Politics
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.
BNP plans protest over Hasina's remark on Khaleda
BNP will stage demonstrations across the country on Thursday in protest against what the party said issuing a death threat to its chairperson by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with her comment about pushing Khaleda Zia into the river from the Padma Bridge.
Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.
He said the decision to hold the protest was taken at a virtual meeting of their party’s standing committee on Monday night.
The BNP leader said their party and its all associate bodies will stage the demonstrations in all divisional cities, except Dhaka, and district towns.
Earlier on Monday, BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital protesting the Prime Minister’s ‘indecent’ comment on the Padma Bridge involving Khaleda.
Also read: BNP again seeks PM’s apology for Padma Bridge remark on Khaleda
On Wednesday last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a meeting of Awami League that Khaleda Zia 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.
The PM also slammed Nobel Peace Prize winner, economist Dr Muhammad Yunus, for what she said making his efforts to block the World Bank's funding for the Padma Bridge.
Fakhrul said the meeting of their standing committee elaborately discussed the 'disrespectful' remarks made by the Prime Minister about Khaleda and the senior citizens of the country, including Dr Yunus.
“The meeting thinks that this statement of the Awami President Sheikh Hasina is tantamount to a death threat to Begum Khaleda Zia. This remark by the head of the unelected government is extremely dangerous because when the head of the executive branch threatens to push someone into the river from the Padma Bridge, it falls into the category of ordering to kill,” Fakhrul said.
He said the Prime Minister also issued a similar threat to Bangladesh's lone Nobel laureate and Grameen Bank founder Dr Yunus which was 'devoid of political etiquette', 'indecent' and 'disrespectful'. “The meeting strongly condemned and protested such comments."
Mirza Abbas leaves for Singapore for treatment
Senior BNP leader Mirza Abbas left for Singapore on Tuesday morning for "advanced treatment of a stomach problem".
The BNP standing committee member, along with his wife and two sons, left for Singapore on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8.30am, his physician Dr Rafiqul Islam said.
"Mirza Abbas was undergoing treatment at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital. He was taken to Singapore for advanced treatment as his condition was not improving,” he said.
Also read: BNP leader Mirza Abbas hopitalised with abdominal pain
Dr Rafiqul, also the health affairs secretary of the country's main opposition party, said that Abbas will be admitted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
On behalf of the BNP politician's family members, Rafiqul urged the country’s people to pray for the speedy recovery of Abbas.
Earlier, on May 17, Abbas, also a former mayor of undivided Dhaka city and an ex-minister in Khaleda Zia's last cabinet, was admitted to the Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in the capital’s Shyamoli area with abdominal pain.
Also read: Mirza Abbas warns opposition parties against joining national polls under AL govt
What's the 4-nation Quad, where did it come from?
Leaders of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India gathered in Tokyo on Tuesday for a summit of the “Quad.” What is the group, where did it come from and why do diplomats keep coming up with strange names for various partnerships?
WHAT IS THE QUAD?
Formally the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the Quad began as a loose partnership after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, when the four countries joined together to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance to the affected region. It was formalized by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, but then fell dormant for nearly a decade, particularly amid Australian concerns that its participation in the group would irritate China.
The group was resurrected in 2017, reflecting changing attitudes in the region toward China’s growing influence. Both the Trump and Biden administrations saw the Quad as key to a pivot toward placing more focus on the Indo-Pacific region, particularly as a counterweight to China’s assertive actions. The Quad leaders held their first formal summit in 2021 and met again virtually in March.
Also read: India, US Likely To Move Forward On Set Of initiatives In 2022: White House
IS IT AN “ASIAN NATO”?
China has complained that the group represents an attempt at forming an “Asian NATO,” though unlike the European alliance there is no mutual-defense pact in effect. Quad members say the group is meant to deepen economic, diplomatic and military ties among the four countries. And while they don’t often explicitly say it, those partnerships are meant to be a bulwark against Chinese aggression. In a March 2021 declaration laying out the “Spirit of the Quad,” the leaders said, “We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific.We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democraticvalues, and unconstrained by coercion.”
WHO ARE THE NEW FACES?
Tuesday’s meeting marks the first in-person gathering of the group for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office last October, as well as for Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese. He was sworn-in on Monday, just two days after Australia’s parliamentary election and one day before the summit.
WHAT ABOUT INDIA?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending as he faces increasing global scrutiny over his government’s crackdown on minorities and some authoritarian tendencies. In addition, while the other members of the Quad have been united in standing up against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, especially with sanctions, India increased its purchases of Russian energy supplies after the invasion. Moreover, the invasion has led to food shortages that are causing price spikes, yet India banned wheat exports following a heat wave that could make this global challenge much tougher to resolve.
WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED?
South Korea has expressed interest in joining the Quad, though U.S. officials have said they are not contemplating adjusting the group’s membership. The group has held “Quad-plus” meetings that have included South Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam, which could form the basis for future expansion or partnership in the region.
Also read: Urge ASEAN, QUAD friends to distance from Myanmar military: Dhaka to Washington
WHY THE ODD NAME?
Diplomats can't help themselves. Once they start up different pairings or partnerships, they can't resist assigning shorthand names like the Quad or baffling acronyms like AUKUS (the new Australia- U.K.-U.S. alliance.) Another acronym that got attention this week while President Joe Biden was in Asia: IPEF, short for the U.S.-proposed new trade pact called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
Padma Bridge not AL’s ancestral property: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said the ruling party leaders should not forget the much-awaited Padma Bridge is not an ancestral property of Awami League as it is being constructed with public money.
“Sheikh Hasina is now bragging about constructing the Padma Bridge. We would like to say that Padma Bridge is not yours alone and it is not the ancestral property of Awami League,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said the Padma Bridge is being built with the money of the country’s people and taxpayers.
BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting what they said was the Prime Minister’s ‘indecent’ comment on Padma Bridge involving Khaleda.
Also read: BNP again seeks PM’s apology for Padma Bridge remark on Khaleda
Hundreds of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies joined the programme.
Fakhrul raised an allegation of widespread corruption in the Padma Bridge project. “People want to know how much money you have taken from people and how much you have spent on constructing the Padma Bridge. They also want to know how much money you have pocketed through corruption.”
He also said people are also eager to know how much money the future generation will have to spend to repay the foreign loan that was taken for the construction of the bridge.
The BNP leader also strongly protested and condemned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina‘s remark about pushing Khaleda Zia into the river from the Padma Bridge.
He also came down hard on the government for what he said was its failure to check the growing prices of daily essentials. “The common people are struggling to cope with the soaring prices of essentials while the backs of our farmers, workers and day-labourers are pushed against the wall. It’s now difficult for them to survive.”
Also read: BNP to revoke DSA, all other ‘repressive’ laws if returns to power: Fakhrul
The BNP leader also said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself has kept confined to her residence to avoid the wrath of the country’s people. “You are afraid of people. That's why you don't come in front of people.”
Accusing Awami League of destroying democracy and snatching people’s rights in a planned way, Fakhrul urged the ruling party to step down by handing over power to a non-party neutral government, paving the way for holding a fair and credible election under an impartial election commission.
BNP again seeks PM’s apology for Padma Bridge remark on Khaleda
BNP on Monday urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to offer a public apology for her remark on pushing Khaleda Zia into the river from the Padma Bridge.
Speaking at a rally here BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam also said Khaleda is very sick and renewed the party’s demand for allowing her to go abroad for advanced treatment.
“You issued a death threat to Khaleda Zia. She is the most acceptable and popular leader to the country’s people who was never defeated in any election,” he said denouncing PM’s comment.
Fakhrul said it is unimaginable that such an ‘irresponsible’ comment came from a prime minister, no matter how she came to power.
Read: BNP to revoke DSA, all other ‘repressive’ laws if returns to power: Fakhrul
“People of any civilised country can’t tolerate such a remark. We would like to unequivocally ask you (PM) to offer an apology to people for your remark,” he said.
Or else, the BNP leader warned, the people will oust the government without giving a scope for making an apology.
BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting what they said the prime minister’s ‘indecent’ comment on Padma Bridge involving Khaleda.
Hundreds of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies joined the programme.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a discussion meeting of Awami League 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.
Read: BNP won’t join talks with current EC: Mosharraf
Fakhrul said the PM made such an offensive comment against Khaleda out of her nervousness as she is foreseeing the end of her rule.
Khaleda’s illness
The BNP leader said Khaleda is now very ill and her life will be in danger unless given the scope for proper treatment abroad.
“From this rally, we would like to call upon the government to completely free our leader Khaleda Zia and allow her to go abroad for treatment before time runs out,” Fakhrul said.
He alleged the government has kept the party’s chairperson under the house arrest to prevent her from carrying out a movement for democracy.
Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail on February 8, 2018 after a trial court sentenced her to five years imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.
She was also found guilty in another corruption case the same year.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on 25 March, 2020,
The release was conditional that she will stay in her Gulshan house and won’t leave the country.
Withdraw Kalkini UNO, OC for failure to maintain polls environment: EC
The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday directed the authorities concerned to withdraw Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Officer in-Charge (OC) of Kalkini Upazila in Madaripur for their failure to maintain a proper election atmosphere.
The Commission also asked to fill the posts of two new officers in their places.
The directive came in line with the clause-327 (4) of the Election Officers (Special Provision) Act, 1991 and the section-3 of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Election Rules, 2010, said a EC press release.
The EC earlier postponed the election to Purba Enayetnagar Union Parishad in Kalkini after some miscreants barred a chairman aspirant from submitting the nomination paper and assaulted the election’s returning officer physically on May 17 last.
The EC has given the directives over the withdrawal of the two officers following the reports of the Madaripur deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and the returning officer.
Besides, the commission has decided to ask chairman aspirant Mahbub Alam in Purba Enayetnagar Union election to show cause as to why the legal action would not be taken against him for offenses like obstructing in the submission of nomination paper and creating chaos during the submission of nomination papers.
Now the Commission will arrange the polls in the Union Parishad on June 15 next.
As per the reschedule, the deadline for nomination submission is May 23, while the date for scrutinizing nomination papers is May 24 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is May 29.
Also read: Poll panel still lacks capacity to use EVMs in all 300 seats, says CEC