BNP on Saturday alleged that the government has unleashed a fascist and repressive rule in the country by shutting down all the avenues of justice for people. In a statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “The illegal regime that usurped the state power is now repressing people like a fascist.  In this case, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing are the main weapons of the ruling quarter.” He also said people belonging to opposition parties, including BNP, are being killed selectively in the name of different drives across the country. “All the avenues of justice for people have been closed in the country.” The statement was issued on the occasion of the United Nations’ International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to be observed across the country on Sunday. Read: AL govt has become enemy of people: Fakhrul Fakhrul said the government has imposed the one-party misrule on the country since it has no accountability to people.  “Evil attempts are being made to regulate the media through intimidation and threats. “Freedom of the press is now completely at stake,” he said. Stating that the country is going through a tough time, the BNP leader said political leaders, human rights activists, political analysts who are vocal in favour of democracy are being subjected to oppression, enforced disappearance and killing. He said the government has continued filing 'false' cases against BNP leaders and activists and dissidents and arresting them. “All the achievements and progress of the nation are now being lost in the darkness. Democracy is being hit the hardest by the continuance of oppression. We have to remove this anarchy,” Fakhrul said. Read: Padma Bridge symbol of Bangladesh’s “economic strength, confidence” He alleged that BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia has been kept under house arrest by convicting her in completely untrue and fabricated cases out of the government’s vengeance. “Despite the fact that our leader is very ill, the government is not giving her any scope to go abroad for proper such treatment. Her life has been put in danger for lack of advanced treatment,” the BNP leader said. He urged the democracy-loving people of the country to get united and put up a resistance against all forms of oppression.    

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia returned home on Friday evening after a 14-day stay in the capital's Evercare Hospital for the treatment of her various health complications, including blockages in her arteries. The BNP chief left the hospital at about 5:40pm and reached her Gulshan residence around 6:10pm. Earlier at a press conference, the medical board formed to ensure Khaleda’s treatment at the hospital, said the ailing BNP chief was discharged from the hospital due to a risk of Covid infection as the virus cases are on the rise again in the country. Dr Shahabuddin Talukder, the head of the medical board, said, "Madame (Khaleda) is still ill. But she’s now stable. We don’t want to keep her here (hospital) now amid the surge in Covid cases. There’s a chance of Covid and other infections if she now stays here.” He also feared that her condition will be very critical if Khaleda gets a viral or bacterial infection. “That is why the full medical board has decided to release her from the hospital.” The physician said if there is any complications further, she will be admitted to the hospital immediately. “Bleeding complication is now a very challenging matter for her. As she has a liver cirrhosis problem, she is now at high risk of bleeding. We overcame her kidney complications. There are still two blockages in her coronary arteries,” he said. Prof Shahabuddin said Khaleda will have to be kept under full monitoring though she is going to stay at home. He said the doctors will ensure her proper treatment at her residence. Replying to a question, Dr Shahabuddin said they identified three blockages, including a culprit one with 95 percent block, in the BNP chief’s arteries. As per the international medical guideline practice, he said they set up a stent removing only the culprit blockage which was causing her chest pain and heart failure. The physicians said the BNP chairperson was facing renal and heart failure while they were removing her blockage. “Her kidneys could have been totally shut down had we tried to remove two other blockages. That's why we didn't remove those blockages." Also read: Khaleda to return home from hospital today He also said they treated Khaleda by overcoming many challenges as she has liver cirrhosis, diabetes, kidney problem and other comorbidities. “We all were shaky while treating her due to various challenges.” The doctor also said they might not save Khaleda if she was not taken to the hospital immediately in the early hours of June 10. Another medical board member Professor AFM Siddiqui said the BNP chief has many critical illnesses, including renal failure, chances of bleeding and liver cirrhosis. Stating that there is no treatment for liver cirrhosis in the country, he said they just stopped the bleeding spots through ligation. “But we have not been able to follow up on them. It’s becoming riskier to follow up now due to her cardiac condition.” The physician said they have long been repeatedly talking about sending Khaleda to an advanced centre for her comprehensive treatment of all critical diseases. “We don’t have that kind of centre and measures. That is why we have been saying that her proper and complete treatment is not possible in our country.” Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, a personal doctor of Khaleda, said the BNP chief and her family members thanked all, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and everyone involved with the management of the hospital, for providing her treatment with sincerity. He said the BNP chief also urged the country’s people to pray for her speedy recovery. Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital on June 10 as she complained of chest pain. Later, doctors said she suffered a heart attack due to 95 per cent blockage in her left artery and a stent was placed there by removing the blockage.” Two more blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram. She was shifted to a cabin from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) on June 15. Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that the Awami League government has become the enemy of the people by resorting to repressive acts and unleashing misrule. “Awami League has usurped power by snatching people’s basic rights systematically. A horrible situation has been created in the country due to its misrule and misdeeds, including enforced disappearance,” he said. The BNP leader also said the current government has taken a stance against the country’s people in every aspect. “This regime has been identified as the enemy of the country’s people.” Fakhrul was talking to reporters after visiting the house of BNP leader Chodhury Alam who was made disappeared on June 24, 2010, from the capital’s Farmgate area. Also read: Khaleda to return home from hospital today Fakhrul together with some BNP leaders went to Alam’s Khilgaon residence, marking the 12 anniversary of his enforced disappearance. He talked to the family members and enquired about their condition. Fakhrul said those who have been made disappeared have been deprived of their right to life while their family members have been left in the lurch. He said families of the enforced disappearance victims are not getting the inheritance certificate and property ownership, and they cannot transact money kept in the bank accounts of their missing dear ones. “These families are in dire straits.” “Chowdhury Alam has been missing for 12 years since the repressive force of the government picked him up. Despite frantic efforts, nether neither his family nor our party could trace him. This regime also couldn’t say anything about his whereabouts.” Fakhrul said. Also read: Govt indulges in celebration keeping flood victims unfed, alleges Fakhrul He said many such incidents have taken place since the Awami League government came to power. The BNP leader said more than 600 BNP leaders and activists, including former MP Ilias Ali, have been subjected to enforced disappearance during the rule of the Awami League. He said it is clearly mentioned in the United Nations Charter, that enforced disappearance is a crime against humanity. “But the fascist and autocratic regime has resorted to such incidents.” He said many parents lost their children, while many wives lost their husbands over the last 15 years of Awami League’s misrule. Fakhrul said people have been subjected to extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance and killing in custody only to suppress democratic movements, “It can’t happen in a civilised society.” About the flood situation, Fakhrul who visited Sylhet on Thursday, said people are crying for help as the government is not standing beside them with adequate relief materials. “I myself went to Sylhet yesterday (Thursday). If you don't see it with your own eyes, you can't have any idea about its severity,” he said. Fakhrul alleged that the government has not taken any measures to alleviate the sufferings of the flood-hit people and to provide relief to them and to rehabilitate them." He called upon the country’s people to get united to force the current government to quit and hand power to a non-party neutral administration.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is going to return home today (Friday) from the capital’s Evercare Hospital after treatment for 13 days for her various health complications, including cardiac ones. “The medical board at the Evercare is thinking of releasing Madam (Khaleda) from the hospital as the Covid cases are growing fast, said the BNP chief’s personal doctor AZM Zahid Hossain. Read:Khaleda gets permanent bail in defamation cases He said the doctors will ensure her proper treatment at her home. “Hopefully, Madam will be discharged from the hospital by the afternoon,” Zahid said. He said the medical board at the hospital for Khaleda’s treatment will inform the media about her health condition at a press conference at 3pm today. Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital on June 10 as she suddenly fell ill. Doctors said she suffered a heart attack due to 95 percent blockage in her left artery and a stent has been placed there by removing the blockage.” Two more blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram. Read: Khaleda has two more blockages in arteries; kept under 72-hrs observation She was shifted to a cabin from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) on June 15. Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that the government is indulging in the celebration of the Padma Bridge inauguration by keeping the lakhs of flood victims in the country’s northeastern region hungry. “Our people are starving and not getting treatment in the flood-affected areas, but they (govt) are occupied with Padma Bridge inauguration festival,” he said. The BNP leader made the remarks while distributing relief materials on the premises of Khazar Mokam High School in Sylhet’s Jaintiapur Upazila among the flood-affected people. Also read: BNP turns down invitation to join Padma Bridge opening programme Fakhrul claimed that the government allocated only Tk 60 lakh for 30 lakh flood victims in the Sylhet region while hundreds of crores of taka are being spent on the inauguration programme of the Padma Bridge. He also said the government is arranging amusement programmes for the inauguration on Saturday while people are dying amid lack of food and relief materials in the flood-hit areas “People are being washed away by the floods, not getting food and treatment. But the government has no attention to it. Around Tk 9 crores have been spent on making 90 toilets at Mawa for the opening programme of the bridge. If the money was given to the flood victims of Sylhet then people would not suffer so much,” the BNP leader observed. Fakhrul together with BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku reached Sylhet from Dhaka by road at noon to witness the flood situation and distribute relief materials among the affected people. Also read: Flood victims left in the lurch: Fakhrul They also offered ziarat at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) before visiting the flood-hit areas. Stating that people in Sylhet and Sunamganj are crying for relief materials to survive, the BNP leader said the government has failed to stand by the flood-hit people. “While lakhs of people are crying out for relief, the Prime Minister has completed her duty by providing relief to a few only.” Fakhrul recalled that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia during her government in 2004 walked door-to-door and ensured relief materials at people’s doorsteps. “But the current Prime Minister visited the flood-hit area by helicopter." “The ruling party is not standing beside the flood victims in this difficult time. Even, the Prime Minister arrived in Sylhet by helicopter and had a meeting at the Circuit House with senior officials and ministers and MPs. She only gave seven people seven packets as eyewash during her visit,” he said. The BNP leader said the ruling party MPs are also not going to the flood victims as they are not elected with their votes. “In fact, Awami League has no relation with people.” He alleged that Awami League taking mega projects for corruption and plundering, but it does not take any project for the welfare of the country's people. The BNP leader said the government has snatched people's voting and other rights by 'usurping' power. He said their party will not join any other election if it is not held under a non-party neutral government.  “Just like a fox can’t be given the charge of taking care of a chicken, Sheikh Hasina can’t be given the responsibility for holding an election under her.” Fakhrul said BNP leaders and activists to get ready for waging a movement to resist the current regime and restore people’s voting rights.

BNP on Wednesday turned down the government’s invitation to join the opening programme of the Padma Bridge because of an earlier alleged threat on the life of its chairperson Khaleda Zia. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the remarks at a press conference at the chairperson’s Gulshan office. “I would like to say it clearly that no BNP leaders and activists can ever go there at their invitation of those who kill people and want to drown the country’s former prime minister and the most popular leader, Khaleda Zia, in the Padma River and those who want to drown renowned person Dr Yunus who earned dignity for the country and is acclaimed all over the world,” he said. Earlier in the day, the government invited BNP to join the opening programme of the Padma Bridge on June 25. Dulal Chandra Sutradhar, a deputy secretary of the Bridges Division, went to BNP's Nayapaltan central office around 11am and handed over the invitation cards to party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Read: Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP Seven BNP leaders--party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and vice-chairman Hafiz Uddin Ahmed--were invited to participate in the inaugural programme of the much-awaited bridge. Talking to reporters, Dulal Chandra said he, on behalf of the Bridges Division, came to the BNP office with the invitation cards. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a programme last month that Khaleda once said that the Padma Bridge would collapse while using it as it was being constructed with patchworks. “What should now be done to them? They should be taken to the Padma Bridge and pushed into the river from there,” she said. BNP has long been describing the PM’s remark as a death threat to Khaleda. Fakhrul also alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spread falsehood through her comment at her press conference that BNP had stopped work on the Padma Bridge construction. He showed feasibility study report carried out by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the construction of the bridge at the Mawa-Jazira point during the BNP’s government in 2004. The BNP leader said their government also had discussions with ADB, the World Bank and JICA on funding for the bridge, but could not complete it for time constraints. Tarique never sought British Citizenship Fakhrul slammed the prime minister for her remarks that BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman became a British citizen abandoning the citizenship of the country, saying it is a ‘blatant’ lie. “We’ve earlier clearly said that our acting chairman has been there on asylum. There’s nothing to hide. He never applied for British citizenship,” he said. Fakhrul also said there is no option for Tarique but to take asylum to stay in the UK since the Bangladesh government has long been not renewing his passport. “So, there’s no logic to make such a comment (by PM). At a press conference earlier in the day, PM Hasina questioned under whose leadership BNP will take part in the next polls. “Will they show the fugitive (Tarique Rahman) as their leader? He becomes a British citizen abandoning the citizenship of the country,” she said. The prime minister asked the journalists to find out how a convict got British citizenship. Fakhrul said their party has not been facing any leadership crisis and Khaleda or Tarique Zia will be the prime minister if their party wins the next national polls. “That election must be held under a non-party neutral government. Otherwise, no election will be allowed to conduct in the country.” He said the ruling party has been talking about BNP’s leadership crisis only to deceive people.  “Our leadership has been fixed and there’s no leadership crisis in BNP. The BNP leader said it is rather Awami League that is facing a leadership crisis as there is no one after Sheikh Hasina to lead the party.

BNP on Wednesday alleged that the government is occupied with the Padma Bridge inauguration festival, leaving lakhs of flood-affected people in the country’s northeast areas in the lurch. “The people of a vast area of Bangladesh are going through a miserable time amid severe floods. Many people and their houses, cattle and valuables were washed away by the floodwaters,” said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Read: Govt invites BNP to join Padma Bridge inaugural programme Speaking at a discussion, he also said the sufferings of the flood-hit people know no bound for the shortage of food, medicines and relief materials. “It’s unfortunate that the government is engaged with the inauguration festival of the Padma Bridge instead of paying attention to easing people’s sufferings, rescuing the affected people and ensuring adequate relief materials for them,” the BNP leader observed. Zia Smriti Pathagar arranged the discussion-cum book exhibition programme at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. Fakhrul said the current ‘usurper’ government has been indulging in ‘corruption’ in the name of development and siphoning off money abroad. “On the one hand, the growing prices of commodities, on the other hand, the current floods have made people's lives miserable,” the BNP leader observed. He also alleged that the government has turned Bangladesh into a failed state by destroying all the state institutions through politicisation. The BNP leader called upon people of all walks of life to get united to ‘restore’ democracy and establish a pro-people government by ousting the Awami League regime through a strong movement. Fakhrul urged the BNP leaders and activists to take steps to present the life, work, honesty and ideology of Ziaur Rahman before the new generation through publications and publicity. He also advised the party leaders and activists to acquire knowledge and read books on different issues as it is the only way for advancement. Read: Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP The BNP leader alleged that the ruling Awami League has long been carrying out different negative campaigns to belittle former president Ziaur Rahman and his contributions to the country’s Liberation War and the nation in a planned way. “They (AL) are writing different books and carrying out propaganda in many ways against him as Ziaur Rahman was not only a soldier and a president but also the proclaimer of the country’s independence,” he added.

The government on Wednesday invited BNP to join the opening programme of the Padma Bridge on June 25. Dulal Chandra Sutradhar, a deputy secretary of the Bridges Division, went to BNP's Nayapaltan central office around 11am and handed over the invitation cards to party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Also read:Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt Seven BNP leaders--party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and vice-chairman Hafiz Uddin Ahmed--were invited to participate in the inaugural programme of the much-awaited bridge. Talking to reporters, Dulal Chandra said he, on behalf of the Bridges Division, came to the BNP office with the invitation cards. Also read:BNP slams govt inaction towards helping flood victims Rizvi said a deputy secretary gave the invitation cards to the BNP office when he was present there. "I don’t want to make any comment on this. We have no interest in it.” Replying to a question, he said there is no reason for their party leaders to take part in the programme.

Slamming the ruling party leaders for not visiting the flood-affected areas, BNP on Tuesday decided to collect money from common people to help the flood-marooned people in the northeast region. The party will start the fundraising activities on June 23 (Thursday) by distributing leaflets at different wards in the capital. Also read: Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, a BNP standing committee member and also the convener of the party’s relief committee, came up with the announcement at a meeting with BNP’s Dhaka north city unit at its chairperson's Gulshan office. "We’ve decided to distribute leaflets among people first from the June 23 begging for money from them…the next day we'll go to them again and collect whatever money they give. Later, we’ll send the money to the flood victims,” he said. As a party of mass people, Tuku said they want to involve more than a crore people in helping the flood victims instead of taking donations from some rich people. He said BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has already instructed the party leaders and activists to stand by the flood-hit people. The BNP leader said the flood will not end easily as new areas are getting inundated caused by on rush of water from the upstream. “Some areas of Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Bogura and Jamalpur have been submerged by floodwaters. So, I think this is a long-term work.”  Tuku said they have taken a comprehensive plan to help the flood-affected people in three phases—saving human lives, rescuing people trapped in water and bringing them to a safer place and providing them with food, providing treatment and other support when different diseases will break out with receding water and finally rehabilitating the victims. He alleged that the ruling party leaders and MPs are not standing beside the flood victims as they do not need people’s vote to stay in power. Also read:Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt “They hold the day’s voting at night and thus come to power and continue plundering. That’s why Bangladeshis have now a major share of money in the Swiss banks. The looters of Awami League siphoned off Tk76,000 crore from Bangladesh in a year,” the BNP leader said. He said Awami League’s main objective is to stay in power, exploit people and plunder public money. Tuku said BNP actively took part in relief activities during all floods and natural disasters in the previous years. “BNP is also standing beside the flood-hit people wholeheartedly this time. Our party acting chairman has instructed us to stop all organisational activities as standing beside people is the most important organisational work now.”

BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday alleged that the flood-affected people in the country’s northeast region, mainly hoar areas, are crying for relief amid the government’s inaction to mitigate their miseries. Speaking at a token sit-in programme, he also blamed the government’s unplanned construction of dams and a road in the haor region for the severe flood in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona. “The hoar people of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona are crying for rice and food. Where will they get food as everything around them has been submerged? How will the food reach them? ” the BNP leader asked. He bemoaned that government has allocated only Tk1.5 for each of the 50 lakh flood-hit people of the country while Indian artist Mimi Chakraborty was brought to Bangladesh at the cost Tk three crore. Read: BNP demands declaring flood-hit areas as disaster zones Stating the government is responsible for the flood, Rizvi said, “You (PM) will now see the Padma Bridge in the colourful light and hang onto power with joy in your heart keeping people hungry, starving and inundated. The country’s people will no longer accept and tolerate it.” Ganatantra Forum arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and adequate relief for the flood-affected people. Rizvi questioned whether the prime minister tried to know standing in front of a mirror the reason behind the untimely flood in the haor region. “We know that relatives of one of the influential officials of the state built dams and a road, known as the President’s one, in an unplanned way in the haor areas.” For this unplanned construction of the dams and roads, he said 50-60 lakh people have now been stranded in floodwaters. Read: Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt "The whole of Sylhet and Sunamganj have gone under water, but you (Prime Minister) are overwhelmed with the joy over the Padma Bridge. You are joking with people about Padma Bridge,” he observed. Rizvi also criticised the government for its move to shut down stores and shopping malls after 8 pm since it has long been claiming to have the capacity of providing an uninterrupted electricity supply. “Why are you ordering to close shops and malls after 8 pm? Where did your uninterrupted power go? ” He said the government takes every move and makes laws and rules only to ensure the benefit of the ruling party leaders and create scope for them to make money.