Awami League
Nothing to be worried about BNP’s Dec 10 rally, says Momen
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said there is nothing to be worried about BNP's December 10 rally in Dhaka, noting that it is meaningless if there is no people’s support behind any initiative.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said there is a government in the country and the government has a responsibility and an obligation to maintain peace and stability.
Read more: BNP ready to hold rally in Dhaka on December 10 braving all obstacles
“And we will do that. We don’t think there will be something big. We are not worried about it at all,” he said when his attention was drawn about the travel advisory issued by the British government.
The British government has updated its travel advisory and said political rallies may result in violent clashes, including with law enforcement agencies.
Read more: December-10 rally: BNP delegation sits with IGP
“Political rallies are expected on 10 December 2022 in Dhaka, with potential disruption to transport, communication networks and movement around the city. An increased law enforcement presence in the days surrounding 10 December 2022 is likely. You are advised to avoid all large gatherings, including political rallies,” reads the advisory.
BNP's Dec 10 rally: Obaidul Quader optimistic about a wayout for venue
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Tuesday that the dispute over allocating space for BNP’s rally on December 10 will be resolved soon.
“A problem surfaced over the venue for BNP’s December 10 rally and there is no solution yet,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting with newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma at the Secretariat.
Replying to a question, the minister said “I am always optimistic, and I am optimistic over it. Whatever the situation is, a solution will come out.”
Read more: BNP to avoid AL's trap over December-10 rally: Gayeshwar
“There is no reason for the people to panic. On behalf of my party, I want to say that we are in power, why would we want to create any unrest? Why will we do something that could create panic? We don’t need that,” he said.
“Now, if anybody attacks us, if there is any instigation, if they jump on us, will we sit idle? We hope the opposition will hold their rally peacefully,” he said.
Referring to the visit of the Indian High Commissioner, Quader said “There are many projects under road communication , and we have discussed the progress of the projects. We also discussed the Teesta issue. In reply to the Teesta issue, he said he will try his best (to resolve it).”
On September 27, BNP announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. The party will conclude the divisional programmes by holding its last rally in Dhaka on December 10.
Police in Dhaka have asked BNP to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, but BNP is determined to dol its rally in front of its party headquarters at Naya Paltan in Dhaka.
Read more: December-10 rally: BNP delegation sits with IGP
The BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government--a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not contain any such provision.
Strong vigilance everywhere from tomorrow to thwart BNP’s sabotage plan: Quader
The government will ensure strong vigilance everywhere in the country from tomorrow to prevent sabotage plan of BNP, said Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday.
"Get ready for the month of victory. Vigilance will be ensured in all allies, districts, cities, wards, unions, upazilas, thanas from tomorrow," he said.
Read more: People are afraid of BNP’s Dec 10 rally: Obaidul Quader
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, was speaking at the 30th National Council of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of Bangladesh Awami League, at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, inaugurated the council around 11:30am.
Quader said, “We must save Sheikh Hasina. The lives and property of the country must be protected. So stay careful.”
"Two days ago, the foundation stone of Dhaka-Sylhet road was blown up at midnight. Who did this? They are the sponsors of militancy; they are the source of communalism. Who are they, they are Bangladesh ‘Nalish’ Party (BNP)," he said.
“BNP calls a mass rally, but it turns into a rally. And the Awami League calls a rally, in reality it becomes a mass assembly.”
Read more: 'Smart Bangladesh': Quader reveals AL's slogan for next election
Regarding the country’s shrinking forex reserve, Quader said reserves are increasing again, export earnings are on the rise too and the amount of remittance is increasing day by day.
Quader urged the BCL leaders and activists to bring the old glory of BCL back.
BCL president Al-Nahean Khan Joy presided over the opening session conducted by its general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee. The last BCL national council was held in May, 2018.
AL rally in Ctg: Leaders, activists throng Polo Ground wearing colorful shirts
Awami League leaders and activists started thronging the Polo Ground in the city Sunday morning where Prime Minister and AL president Sheikh Hasina will address a public rally in the afternoon.
They are arriving the venue on various vehicles including buses, auto-rickshaws, boats, steamers from different districts, upazilas, thana levels.
Read more: Ctg ready to welcome PM; AL rally this afternoon
Law enforcers allowed entry to the ground following strict security since 10am.
Members of the law enforcement agencies are particularly searching the bags, electronic devices of the leaders and media personnel at the rally venue.
AL leaders and activists of various upazilas including Patia, Sandwip, Raujan have already taken position inside the field. The workers of each area have come wearing same color t-shirts.
Among them, Patiya’s activists wore red t–shirt while Sandwip in orange, Raujan came in pink t-shirt.
Member of Parliament Mahfuzur Rahman Mita has claimed that 15,000 activists have arrived at the rally venue from six unions of Sandwip upazila.
"We left on various trawlers and boats on Saturday night. At 7am this morning, all the activists entered the Sadar Ghat area.”
No question of Khaleda Zia joining Dec 10 rally: BNP
Though the country’s political landscape has become overheated with some opposition leaders’ fiery comments about the participation of Khaleda Zia in her party’s much-talked-about rally in the capital on December 10, BNP senior leaders say they never had any plan to take her to their programme.
They also said their December-10 rally in the capital is similar to 9 other divisional programmes of BNP where party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address as chief guest and announce the party’s next course of action.
However, the party leaders are determined to hold the rally at Nayapaltan in front of their party headquarters instead of Suhrawardy Udyan.
The BNP senior leaders said they want to hold the rally peacefully avoiding any type of chaos as they will initiate the second phase of the movement to realise their demand for a polls-time neutral government and the resignation of the government after the December-10 programme.
“We don’t have any different plan about our Dhaka rally. It’s like other divisional rallies. I don’t know why the ruling party leaders and some media are talking about our chairperson’s participation in the rally. Our standing committee never discussed this issue and we never had any such plan,” said BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
Talking to UNB, he said they are moving ahead with a plan for a peaceful gathering to reach their desired goal.
He said they will not give anyone any scope to divert their movement to a a different direction by creating any trouble. “We’ll neither fall into Awami League’s trap nor take any imprudent move.”
Political mercury has started rising since Dhaka North City unit BNP convener Aman Ullah Aman at a programme on October 8 last announced that the country will run as per the directives of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman after December 10.
Read more: If Khaleda joins BNP’s Dec 10 rally, court will take steps: Home Minister
Two days later, BNP chairperson’s adviser Zainul Abedin Farroque said Khaleda will join the December -10 rally and later some other party low-tier leaders echoed Aman and Farroque.
BNP senior leaders, however, said the remarks of Aman and Farroque about Khaleda are their personal opinions.
Amid such speculation, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday warned that the court will take steps if Khaleda, who has been temporarily freed from jail on conditions, attends the party's December 10 rally in Dhaka.
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday at a programme in Narayanganj said Khaleda was freed suspending her sentence on conditions as her family submitted an application saying she was too sick to move.
“If Khaleda Zia now joins BNP’s rally on December 10, then it’ll be proved that what was written in her family’s application was false,” he said.
In the wake of Coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentence on 25 March 2020.
The government extended her conditional release from jail in the two corruption cases several times. The 76-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail.
BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. The party has already held eight divisional rallies while the 9th rally will be held In Rajshahi on Saturday. The BNP will conclude the divisional rallies through a huge mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10.
Though the party sought permission to hold the rally at Nayapaltan, the government has permitted it to hold the programme at Suhrawardy Udyan on 26 conditions.
Contacted, BNP’s Dhaka south city unit BNP convener Abdus Salam said Khaleda’s participation in the Dhaka rally is nothing but speculation by media and the ruling party leaders. “No one of our responsible leaders talked about it.”
He said they are taking allout preparations to make the rally a success with the participation of lakhs of people. “It’ll surely be a peaceful programme. We’ll remain alert about all types of plots and provocations to foil our programme.”
Read more: BNP divisional rally begins at packed Barishal venue
BNP Publicity Secretary Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie said the ruling party leaders are making comments involving Khaleda with the rally as part of their political motive to mislead people.
“Madam (Khaleda) remains under house arrest and she is very sick. We never said she would take part in our programme. But the government is playing a bad game over the issue”
“We’ll also hold the rally in the capital peacefully and then return homes. We have no other plans.”
During their meeting with Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on Thursday, the BNP leader said they urged him to cooperate with BNP to hold the rally at Nayapaltan. “We're determined to hold the rally at Nayapaltan. We’ve no other plan about any venue.”
BNP at IGP’s door; Seeks remedy for ‘fictitious’ cases
BNP on Thursday urged Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun to take steps for withdrawing the fresh ‘fictitious’ cases filed by police against the party leaders and activists.
A four-member BNP delegation, led by led by party Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu, met the IGP at the Police Headquarters and also handed him over a letter from BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in this regard.
The delegation went to the Police Headquarters around 12:50 pm and had an hour-long meeting with the IGP over the fresh cases against the party leaders and activists and the party’s planned rally on December 10 in the capital.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Bulu said fictitious cases are being filed against BNP leaders and followers by police and ruling party activists after hurling crude bombs. “Our people are being arrested in fictitious cases. So, we, on behalf of our secretary general, submitted a memorandum to the IGP in this regard.”
He said they also told the IGP that BNP leaders and workers are being harassed and their houses are being raided to arrest them in fictitious cases. “We’ve sought a remedy for this and he assured us of looking into the matters.”
The BNP leader said their party’s 50 leaders and workers were arrested from the High Court gate though they obtained bail from the apex court.
Read more: December-10 rally: BNP delegation sits with IGP
He said a ‘fictitious’ case was filed in Narsingdi against BNP men accusing them of exploding crude bombs chanting slogans in the name of Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and urging people to come to BNP’s Dhaka rally. “Why should we explode bombs when we invite people to come to Dhaka?”
With the letter of the BNP Secretary General, Bulu said, a list of 169 fictitious cases--filed in between August 22 and November 26 against 6,723 identified and 15,050 unidentified people-- were given to the IGP.
Besides, he said a list of 559 arrested BNP leaders and activists was also submitted to the police boss.
About BNP’s December 10 rally, he said the police officials raised the issue of the rally. “We’ve said we want to hold it (meeting) at Nayapaltan. We sent two letters (to DMP) on November 13 and November 20 seeking Nayapaltan for our meeting venue. We didn't want any second venue.”
He said the police authorities urged them to arrange the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan promising them to extend all-out support in this regard. “We said it is not our issue today…Our standing committee and the secretary general will take a decision on it.”
The other delegation members were BNP Joint Secretary General Sayed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Publicity Secretary Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie and Legal Affairs Secretary Kaiser Kamal.
High police officials, including Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq, were also present at the meeting.
Read more: BNP to avoid AL's trap over December-10 rally: Gayeshwar
Earlier on Tuesday, the DMP permitted BNP to hold its rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on December 10 on 26 conditions.
However, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged the government to necessary take steps so that their party can hold the rally at Nayapaltan instead of Suhrawardy Udyan on the day.
Just wearing a Mujib coat doesn’t make one a true AL activist: Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (November 29, 2022) said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always works to serve the people of the country, not as a ruler, so AL activists must sincerely work for the nation.
“Just wearing a Mujib coat doesn’t prove that you are a true soldier of Bangabandhu. To be a ‘Mujib’s soldier’, one must uphold his ideals,” Quader said while speaking as the chief guest at the tri-annual conference of Noakhali town and Sadar upazila unit of Awami League.
Quader joined the conference virtually from his official residence in Dhaka.
Read more: No transport strike during BNP’s Dhaka rally: Obaidul Quader
“We will counter misinformation from BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul with truth and constructive action,” the AL leader and minister said.
Referring to the “killings of 21,000 AL leaders and activists by BNP,” Obaidul Quader said that during BNP’s last 5-year tenure, AL leaders and activists could not stay at home even for 50 days.
Regarding BNP’s recent countrywide movement, Quader said that they have no issues with peaceful protests, but if BNP “plays with fire and resorts to violence, we are prepared, and a fitting reply will be given to protect the lives and property of the people.”
Read more: PM instructed to move BCL council from Dec 8 to 6 to facilitate BNP’s Dhaka rally: Quader
Abdul Wadud Pintu, president of Noakhali Municipal Awami League, presided over the conference while Awami League Organizing Secretary Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Faridunnahar Laili, Noakhali District Awami League Convener AHM Khairul Anam Chowdhury Salim, Joint Convener Shihab Uddin Shaheen, Sahid Ullah Khan Sohail and Member of Parliament Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, also spoke.
‘Some in opposition parties don’t see development by AL govt, they should have their eyes checked’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (November 26, 2022) said Awami League always thinks of innovative ways to advance the nation at an unbeatable pace.
“Awami League always thinks in line with the modern era, advancing the nation and developing the country with an unbeatable pace,” she said.
The prime minister said this while joining an event marking the end to general work of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel’s south tube which goes beneath the river Karnaphuli. She officially announced completion of the tunnel’s south side.
The PM joined the event, organised by the Bridges Division in Chattogram, virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
Read More: PM reaches Jashore, speaks at President Parade in BAF Academy
She said that only Awami League has the innovative vision to construct a tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli river.
She said that Zia, Ershad and Khaleda Zia never thought of constructing a tunnel under a river.
They lacked that vision, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that construction of the Karnaphuli Tunnel will brighten the image of the country as well as boost economic activities in the locality.
Readd more: PM officially announces completion of Karnaphuli Tunnel’s south side
“This (Karnaphuli Tunnel) will contribute significantly to the country's economy,” she said.
Coming down heavily on a section of people who “do not see” development by the Awami League government, she advised them to have their eyes checked.
“Many do not see our development initiatives… If they have difficulties in seeing, they can go to the doctor. We have established a very good Institute of Ophthalmology. They can go there for treatment; they might see everything,” she said.
She also said that if anyone wants to remain blind, then nothing can be done.
Read more: PM to join Karnaphuli Tunnel event Saturday
“I think there are some people in our opposition parties who are blind, despite having functioning eyes. They pretend not to see anything… They do not have the ability to do anything… In future, they will not be able to do anything either. They will not be capable of giving anything to the country,” the PM said.
She said that the opposition, with their pockets full when in power, smuggled ten trucks of arms and laundered money.
“They never worked for the welfare of the people, and in future they will not do anything either, this is the reality,” she said.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam And Bridges Division Secretary Md Monjur Hossain also spoke at the programme.
Read More: Bangladesh has changed a lot under Awami League govt: PM Hasina
A documentary on the Karnaphuli Tunnel was screened at the programme.
The Bangladesh Prime Minister also witnessed a cultural function at the Karnaphuli tunnel project's programme venue in Chattogram.
BNP's Cumilla rally set to take place amid relative ease
Unlike the previous programmes, BNP is set to hold its eighth-divisional rally in Cumilla City on Saturday amid relative ease, creating huge enthusiasm among the local leaders and followers of the party.
Cumilla City wore a festive look with posters, banners and billboards and colourful processions on Friday as the BNP started taking over the city to make the rally a success.
As part of its programme of divisional rallies that started in Chattogram last month, BNP leaders said they will stage yet another huge showdown through the rally - the eighth in the series - in the city.
The party leaders and activists have erected a stage at Cumilla Town Hall ground where the rally is scheduled to begin at 12pm.
Having failed to put any dent on the huge gathering of BNP supporters on at least six previous occasions, the transport owners and workers association leaders did not call for any strike this time centring opposition’s Cumilla rally.
As the rally is going to be held with no transport strike to impede it, and a quite straightforward process for gaining the police permit, there is an expectation of Saturday's rally to be even bigger than the ones held before. This is posing as a challenge to the party's leaders.
Despite no shortage of supporters attending the previous rallies, the BNP has been claiming that the attendance would have been even bigger had the government not created the alleged barriers to people's participation.
Talking to UNB, a number of local people heaved a sigh of relief as no transport strike was imposed in Cumilla ahead of BNP's rally.
Read more: On eve of rally, Sylhet turns into sea of BNP supporters
BNP supporters had feared that the intra-party conflict between two of their local influential leaders- city unit convener Aminur Rashid Yasin and ex-city mayor and expelled leader Monirul Haque Sakku--- could negatively impact on the party’s efforts to hold a mammoth rally.
However, local party activists told UNB that both Yasin and Sakku have been busy mobilising their followers to make the rally a success - if anything, they are competing on the basis of who can mobilise more.
Earlier in the day, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged that the government has been resorting to various tricks to prevent a 'mass wave' towards their rally.
Speaking at a press conference, he said Cumilla has turned into a city of festivals as thousands of leaders and activists from different areas thronged there in advance, defying various threats and intimidation.
The BNP leader did allege that police 'at the behest of the government' has been harassing them and raiding the houses of their party leaders and activists ahead of the rally.
Besides, he said the ruling party ‘cadres’ are threatening the opposition leaders and activists with dire consequences, including to implicate them in fictitious cases, if they join BNP’s rally.
Mosharraf, however, said they will hold their programme in a peaceful manner without responding to any provocative acts by the ruling party.
BNP vice chairman Barkatullah Bulu said they have taken all-out preparation to hold a ‘memorable’ rally in Cumilla.
“Though no transport strike has been enforced, our leaders and workers have been facing obstacles from the ruling cadres while on their way to Cumilla. But no barrier can stop our leaders and activisists from taking part in the rally," said Bulu.
BNP supporters were seen heading to Cumilla town from different upazilas and adjoining districts, including Chandpur, Brahmanbaria and Feni, since Friday morning a day ahead of the rally- still fearing obstruction by the ruling party activists on Saturday.
Read more: BNP rally in Sylhet: Police set up check-posts at 19 points
The rally venue has been crowded since Friday morning as BNP leaders and activists gathered there in processions.
As they have no permission to stay overnight at the venue, the organisers have arranged food and accommodation for them.
The rally in Cumilla on Saturday will be the 8th one by the BNP at the divisional level after 7 others were held in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rangpur, Barishal, Faridpur and Sylhet.
As part of the move to continue the pace of its ongoing movement, the BNP on September 27 announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities.
The organisers said the rallies are meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuels, the death of five party men in previous police action in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, and Jashore, and to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government--a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not allow it to happen.
As the rallies have progressed, they could be said to have become increasingly centred on this central, longstanding demand - to bring back the caretaker government provision in the constitution before the next parliamentary elections.
‘If you withdraw money from banks and keep it at home, thieves will be encouraged’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (November 24, 2022) categorically denounced “rumours that banks are facing acute liquidity crisis”.
“It’s a blatant lie that there is no money in the banks,” she said while addressing a massive public rally at the district stadium in Jashore, organised by local Awami League.
Sheikh Hasina said that on Wednesday (November 23, 2022) she had a meeting with Bangladesh Bank governor and other concerned officials.
“There is enough money in the banks,” she assured.
Read more: PM’s Japan visit will happen soon, Shahriar Alam says
She said that some people are talking about forex reserves. “There is no problem with forex reserves,” she added.
She also said that some people are spreading a lie that there is no money in the banks, and paying heed to that rumour, some are withdrawing money from banks.
“If you withdraw money from banks and keep it at home, thieves will be encouraged to steal the money. It is just creating an opportunity for the thieves,” she said.
She said that remittances are coming in, foreign investments are happening, export income has gone up, and tax collection has been increased as well.
Read more: PM reaches Jashore, speaks at President Parade in BAF Academy
“While other countries are facing serious debacles due to global recession, Bangladesh is still going strong,” she said.
She urged people not to pay heed to any rumour. “It is BNP’s job to spread rumours all the time, you know that,” she added.
The prime minister said that BNP had never done anything for the welfare of the country and its people. “They have always engaged in looting when they were in power,” she said.
She mentioned that during its 2001-06 tenure, BNP left foreign currency reserves at USD 2.5 billion only. When AL formed the government in 2009, forex reserves were USD 5 billion after the caretaker government’s regime.
Read More: No liquidity crisis in banks: ABB
During the coronavirus pandemic there was no export and import, as a result forex reserves accumulated to USD 48 billion, she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, said to procuring Covid-19 vaccines, fertiliser, rice and wheat for the people, the government has spent money.
“It (forex reserve) did not go anywhere, it was spent for the welfare of the people,” she said.
“We have invested in various works, giving stimulus for export, agriculture and giving deficit money which accumulated up to USD 8 billion,” she said.
Read More: No forex crisis from Jan 2023, Bangladesh Bank Gov says
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, AL MP elected from Khulna Sheikh Helal, AL presidium members Md. Abdur Razzak, Piyush Kanti Bhattacharya and Jahangir Kabir Nanak also spoke at the rally.
Jashore District AL president Shahidul Islam Milon presided over the rally. District Awami League General Secretary Shahin Chaklader conducted the Jashore rally.