Dhaka, Nov 21 (UNB) - Holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, marking the birth and demise of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), is being observed in the country on Wednesday with due religious solemnity.

On this day in 570, the 12th of Rabiul Awal of the Hijri calendar, Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Makkah of Saudi Arabia with divine blessings and messages of peace for mankind. He also passed away on the same day.

The day is a public holiday.

The Muslims across the country joined special prayers marking the day.

Various religious and socio-cultural organisations and political parties, mosques and madrasahs, including Islamic Foundation, have chalked out elaborate programmes, including mila dmahfil, discussion and Qurankhwani, on the occasion.

Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other satellite TV channels and radio stations is being aired special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the country's people and Muslims across the world.

Dhaka, Nov 21 (UNB) – President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh on Wednesday morning paid rich tributes to the martyred members of Bangladesh Armed Forces on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day 2018.

The President, who is also the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, placed wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban (eternal flame) at Dhaka Cantonment at 8 am and stood there in solemn silence for a while as a mark of respect to memories of the martyrs.

Later, a smartly turned out contingent of the Army, Navy and Air Force presented a salute on the occasion. President Hamid also signed the visitors’ book there.

The Prime Minister paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Shikha Anirban (flame eternal) at 8:15 am.

After laying the wreath, she stood in solemn silence there for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs, who made the supreme sacrifice during the War of Liberation in 1971.

A smartly-turned out contingent drawn out from Army, Navy and Air Force presented a guard of honour at that time, while the  bugle played the last post.

Earlier, on her arrival at ShikhaAnirban, the Prime Minister was received by Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal MasihuzzamanSerniabat  and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lt Gen MdMahfuzurRahman.

After the wreath-placing ceremony, Sheikh Hasina, also in-charge of the Defence Ministry, went to the Armed Forces Division (AFD) where the chiefs of the three services made a courtesy call on her.

On her arrival at the AFD, the Prime Minister was received by the PSO and director generals of the AFD.

On this day during the War of Liberation in 1971, the Bangladesh Armed Forces comprising Army, Navy and Air Force, came into being and launched an all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation forces which sped up the victory in the Liberation War.

This historic day is observed as the Armed Forces Day every year since the independence of the country.

Dhaka, Nov 20 (UNB) – The Election Commission on Tuesday directed the returning officers to prevent electioneering in religious gatherings or waz mahfil ahead of the national election to be held on December 30.

The EC sent a letter to all the returning officers asking them to take necessary measures so that the local administration or police do not give any permission for any fresh religious gathering or waz mahfil before the election.

However, the Commission said prescheduled religious programmes or any important religious meeting or waz mahfil will have to be arranged taking permission of the returning officers.

In the letter, the Election Commission also asked the returning officers to take necessary steps so that no candidate or political person can conduct any election campaign.

It directed them to engage an executive magistrate in case of arranging such religious meeting or waz mahfil.
 

Dhaka, Nov 20 (UNB) – Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Tuesday said he will unilaterally finalise his party’s candidates for 300 constituencies and also decide it unilaterally whether he will join any alliance.

“I’ll finalise the candidates for 300 seats considering the interests of the country, our party and its leaders and activists. I myself will do this job, and no one else has anything to do in this regard.  I want to see how many competent Jatiya Party candidates are there in 300 constituencies,” he said.

Ershad, an ex-military ruler, said he will also unilaterally take the decision if his party needs to go with any other alliance in the process of political polarisation. 

He came up with the remarks while taking interview of his party’s nomination hopefuls at a convention centre in the city’s Gulshan area.     

Earlier at a meeting of the party presidium members, Ershad was entrusted with all the responsibilities to finalise its candidates.

The party also handed him over 780 nomination forms out of 2865 ones collected by party leaders to contest the 11th parliamentary elections.  

Ershad asked his party leaders and activists to return to their respective areas and work for the party. “I’ll inform you my decision in due time. I hope you will accept my decision whatever it is.”

He said he is still not a free man as he is facing cases. “No politician suffered more than me. I’m the most ill-fated politician.”

Dhaka, Nov 20 (UNB) – BNP on Tuesday night alleged that its standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah was convicted by a lower court at the behest of the government.

“Rafiqul Islam Miah has been convicted in a cooked up case in which he has no involvement. It’s not a case at all. A notice was sent asking him to submit his wealth statement to an address where he didn’t stay,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference, he further said, “He (Miah) has been convicted at the behest of the government.  An innocent person has been punished only to fulfill the government’s desire. We strongly condemn and protest the conviction he has been given as part of a government plot.” 

Rizvi demanded the government release him immediately revoking his conviction.

Earlier, plainclothes police arrested Miah from the city’s Banglamotor area around 6:30pm hours after he had been convicted in a graft case.

Judge Sheikh Golam Mahbub of Dhaka Special Judge Court-6 sentenced the BNP leader to three years’ jail in a graft case filed for amassing illegal wealth.

The court also fined him Tk 50,000 and he will to serve three months more imprisonment in case of failure to pay the fine.

The court issued the arrest warrant for his arrest as he did not appear before it today (Tuesday) while delivering the verdict.