Union’s Dhaka University unit. He also served as the elected general secretary of the organisation’s SM Hall unit. During the 1969 mass uprising, Fakhrul was president of the Dhaka University unit of the Students’ Union. From teaching to politics After completing his studies, Fakhrul joined the teaching profession and worked as a lecturer in economics at Dhaka College. He later entered government service but left his job in 1986 to pursue politics full-time. His political career took a new turn when he was elected chairman of the Thakurgaon municipality as an independent candidate in 1988. Earlier, in 1979, during President Ziaur Rahman’s administration, Fakhrul had served as private secretary to then Deputy Prime Minister S A Bari. His entry into national politics came through the National Awami Party (NAP) of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani before he eventually joined the BNP. Rise within BNP During the anti-Ershad movement in the early 1990s, Fakhrul joined the BNP. He was appointed president of the Thakurgaon district unit of the party in 1992 and subsequently rose through the party hierarchy, serving in several key positions before becoming a senior joint secretary general. He served as BNP acting secretary general from 2011 and was elected secretary general at the party’s sixth national council in 2016. He has remained in the post since then. Before reaching the party’s top leadership, he also served for years as the first vice-president and later president of the BNP’s farmers’ organisation, Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal. A visible face during BNP’s difficult years Fakhrul’s political journey has been marked by prolonged challenges, particularly during the period following the 1/11 political changeover and the Awami League’s long tenure in power, when the BNP faced repeated repression and political setbacks. During the Awami League government, then BNP Chairperson and firmer prime minister Khaleda Zia was imprisoned for nearly two years from 2018 and later remained largely inactive in politics due to illness. Meanwhile, then acting chairman of the party Tarique Rahman left Bangladesh for London in 2008 during the military-backed caretaker government and continued to lead the party from there. In their absence, Fakhrul provided the BNP’s main  leadership from within Bangladesh. He remained at the forefront of the party’s movement against the Sheikh Hasina government and was jailed several times while leading those political programmes. With the BNP’s top two leaders largely absent from the country’s political arena for extended periods, Fakhrul emerged as the party’s most visible leader at home, helping steer the organisation through successive crises and leading its movement against the Awami League government. Parliamentary and ministerial career Fakhrul was elected to Parliament from Thakurgaon-1 constituency in the 2001 general election on the BNP’s electoral symbol. He served as state minister for agriculture and later as state minister for civil aviation and tourism during Khaleda Zia’s government. In the 2018 general election, he contested from Thakurgaon-1 and Bogura-6 constituencies and won Bogura-6. However, amid allegations of widespread vote rigging, he did not take oath as an MP, an unusual episode in Bangladesh’s parliamentary history. Under the current government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul serves as the Local Government and Rural Development Minister. His parliamentary seat is next to that of the Prime Minister. A long-serving party leader Senior BNP leaders have often credited Fakhrul with holding the party together during periods when its top leadership faced legal, political and organisational challenges. His nomination for the presidency therefore comes after a long career spanning student politics, teaching, government service, local government, parliamentary politics, ministerial responsibility and the leadership of the country’s principal political party. Family Fakhrul is married to Rahat Ara Begum. They have two daughters, Mirza Shamaruh Mirza and Mirza Safaruh. His wife, a former senior official of a private financial institution, is now retired. Their elder daughter lives in Australia and works as a postdoctoral fellow in Sydney, while their younger daughter teaches at an English-medium school in Dhaka. With the submission of his nomination paper, Fakhrul’s decades-long political journey has now brought him to the threshold of the country’s highest constitutional office.

BNP on Thursday filed the nomination paper for its presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the election slated for August 20. A BNP delegation submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who is serving as the returning officer in the presidential election, at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area at 2:24pm. In the nomination paper, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan proposed Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as a presidential candidate while Gayeshwar Chandra Roy seconded his candidacy. The delegation members include BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, BNP joint secretary general and Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, joint secretary general Habib Un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Abdus Salam Azad.

BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday nominated party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the BNP’s candidate for the presidential election. Tarique announced his decision at the beginning of a meeting with the party’s Standing Committee members and senior leaders at the Prime Minister’s Office at secretariat. “On behalf of the BNP, I am pleased to announce that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been nominated as the party’s presidential candidate,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told reporters coming out of the meeting. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman handed over the nomination paper to Fakhrul. PM Tarique announces Mirza Fakhrul as BNP’s presidential candidate

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has resigned from the post of BNP secretary general and from the party’s National Standing Committee following his nomination as the party’s candidate for the presidential election. Emerging from a meeting of BNP Standing Committee members and senior leaders, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told reporters that Fakhrul has already tendered his resignations from both posts. Earlier,  BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman formally announced Fakhrul as the party’s presidential candidate. Fakhrul, 78, has been serving as BNP secretary general since 2016.