Politics
BNP should learn from Pakistan PM's statement : Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the BNP should take lessons from the statements made by Pakistan's prime minister regarding Bangladesh's development.
Quader stated that Pakistan appreciates Bangladesh's development, while the BNP indulges in falsehoods and propaganda against the government's development efforts.
"Today, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif feels ashamed when he sees the progress and achievements of Bangladesh," Quader said while talking to reporters at a press conference on Friday.
Quader also commented that Bangladesh is progressing well in terms of democracy and elections without the involvement of the BNP.
He stated that the upcoming upazila (sub-district) elections will be conducted fairly, and Awami League will neither support nor oppose the BNP's participation.
Quader also warned that if the BNP violates party directives during the upazila elections, appropriate organizational measures will be taken in due time.
BNP announces partial committee of Ulema Dal
BNP has announced a five-member partial central committee of Jatiyatabadi Ulema Dal, nearly three months after dissolving its previous committee.
A press release, signed by party's senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, on Friday said the BNP high-command approved the new partial central convening committee of the party’s Islamic scholars’ wing.
Maulana Selim Reza was made convener of Ulema Dal while Maulana Kazi Abul Hossain its member secretary.
Besides, Maulana Md. Alamgir Hossain was made senior joint convener and Maulana Qari Golam Mostafa and Maulana Md. Delwar Hossain were made joint conveners of the five member committee of Ulema Dal, an associate body of BNP.
Earlier on February 1, BNP dissolved the 171-member committee of Ulema Dal and suspended all activities of the organisation.
Maulana Shah Nesharul Haque and Maulana Nazrul Islam Talukder were convener and member secretary respectively of the previous 171-member Ulema Dal committee which was approved by BNP on April 5, 2019.
BNP expels 73 leaders for contesting first phase of upazila polls
The BNP has expelled 73 grassroots leaders for taking part in the first phase of upcoming upazila elections violating the party's decision.
The punitive action was taken against the party leaders as per its constitution, said a press release, signed by BNP Senior Joint General Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, on Friday.
It said the 73 leaders of BNP and its associate bodies who are contesting for the post of chairman, vice chairman and female vice chairman in the first phase of upazila polls in violation of the party's decision have been expelled from all party positions, including its primary membership.
Of them, 28 are vying for the post of upazila chairman while 24 for the vice-chairman post and 21 for the position of female vice-chairman.
A total of 152 upazilas across the country will go to polls in the first phase on May 8 as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission.
The elections to a total of 492 upazilas will take place in four phases. The second phase of upazila polls will be held on May 23 while the third phase on May 29 and the fourth phase on June 5.
The BNP high-command earlier decided not to join any elections under the current government and the Election Commission.
Dhaka turning into artificial desert due to encroachment of water bodies: Mirza Abbas
BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Thursday voiced serious concerns over the scorching heatwave gripping the city and the emergence of profound environmental degradation, alleging that Dhaka is gradually turning into an artificial desert due to encroachment of water bodies.
“Dhaka has turned into a city lined with bricks and stones. Grass and trees are now rarely seen here. The biggest problem is that Dhaka city has now become an artificial desert,” he said.
AL retains power by killing people, says Mirza Abbas, at event giving financial aid to families of slain BNP activists
The BNP leader made the remarks while distributing bottled water and saline among the pedestrians in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office amid the persisting severe heatwave.
Ziaur Rahman Foundation arranged the programme to alleviate public suffering as a severe heatwave sweeping over the country.
Abbas, a BNP standing committee member and former mayor of undivided Dhaka city, said most of the water bodies around the capital have been filled by the land grabbers.
“Who are these land encroachers? They’re backed by the government. They’re being pampered by the government as they have a collusion and secret relation with the ruling quarter,” he said.
Mirza Abbas latest BNP leader to walk out of jail
Pointing fingers at the disappearance of the city's once abundant water bodies, the BNP leader bemoaned that water reservoirs around Dhaka city have been filled up.
“It implies that Dhaka has now become an artificial desert…heat emanates from vehicles, bricks and stones in Dhaka city surrounded by sand amidst the absence of trees, canals and water bodies. So, where will the cold come from relief from the scorching heat?" he observed.
Abbas said the country has been witnessing the environmental degradation and the curse of nature due to the rule of an anti-people and unelected regime "The intense heatwave is a repercussion of environmental destruction... the government bears responsibility for it.”
He asked the chief heat officer of Dhaka North City Corporation to urge the government to recover the grabbed canals and other water bodies around Dhaka city by removing artificial desertification with sand. “You (heat officer) tell the government to break the collaboration with the land grabbers and give back the water reservoirs to get relief from environmental degradation.’
BNP leader Mirza Abbas gets bail; no bar to release
Abbas also highlighted the declining condition of the common rivers of Bangladesh due to the negligence of the government.
He said the situation across Bangladesh is alarming as people never experienced such heatwaves or scorching temperatures in the past.
The BNP leader said Bangladesh has been witnessing an abnormal shift in its traditional six seasons due to a change in temperatures caused by environmental degradation.
"Very slowly, Bangladesh is moving towards desertification because of the current illegal government’s knee-jerk foreign policy. The construction of the Farakka Barrage has severely disrupted the water flow in the Padma River. The Teesta, Brahmaputra, and Jamuna rivers have also witnessed a significant decline in water flow," he said.
Stating that there were more than 1,100 rivers in Bangladesh, Abbas alleged that around 300 rivers have already disappeared due to encroachment by the ruling party men.
BNP blames govt’s ‘destructive’ policy for environmental degradation
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday accused the Awami League government of pursuing a 'destructive' development policy in the name of development, causing environmental degradation across the country.
“The scorching heat in Dhaka has surpassed all the previous records. This was not supposed to happen as there are many rivers like Turag, Buriganga and Shitalakshya around Dhaka. The reality is that encroachers have grabbed these rivers. They have filled up almost every river in the country. It is possible during the rule of an autocratic regime.” he said.
Expressing concern over the public suffering caused by a severe heatwave sweeping the country, the BNP leader also said the rising temperatures are a result of the current regime's anti-environmental activities.
Rizvi came up with the comments while distributing bottled water, saline, and juice to pedestrians, day labourers, rickshaw pullers, street vendors, and other working-class of people in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
The BNP's Dhaka South City unit organised the programme to alleviate public suffering as temperatures reach unprecedented levels. The unusually high temperatures pose grave risks to public health, especially heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and dehydration-induced diarrhoea.
Rizvi said the green experts and scientists have repeatedly advised the government not to set up coal-based power plants. “But the anti-mass prime minister has ignored their advice and instead embarked on mega projects in the name of development for indulging in massive corruption."
He also said the government is setting up a coal-based thermal power plant in Patuakhali's Kalapara area by ignoring the opinion of environmental experts which poses a serious threat to the biodiversity of the entire Barishal region.
"Due to the construction of thermal power plants, coconut trees are no longer bearing fruit in the coastal areas of Patuakhali and adjacent regions of Barishal. There was a time when coconuts grew abundantly in those areas, but now even the rivers lack fish," the BNP leader said.
He also highlighted the extreme damage caused to the biodiversity of the Sundarbans by the Rampal coal-fired thermal power project.
“The Sundarbans, often referred to as the lungs of Bangladesh, is now struggling for survival alongside its iconic inhabitants like the world-renowned Royal Bengal tiger, crocodiles of the Pasur River, and the graceful deer due to Rampal power plant,” Rizvi said.
He said the government has no focus on creating a livable environment for the people of the country as it does not think that people are the source of power. “So, they can do anything, including destroying our environment, forest and rivers”.
About the upcoming upazila polls, the BNP leader said the government is now going to hold 'upazila elections with dummy candidates similar to the 12th parliamentary elections.
He said the ruling party MPs have created their own reigns in every parliamentary area ahead of the upazila elections. “Even, the Awami League leaders are also not getting any chance to contest the elections. The MPs' reigns have been established with the wives, brothers, and brothers-in-law of ministers and MPs.”
64 BNP leaders served show cause notices for contesting upazila polls
The BNP has served show cause notices on 64 party leaders for taking part in the first phase of the upazila polls in defiance of the party's decision to boycott the elections to the local bodies.
Among the defying leaders, 24 are vying for the post of upazila chairman while 21 for the vice-chairman post and 19 for the position of female vice-chairman, according to the statistics of the BNP central office.
Heatwave: BNP distributes bottled water, saline, and juice in city
Party senior leaders said those who will fail to come up with satisfactory replies or fail to respond, will be expelled from all positions in the party, including primary membership.
A BNP assistant office secretary, wishing anonymity, said a total of 64 BNP leaders have been served show cause notices as of Tuesday night asking them to give proper replies by 48 hours to the party’s Nayapaltan central office.
The BNP high-command earlier decided to join any elections under the current government and the Election Commission.
BNP forms 3-member committee to probe arson attack at Faridpur temple
Meanwhile, the party has expelled five leaders for joining the upcoming elections to municipalities and union Parishads by flouting the party decision.
According to a party press release, Jaladaka Upazila unit BNP president in Nilphamari district Fahmid Faysal Chowdhury has been removed from the party for participating in the municipality polls.
Heatwave: BNP postpones Friday’s rally in Dhaka
Besides, Sadek Ali, Vice President of the Biroil Upazila in Dinajpur district, Rashed Ali Mahmud, Assistant Convener of Chiknandi Union in North Chittagong district, and Johurul Alam, a member from Cox's Bazar district BNP leader and M Hannan Miah, Cox's Bazar district Matshajibi Dal leader, have been expelled for taking part in the union parishad polls.
Heatwave: BNP distributes bottled water, saline, and juice in city
Amidst the severe heatwave gripping the nation, BNP provided bottled water, saline, and juice to common people in the capital on Wednesday to alleviate their suffering.
With temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels, party leaders and activists distributed bottled water, saline, and juice to pedestrians, day labourers, rickshaw pullers, street vendors, and other working-class of people in Kochukhet Bazar and Ashkona Haji Camp areas of the city.
BNP forms 3-member committee to probe arson attack at Faridpur temple
Approximately two thousand people benefited from the distribution of water, saline, and juice during the event.
Tabith Awal, an executive committee member of BNP and the party's nominated mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation in the last two elections, led the civic service on behalf of the party.
BNP leader Abdul Awal Mintoo off to Thailand for better treatment
Among those present were BNP Dhaka North City unit leader Habibur Rahman Rabbi, Mohila Dal leader Jakia Sultan Panna, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s Dhaka West City unit leader Monjurul Hasan Ifat, Jubo Dal leader Monzurul Islam Monirul, and Swechchasebak Dal leader Mohammad Sujon.
Earlier on Monday, BNP postponed its public rally scheduled for Friday (April 26) due to the sweltering temperatures caused by the oppressive heatwave across Bangladesh.
The decision was made during a meeting of the party’s Dhaka South City unit held at Bhasani Bhaban in the city’s Nayapaltan area, according to a press release.
Heatwave: BNP postpones Friday’s rally in Dhaka
At the meeting, Dhaka South City unit BNP convenor Abdus Salam urged party leaders and activists at all levels to stand by the people and alleviate the suffering caused by the extreme heatwave across the country.
The unusual rise in temperatures poses grave risks to public health, especially heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and diarrhoea caused by dehydration.
BNP forms 3-member committee to probe arson attack at Faridpur temple
BNP has formed a three-member committee to investigate the arson attack on a Madhukhali temple in Faridpur and the brutal torture of two workers of a nearby primary school.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the formation of the committee in a press release.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the party's standing committee chaired by party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
The meeting expressed concern over the arson attack on April 18 and the brutal beating to death of two workers.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within five days.
BNP vice-chairman Adv Nitai Roy Chowdhury is the convener of the probe committee.
The other members of the committee are BNP chairperson's advisory council member Bijan Kanti Sarkar, organising secretary Shyama Obaid, executive committee member Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal and assistant religious affairs secretary Amalendu Das Apu.
BNP leader Abdul Awal Mintoo off to Thailand for better treatment
Ailing BNP Vice-chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo left the country for Thailand on Tuesday afternoon for better treatment.
Before that Mintoo was under treatment at capital’s United Hospital. Mintoo’s physicians suggested he go to Thailand for better treatment. He may get admission Thailand Bumrungrad Hospital.
Heatwave: BNP postpones Friday’s rally in Dhaka
BNP media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan has confirmed the matter.
Last Saturday Abdul Awal Mintoo, also a renowned businessman of the country, suddenly fell sick and was immediately admitted to United Hospital.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon relieved from post in pro-BNP lawyers' collective
According to family sources, on Friday night after participating in a wedding programme he returned home. Then he went to bed to sleep and felt severe pain in his chest. At one point after he is said to have fainted. In these circumstances, he was rushed to hospital.
Mintoo’s eldest son, BNP leader Tabith Awal said doctors apprehend he may have suffered from cardiac complications.
BNP leader Habib walks out of jail
The 74-year-old Abdul Awal Mintoo is the founder of Multimode Group. He also served the businessmen apex organization Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) as a president.
US HR report exposes Hasina govt’s injustice, brutality: Rizvi
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said the 2023 Human Rights Report released by the US has exposed the "injustice and brutality” of Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh.
“The report expressed deep concern over the horrific human rights violations in Bangladesh, including the incidents of enforced disappearance, assassination and torture. It has also pointed out that the citizens’ right to bring a change in the government through a free and fair election has been taken away,” he said.
Heatwave: BNP postpones Friday’s rally in Dhaka
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi said the US report objectively depicted the deteriorating human rights situation in Bangladesh, including the arrest of opposition leaders and obstruction to their peaceful gatherings.
He said a certain truth regarding the human right condition in Bangladesh has come out in the report by highlighting the visible incidents of injustice and cruelty.
The BNP leader said Robert S Gilchrist, senior official in the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor, described Bangladesh’s human rights situation as alarming during the briefing on the human rights report.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon relieved from post in pro-BNP lawyers' collective
He said Gilchrist also mentioned that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was removed from the electoral process through plots.
Rizvi said 15 cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina while only four cases were filed against Khaleda Zia during 1/11 political changeover.
When Sheikh Hasina came to power, he alleged that all the 15 cases against her were hurriedly withdrawn while Khaleda was convicted in the ‘false’ cases using the judiciary.
“We talked about these things many times…it has now come up in US reports. People used to believe that Begum Khaleda Zia was a victim of political vengeance of the government…the democratic world has now pointed it out through their very objective observation,” the BNP leader said.
On Monday, the U.S. Department of State released the 2023 Human Rights Report, which the US Embassy described as a "factual and objective" record on the status of respect for human rights worldwide.
AL govt is afraid of BNP, lacks popular support: Rizvi
The 2023 Human Rights Report (HRR) covers 198 countries and territories.
There were reports of widespread impunity for human rights abuses like extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, restrictions on freedom of expression and media and peaceful assembly, said the report in its Bangladesh chapter.
In most cases, it claimed, the government did not take credible steps to identify and punish officials or security force members who may have committed human rights abuses.
Rizvi said BNP has long been reportedly talking about the repression, brutality, enforced disappearances, murders and other misdeeds of the government.
“There is nothing more now to hide in a bag. The incidents of injustice, bloodshed and various misdeeds by Sheikh Hasina are slowly coming out to the democratic world. The entire world is condemning it," he said.