Politics
Fakhrul voices frustration over CJ's silence about violence on HC premises
BNP Secretary General expressed disappointment as the chief justice (CJ) did not issue any statement condemning the Wednesday's violence on the High Court premises by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Speaking at a discussion programme, he also said the BCL’s attacks on the leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) have exposed Awami League’s true nature as a ‘terrorist' party.
Also read: BNP holds talks with Labour Party to wage united movement
“The terrorists of Awami League and the killer forces repressed our children by beating them on the streets using dangerous weapons with a motive to kill them. We saw the terrorists also repressed the democracy-loving students entering the high court premises,” Fakhrul said.
He further said, “It’s unfortunate that the chief justice did not issue any statement on the incident. “Even those who taken the charge of the Supreme Court Bar Association by force didn’t issue any statement,”
Fakhrul alleged that the government has turned all the state institutions into subservient bodies to the ruling party through politicisation.
Referring to his visits to different hospitals to see the injured JCD leaders and workers, Fakhrul said it is unthinkable how a person could be beaten in such a way and pushed towards death. “One of our daughters was attacked and repressed so heinously that she is now in the ICU. This is the real trait of Awami League.”
Also read: Govt unleashes BCL to attack JCD on DU campus: BNP
A faction of National People’s Party (NPP), one of the components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, arranged the discussion programme at the Jatiya Press Club.
Fakhrul said their party leaders and activists have been subjected to repression over the13 years by the ruling party in various ways.
He said their party has already begun talks with political parties to ensure the fall of the current government by waging a greater united movement.
“One thing I would like to request the political parties to carry out a struggle from their respective position to restore politics," he said.
He said the political leaders have agreed to work together and unite the nation.
"We believe we can make it a solid shape and start a greater mass movement to oust this government,” the BNP leader said.
Stating that no credible election is possible under the current Awami League government, he said the next election must be held under a non-party caretaker government to ensure people’s voting rights.
BNP holds talks with Labour Party to wage united movement
Three days after a meeting with Nagorik Oikya, the BNP on Friday sat with the Labour Party, one of the components of the 20-party alliance, to forge a unity among political parties to wage a greater movement for the "restoration" of democracy.
Read: Next EC not to make any difference, says BNP
A nine-member delegation of the Labour Party, led by its chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran, had talks with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.
Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP standing committee member and 20-party coordinator, was also present.
Govt unleashes BCL to attack JCD on DU campus: BNP
Accusing the government of unleashing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) against Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Friday warned that the consequences of the attacks will not be good.
"Those who (AL leaders) are letting loose their student leaders and workers (BCL) and providing them with arms, sticks, and support to attack Chhatra Dal on Dhaka University campus should think of their consequences, " he said.
Also read:Not Padma Bridge, massive plundering causes BNP’s heartburn: Fakhrul
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said the Awami League government has been indulging in terrorist activities as it has become isolated internationally. “They have no support internationally and the people of the country have rejected them. They have now no choice as their ways all around are blocked. ”
He said no party can stay in power for a long time by resorting to hooliganism and terrorism when it loses public support and the earth beneath its feet.
BNP’s Dhaka north and south city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in protest against the attacks on JCD on Dhaka University campus.
Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, also warned the BCL leaders and activists that they will have to face the same fate as the attackers of Biswajit and Abrar Fahad for attacking the JCD leaders and activists.
He said the JCD has launched a street movement for the restoration of democracy through their protests programmes at DU.
"We would like to say that the leaders and workers of Chhatra Dal are the children of the people of this country. Their parents are also getting ready to resist you. All those are involved with BNP and its all associate bodies are brothers or guardians of Chhatra Dal. So, no one of these guardians will remain sit idle,” he said.
Also read: BCL’s attacks on female JCD leaders cowardly: BNP
The BNP leader said all the democratic forces and patriots will get united to make the ongoing movement a success.
He urged the government to quit power immediately by dissolving parliament and handing over power to a non-party neutral government to avoid the consequences of the ruling party leaders of Sri Lanka.
Once a neutral government takes power, Mosharraf said it will take steps for creating a proper atmosphere in the country for holding a credible election.
"EVMs won’t be allowed in the election to be held under a neutral government. The country’s people will elect their representatives by giving votes in their own hands (through ballot paper),” the BNP leader said.
With eye on polls, BNP sets up new Jubo Dal panel
BNP on Friday announced an eight-member partial committee of its youth wing, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, as part of its move to overhaul the party and its associate bodies before the next general election.
Sultan Salahuddin Tuku and Monayem Munna were made the president and the general secretary, respectively, of the central committee of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, the party's senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said in a release.
A former president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Tuku was the general secretary of the previous committee of Jubo Dal.
READ: Not Padma Bridge, massive plundering causes BNP’s heartburn: Fakhrul
Besides, Mamun Hasa was made the senior vice-president, Nurul Islam Nayan the vice-president, Shafiqul Islam Milton the first joint general secretary, Golam Mawla Shaheen the second joint general secretary, Ishaq Sarker the organising secretary, and Kamruzzaman Dulal the office secretary of the eight-member Jubo Dal committee.
Jubo Dal’s last committee was formed on January 17, 2017, with Saiful Islam Nirob as the president and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku as general secretary.
As the party is preparing to wage a movement with a demand for holding the next parliamentary polls under a non-party neutral government, BNP has long been overhauling the party’s different units and associate bodies.
Over 100 JCD leaders, activists injured in BCL’s attacks: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday claimed that over a hundred leaders of activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) were injured in ‘violent’ attacks by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Dhaka University campus and the high court premises.
“Chhatra League went on a rampage and attacked the students of Dhaka University, leaving over 100 leaders and activists of JCD injured,” he said.
Talking to reporters after visiting injured JCD leaders and workers at Samorita Hospital in the capital, the BNP leader said the BCL ’cadres’ also hit the JCD men entering the High Court. “They beat the JCD activists going to different rooms of the High Court. Even, they did not spare the female students.”
Fakhrul said he found around 50 injured leaders and activists of JCD at Samorita Hospital. “The Chhatra League terrorists have hit the leaders and activists on their heads. Two of them have been shifted to ICU and most of them are groaning in pain. The doctors are giving them treatment with sincerity.”
Read: Tension mounts as BCL, JCD clash at DU
He said many other injured JCD leaders and activists were receiving treatment at different other hospitals.
Not Padma Bridge, massive plundering causes BNP’s heartburn: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party is feeling heartburn not for the construction of the Padma Bridge, but for the massive plundering of money from the project.
“The Padma Bridge which was supposed to cost Tk10,000 crore is now being built spending Tk 30,000-40,000 crore. So, we’re feeling heartburn not for the construction of the bridge but for the plundering of thousands of crores of taka from the project,” he said.
Also read: BCL’s attacks on female JCD leaders cowardly: BNP
Speaking at a book launching programme, the BNP leader also alleged that the ruling party leaders are looting people’s hard-earned money and siphoning off it abroad. “This is the cause of our heartburn”
Zia Parishad arranged the programme at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office marking the launching of a new book on late president Ziaur Rahman.
Earlier on Wednesday, Road Transport Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader at a programme said the hearts of the BNP leaders are getting burnt as the much-awaited Padma Bridge is set to be opened to traffic on June 25 next.
Fakhrul said the government has destroyed all the achievements of the nation and imposed a burden of loans on the country’s people.
“They (govt) are now always bragging about Padma Bridge. This bridge is not being constructed with anybody’s paternal property. It is being built with the money taken from the pockets of the country’s people,” he observed.
The BNP secretary general alleged that the ruling party leaders are looting money from all mega projects in many ways.
About the under-construction metro rail project in the capital, he said many stations are being made unnecessarily within a very short distance only to plunder public money. “I’ve never seen so many stations at such close distance for any metro rail in the world. Their (govt’s) goal is to indulge in corruption, plundering and siphoning off Bangladesh’s assets.”
Also read:BNP starts pro-democracy movement dialogue with political parties
Fakhrul said the nation is now facing a crisis of its existence due to misrule, corruption and plundering. “If we can’t overcome it, our democracy, economy, society and future will be destroyed. We won’t be able to protect the existence of the nation and the country if we can’t resist them (govt)."
He urged the young generation to come forward to restore democracy in the country by waging a strong movement. “Let’s unite to remove the current awful, monstrous and fascist regime and establish a pro-people government with the public mandate through a credible election.”
Fakhrul urges people to rise against ‘misrule’ of AL govt
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged the people to wake up to end the ‘misrule’ of the current government.
“We have to get out of the misrule, fascism, injustice and repression that have engulfed entire Bangladesh. We have to wake up and free ourselves,” he said.
Also read: BCL’s attacks on female JCD leaders cowardly: BNP
Fakhrul was speaking at a discussion arranged by Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Foundation at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 23rd birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
He said Poet Nazrul is now very relevant in the current context of Bangladesh. “I often remember him and his poems. We have to cross the inaccessible mountain and dangerous gigantic desert being imbued with his poems to overcome the current situation in the country.”
The BNP leader slammed the government for what he said its repressive acts and said their party chief Khaleda Zia is now under house arrest while Tarique Rahman is in exile outside the country. “Cases have been filed against 35 lakh pro-democracy people in Bangladesh,” he said.
Referring to the Bangladesh Chhatra League’s attack on the leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on the Dhaka University campus on Tuesday, he said, “We still have to see that women are being subjected to extreme torture on the university campus. This is where Nazrul Islam is most relevant.”
Fakhrul urged the young generation to wake up and awaken others to overcome the current situation in the country.
Also read: BNP starts pro-democracy movement dialogue with political parties
He requested the politicians to read Nazrul more to get inspiration for courageously serving the nation without bowing to others. “If we read Nazrul properly and try to realise his messages, then we will be able to know and recognise ourselves.”
Fakhrul also called upon the researchers to carry out more research on the literature of Poet Nazrul.
BCL’s attacks on female JCD leaders cowardly: BNP
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday described the attacks on female leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on Dhaka University Campus by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) as a 'cowardly' act.
“The Prime Minister has made Chhatra League men cowards, terrorists and extortionists. The way Chhatra League cadres attacked the female students at Dhaka University yesterday (Tuesday) was a cowardly act,” he said.
Also read: BNP starts pro-democracy movement dialogue with political parties
Rizvi was speaking at a human chain programme in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office arranged by Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal in protest against what it said issuing a death threat to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
BNP said that the prime minister’s recently reported remark that Khaleda should be pushed into the river from the Padma Bridge is tantamount to a death threat.
The Awami League, however, said BNP is misinterpreting the PM’s remark.
Rizvi wondered how the leaders and activists of the ruling party student body could beat JCD female leaders as students should have a sense of humanity.
“I visited a hospital yesterday (Tuesday) where Mansura and Trina (JCD female leaders) were groaning in pain. They are students of Dhaka University,” the BNP leader said.
He said the videos on the attacks on the female JCD leaders have gone viral on social media. “No one but cowards can hit girls in this brutal way.”
The BNP leader said many other JCD leaders and activists were also beaten by the BCL leaders and activists on the DU campus. “Of them, the condition of Rashed and Afsan was critical.”
Also read: Home minister bins BNP allegation on BCL-JCD clash
Rizvi strongly protested and condemned the attack and demanded immediate arrest and legal action against those who attacked the JCD leaders and activists, including the female ones.
At least 35 people were injured in clashes between the activists of BCL and JCD on the Dhaka University campus on Tuesday.
BNP starts pro-democracy movement dialogue with political parties
BNP held a meeting with Nagorik Oikya on Tuesday, formally kick-starting a dialogue with other opposition parties aimed at forging unity to launch a greater movement for restoration of democracy.
“We’ve started talks for waging a greater movement to restore democracy and people’s lost rights, including the right to vote,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters after the meeting.
Also read: BNP initiates formal talks with political parties to wage united Movement
The meeting was held at the conference room of the Bangladesh Shishu Kalyan Parishad Building in the city’s Topkhana Road.
He said the lost rights can be restored only by establishing “a true government and parliament of the people after ousting the current fascist regime.”
“People of the country are expecting that the opposition parties will wage a fruitful and effective movement in unison and a change will come through it for establishing a government and parliament of people,” the BNP leader said.
He said they will also talk to other political parties and they hope that they will be able to initiate a joint movement by ending the dialogue quickly. “We hope we can do it very soon.”
Fakhrul said the main points of their discussion today were the restoration of democracy, establishing a polls-time neutral government based on the opinions of the political parties, reconstituting the Election Commission, forming a national government, release of Khaleda Zia and all other opposition leaders arrested in fictitious cases, withdrawal of those cases and stopping repression on opposition leaders and activists.
“We held an effective discussion in a cordial environment. We hope our talks with other parties will also be fruitful and we’ll be able to present a movement programme very soon,” he said.
Fakhrul along with BNP leaders Abdus Salam and Jahiruddin Swapan came to Nagorik Oikya’s office around 5pm and had an one and a half hours of discussion with Mahmudur Rahman Manna and his party’s senior leaders.
Also read: BNP plans protest over Hasina's remark on Khaleda
Nagorik Oikya convener Manna said they discussed the basic issues of waging a movement. “All opposition parties in the country are saying that a fair, good, acceptable election can’t be held under the current government.”
On this basis, he said they will continue a movement until achieving victory for establishing a neutral government to hold a credible national election. “We are considering this meeting as a step towards launching a greater movement.”
Earlier in the day, Fakhrul announced to start the dialogue at a press conference at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The BNP leader said their party’s standing committee took the decision at its virtual meeting on Monday night.
He said they will talk to the political parties and finalise the outline of a united movement through the discussions.
The BNP leader said they will sit with other opposition parties in phases.
Asked whether they will hold a discussion with Jamaat-e-Islami, Fakhrul said they want to talk to every party, including Jamaat.
Replying to another question about the existence of the 20-party alliance, it has not been abolished yet. “We’ll finalise the future course of the alliance through the talks.”
Responding to a question, he said they are not going to call their new political platform an alliance. “The format will be finalised through discussions.”
BNP initiates formal talks with political parties to wage united Movement
BNP’s planned talks with the opposition political parties began today (Tuesday) to work out the outline for launching a united movement to 'restore' democracy and people’s voting rights.
On the first day, a BNP delegation, led by party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, sat in talks with Nagorik Oikya at 5 pm at its Topkhana Road office.
Also read: BNP to stage demonstrations Thursday protesting PM’s Padma Bridge remark on Khaleda
Earlier in the day, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced to start the dialogue at a press conference at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office.
The BNP leader said their party’s standing committee took the decision at its virtual meeting on Monday night.
“Our standing committee meeting decided to formally start talks with the political parties with the aim of forging a movement for the restoration of democracy. We’re initiating the talks today (Tuesday), Fakhrul said.
He said they will talk to the political parties and finalise the outline of a united movement through the discussions.
The BNP leader said they will sit with other opposition parties gradually after today’s meeting with Nagorik Oikya.
Replying to a question, he said BNP will not hold talks with just its alliance partners but also with all other political parties.
Asked whether they will hold a discussion with Jamaat-e-Islami, Fakhrul said they want to talk to every party, including Jamaat.
Replying to another question about the existence of the 20-party alliance, he said they still did not abolish the 20-party alliance. “We’ll finalise the future course of the alliance e through the talks.”
“The main objectives of the talks are to restore democracy and voting and other rights of people that the fascist government has snatched and to revive the economy and all the institutions of the country those have been destroyed by this regime,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul said their dialogue is also meant for forging unity among the political parties to wage a movement for establishing people’s voting rights.
He said they will also highlight their demands--the release of all political prisoners, including Khaleda Zia, the resignation of the current regime, handing over power to a non-partisan and neutral government, dissolution of parliament and then holding a free and fair election acceptable to all through the reconstituted Election Commission--during the talks with the political parties.
“We’ll talk about the demands of other parties and thus finalise a set of united demands through the discussions. We’ll carry out a united movement based on those demands,” Fakhrul said.
Responding to a question, he said they are not going to call their new political platform an alliance. “The format will be finalised through discussions.”
Meanwhile, Fakhrul strongly protested and condemned the attacks on Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in the capital’s Central Shaheed Minar area in the morning.
He demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the attack.
Also read: BNP again seeks PM’s apology for Padma Bridge remark on Khaleda
At least 35 people were injured in back-to-back clashes between activists of BCL and JCD on the Dhaka University campus.
Fakhrul said their standing committee meeting expressed displeasure over the inadequacy of the government’s relief efforts in the flood-affected areas.
Besides, party standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku has been entrusted with responsibility for standing by the flood-hit people and carrying out relief efforts in Sylhet.
Fakhrul urged leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies in the greater Sylhet district to stand beside the flood victims.