United News of Bangladesh

BNP has formed a new partial convening committee for its UK chapter, as the president and general secretary of the previous committee are set to contest the upcoming national election. The committee was announced in a press release on Monday, signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The party said a full committee will be announced soon. According to the media release, Abul Kalam Azad has been appointed convener of the new committee, while Khosruzzaman Khosru made member secretary. The previous UK BNP committee was led by MA Malek as president and Koysor M Ahmed as general secretary. Following the student-led mass uprising on August 5, both leaders returned to Bangladesh and became active in BNP politics. MA Malek has received a BNP nomination from the Sylhet-3 constituency, while Koysor M Ahmed has been nominated from Sunamganj-3.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday said his party will prioritise ensuring law and order and tackling corruption if voted to power. “Those who will form the government after winning the election must first ensure one thing, and that is the rule of law. In simple terms, it means people’s security or law and order. I think our foremost effort should be to ensure this with all our strength,” he said. Tarique made the remarks while virtually addressing a discussion programme titled 'Upcoming Election and People’s Expectation', organised by BNP as part of its initiative to exchange views with professionals and noted citizens. The programme was held at a city hotel, with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presiding. The BNP leader said that if the next government can ensure the rule of law and maintain the law and order, there will be a strong possibility that many problems will start to ease, and then it will be possible to move forward with other necessary work. Referring to the long period of what he described as autocratic rule in the past, Tarique said unhealthy practices had developed in different sectors of society, including administration, business and other areas, where people received benefits and privileges they did not deserve. “This has almost become a habit over time. So this situation and this mindset must be changed. In simple words, corruption must be firmly brought under control. We have to pull the reins on corruption,” he said. The BNP leader said corruption will have to be controlled in all sectors, including development activities and public procurement. He said there is no reason to knowingly waste public money when other options are available, especially if those options could deliver services to people more quickly. As an example, Tarique said that if faster health services can be ensured through an alternative approach, it should be seriously considered and efforts should be made to implement it, as that is their objective. Presenting his party’s various plans for the country’s development and people’s welfare, he acknowledged that the issues discussed are not easy to address and required courage and responsibility. “The right decision is not always the popular decision. Popular decisions can be taken easily, but the correct decision is not always popular,” the BNP leader said, adding that this is why decision-making is often very difficult. He stressed that despite these challenges, taking correct and responsible decisions will be essential to meet people’s expectations and build a stable, secure and accountable state. The BNP leader sought full cooperation from professionals to secure a strong public mandate in the upcoming national parliamentary election. “We need public support to implement the plans we have prepared. To do this, the next government must stand on a strong mandate,” Tarique said. If f the mandate is weak, he said it may not be possible to carry out many important tasks. “To get a strong mandate, public support is essential, and you can support us from your respective positions.” Addressing the professionals, Tarique said their shared goal should be to begin building the Bangladesh people aspire to through the next government. “This work has no end. There will always be scope for improvement. But we must make a good start,” he said. Tarique also outlined BNP’s plans for building future Bangladesh, particularly in areas such as education, unemployment, family cards, farmers’ cards and health cards. University teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, journalists, human rights activists, cultural workers and people from various professions attended the programme. Professor Borhanuddin Khan presented the keynote paper at the discussion.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday described the 1971 killing of intellectuals as a premeditated conspiracy and a calculated blueprint by anti-liberation forces aimed at depriving the nation of its intellectuals. “The day of Shaheed Intellectuals is extremely painful for us. Just two days before Victory Day on December 16, there was a well-planned conspiracy, following a clear blueprint, to leave the nation intellectually empty,” he said. The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a discussion organised by the party to mark Shaheed Intellectuals Day at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh. Fakhrul said those who collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces went door to door, including university quarters, and abducted teachers and intellectuals. “Sadly, those who did this were Bengali sons. Today we clearly know who they were. History proves that the political forces which opposed Bangladesh’s independence were behind the abduction and killing of our brightest sons. There is no room to take this matter lightly,” he observed. He also said such conspiracies have been repeated again and again in Bangladesh to prevent the nation from rising through knowledge, education and intellect. Fakhrul alleged that similar conspiracies occurred in different forms during the last 15–16 years of Awami League rule. “Our education system has weakened, our health system has collapsed, and our economy has been ruined. We have repeatedly seen conspiracies against our nation.” Referring to the recent attack on Inqilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi, Fakhrul said the attempt on his life came immediately after the election schedule was announced. “They tried to kill Hadi — a brave soldier who stood against fascism. They want to create the same fear that the Awami League used for the last 15 years,” he said. The BNP leader said the Awami League tried to rule the country by creating fear and intimidation, and is now attempting to use the same fear to silence those fighting for democracy. “But history shows that BNP never bows to fear. We will not bow,” Fakhrul said. He vowed that BNP will fulfill the dream of Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and party founder, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, to build a truly democratic and prosperous Bangladesh. “I only want to say this — conspiracies will continue from all sides. But BNP will stand firm with its head held high, and InshAllah, we believe we will win,” the BNP leader said. Fakhrul said BNP is a liberal democratic party that believes in democracy and wants to establish it, adding that despite years of repression, BNP could not be defeated. He said no matter how many conspiracies or plots are carried out, the people of Bangladesh have the courage to break and defeat them and move forward, and that the BNP has played the leading role in this struggle. Fakhrul said BNP had fought for the last 15–16 years, during which false cases were filed against around 6 million party leaders and activists, about 20,000 were killed, and some 1,700, including Ilias Ali, were forcibly disappeared. “Yet they could not defeat us or suppress us. That is why new hope has emerged today.” Speaking at the programme, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas said the shooting of Hadi was carried out by an identified party. “This party will never allow Bangladesh to remain peaceful.” He warned that BNP will resist the violence and the plot of target killings. “Do not think that we are silent or that we will remain silent. That does not mean that if we are attacked, we will simply salute and walk away. There is no scope to think like that.” The discussion was chaired by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and moderated by BNP Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku.  BNP Standing Committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Chairperson’s Advisory Council Member Abdus Salam, and Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna, among others, spoke at the programme.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the upcoming national election will be a contest between a pro-Bangladesh force and a backward force that uses religion to mislead people. “This election will be a contest between two forces. One force stands for Bangladesh. This force stands for liberal democracy and the true establishment of democracy,” he said. Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the other force is backward and has always tried to confuse people in the name of religion. Fakhrul said those who took part in the Liberation War to create an independent homeland can never forget 1971. “Because of 1971, we are alive today and living on this land.” He raised the question of choice before the nation — whether to stand with the force of independence or with those who tried to destroy it. Expressing optimism, the BNP leader said he believes people will make the right decision in the election. “That decision is to choose the sheaf of paddy symbol. That is why Shaheed Intellectuals Day is very important this year,” he observed. The Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal and Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Projonmo organised the discussion meeting titled ‘National Parliamentary Election Is Essential to Protect Democracy at a Critical Time for the Nation’ at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh. Fakhrul said the country is now facing deep polarisation. “The people of Bangladesh must decide what they will choose — independence, sovereignty and democracy, or the backward forces that opposed our independence in the past and tried to block our progress.” He said these questions are being raised because that force has once again resurfaced and is misleading people in the name of religion, just as it did in 1971. The BNP leader also said the same force opposed the struggle of the Muslims of this region in 1947, when they fought for self-determination. “I want to say this clearly — the same force opposed the Pakistan Movement in 1947 and opposed Bangladesh’s independence in 1971,” he said. Fakhrul said that force has now changed its appearance and is trying to show that it can build a “new Bangladesh”. “But the people of Bangladesh cannot trust them.” “Those who denied our birth and our independence cannot be trusted by those of us who fought in the Liberation War,” he observed. The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh have always fought for their rights and existence, from the Mughal period to the struggles of leaders like the Bara Bhuiyans and Titu Mir. “A nation with such a history can never bow its head or be defeated,” Fakhrul said. Recalling December 14, 1971, Fakhrul said the Pakistani army killed the nation’s brightest intellectuals. He said the occupation forces abducted and killed philosophers like Govinda Chandra Dev, writers like Shahidullah Kaiser, doctors like Abdul Alim, journalists and writers like Selina Parvin, and many others. The BNP leader said these were planned killings, and there is no reason to forgive such crimes. He said the nation recently fought again to free democracy and drove out fascist forces through a student-led mass uprising. “But that does not mean we will allow another fascist force to take over. Any force that wants to push Bangladesh backwards must not be allowed to rise again,” Fakhrul said. He alleged that defeated fascist forces are now trying to create instability in the country. “The defeated fascists could not accept their defeat and fled the country. From there, they are continuing to conspire. They have learnt nothing, even after facing such consequences,” Fakhrul said. Referring to recent gun attacks on Inqilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi in Dhaka and BNP leader Ershad Ullah in Chattogram, Fakhrul said such acts are carried out to destabilise the country. “But we know the people of Bangladesh will never allow these conspiracies to succeed,” he said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday (December 14, 2025) said BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will be given an unprecedented public reception on his return to Dhaka from London, unlike any reception given to a political leader in the past. “I want to express our deepest gratitude to the Almighty Allah that after living in exile for a long 18 years, our leader, Insh’Allah, will return to us on December 25. This is a great source of inspiration for us,” he said. The BNP leader made the remarks at a discussion meeting titled ‘National Parliamentary Election Is Essential to Protect Democracy at a Critical Time for the Nation’, organised by the Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal and Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Projonmo at the Diploma Engineers Institute auditorium in Kakrail. “Let us welcome him on December 25 in such a way that no leader in Bangladesh has ever received before. We are all prepared, Inshallah,” he added. Read more: Tarique Rahman to return on Dec 25 after 18 years in exile Referring to Tarique Rahman’s return, Fakhrul said the news has brought reassurance at a time of great anxiety. “On one hand, our leader and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia is ill and undergoing treatment in hospital. On the other hand, amid uncertainty, Tarique Rahman is the guiding light who shows us the way forward, and he will be among us on the 25th,” he said. BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council members Abdus Salam and Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, party Liberation War Affairs Secretary (retd) Lt Col Zainul Abedin, and several leaders of the Muktijoddha Dal and Muktijuddho Projonmo addressed the meeting. Earlier on Friday night, Fakhrul at a press conference announced that the party’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman will return to Bangladesh on December 25, ending nearly 18 years of exile. Read more: Tarique Rahman to return on Dec 25 after 18 years in exile During the 1/11 government, Tarique Rahman was arrested on March 7, 2007. He was granted bail on September 3, 2008, and left for London with his family on September 11 for medical treatment. Since then, he has been living in London with his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday (December 14, 2025) voiced concern that incidents similar to the gun attack on Sharif Osman Hadi may recur, warning that the enemies of Bangladesh are once again resorting to targeted killings in an attempt to destabilise the country. “When Bangladesh is seeing a new sun and moving towards a new chapter, and when the people of Bangladesh are dreaming of building a democratic country through a fair election, at that very time its enemies have once again indulged in a killing spree,” he said. The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to reporters after paying tributes to the martyred intellectuals at the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Mirpur in the morning. He said their party strongly condemned the attack on Dhaka-8 independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi. “We fear that similar incidents may happen again,” Fakhrul said. Read more: What we know about at least one of Hadi's would-be assassins Osman Hadi was shot in Dhaka on Friday, a day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and referendum, leaving him seriously injured. He is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital with a bullet injury to his head. Recalling the history of December 14, Fakhrul said when the defeat of the Pakistani occupation forces became inevitable and the Liberation War forces surrounded Dhaka, the occupation army, with the help of their collaborators, abducted and killed the nation’s brightest minds to destroy Bangladesh intellectually. “They picked up university teachers, doctors, researchers, writers, journalists and many others and killed them. It was a planned massacre aimed at making the nation intellectually weak,” he said. Fakhrul said the nation remembers this painful history every year on this day. Read more: Tarique Rahman to return on Dec 25 after 18 years in exile On behalf of party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who is currently ill, and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, he said they came to the memorial to pay homage to the martyred intellectuals, marking the Martyred Intellectuals Day. “We have taken an oath that, at any cost, we will protect Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty and move the democratic journey forward,” Fakhrul said. He paid deep respect to all those who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and democracy, and also remembered BNP founder and proclaimer of independence, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, for his role in bringing fundamental changes to Bangladesh. The BNP leader also remembered the young people who were killed during the mass uprising in 2024. BNP senior leaders and leaders and activists of its Dhaka city units and affiliated organisations were present there. Read more: Roots of Hadi's would-be assassins to be uprooted: Attorney General

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain travelled to Singapore on Sunday for a follow-up health check-up, as he received treatment there for a brain tumour in 2023. The 80-year-old BNP leader, accompanied by his wife, left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Singapore on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at 8:25am, his younger son Khandaker Maruf Hossain told UNB. He said Dr Mosharraf is scheduled to receive medical consultations and undergo tests at the National University Hospital in Singapore. “He will undergo several tests to assess the current condition of the tumour,” Maruf said. He said sphenoid wing meningioma was detected outside his father’s brain in 2023. Later, doctors at Singapore National Hospital provided upfront radiotherapy to control the tumour and manage its adverse effects. Maruf also said his father earlier gone to Singapore for a routine health check-up on February 12 this year. On behalf of the family, Maruf sought prayers from the country’s people for his father’s good health and well-being.

Leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami met the Chief Adviser at his invitation on Saturday morning to discuss the country’s overall situation, including preparations for the next national election. The meeting was held around 11am at the state guest house Jamuna. Jamaat Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar, along with Assistant Secretary General and head of the party’s Central Publicity and Media Department Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, attended the meeting on behalf of the party. At the same time, leaders of the BNP and NCP, as well as relatives of Inqilab Mancha convener and July movement activist Sharif Osman Hadi, also met the Chief Adviser. From the BNP, the delegation included Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed and retired Major Hafizuddin Ahmed. From the NCP, the participants were Convenor Nahid Islam and Chief Organizer (Southern Region) Hasnat Abdullah. According to a press release sent by Jamaat’s Senior Publicity Assistant Mujibul Alam, the discussion focused on creating a conducive environment for holding the 13th parliamentary election in a free, fair and peaceful manner, improving law and order, and ensuring the safety of people’s lives and property. The participants also raised the issue of the brutal attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, who was critically injured after being shot in the head in the capital’s Bijoynagar area on Friday. They demanded the immediate arrest of those involved and exemplary punishment. Condemning the attack, the leaders said the entire nation is shocked and outraged, describing the incident as not only an attack on an individual but a direct assault on the nation and democracy. They urged the government to ensure proper medical treatment for Hadi and prayed for his speedy recovery, while also expressing sympathy for his family and seeking patience and strength for them. During the meeting Jamaat leader Golam Parwar said, “Recently, our various statements have increased the tendency to blame one another which has given our opponents an opportunity. We must remain united as we were before.”

Gono Odhikar Parishad General Secretary Rashed Khan and Mancha 24 Convener Fahim Faruqi on Saturday demanded the resignation of Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam, accusing him of inaction following the armed attack on Inquilab Mancha spokesperson and prospective independent parliamentary candidate from Dhaka-8, Sharif Osman Hadi. Speaking at an emergency press briefing in front of Evercare Hospital, the two leaders alleged that the Home Adviser must take responsibility for the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly after Hadi was shot at close range while riding a rickshaw. They said Hadi, known for his simple lifestyle, believed that adequate security measures would be in place. “If Hadi does not return to us alive, the government will have to bear full responsibility,” Rashed Khan said, adding that the Home Adviser cannot evade accountability for the incident. He further claimed that under the current leadership of the Home Ministry, law enforcement agencies are unable to function effectively. “If the government truly wants to hold a free, fair and credible election, the first step must be the removal of the Home Affairs Adviser,” he added. The two leaders alleged that the attack was politically motivated and carried out by activists linked to the Awami League, with the intention of sabotaging the upcoming election. Rashed Khan claimed that at least 50 candidates have been targeted nationwide as part of a broader plan to create fear and destabilise the electoral process. Describing the modus operandi of the attackers, he said the assailants approached Hadi in the guise of friends and had conducted surveillance on him multiple times, sometimes wearing masks and sometimes not. “These masked processions by Awami League goons, even if small in number, prove that the party will not be able to return to power. It was misbelief,” he said. He also alleged that he had earlier informed at least two advisers about the alleged plan to disrupt the election. “Awami League has failed to return as a ‘refined Awami League’ or by using the National Party. Now they want to contest as independents—not to participate, but to derail the election,” he said. Rashed Khan claimed that he repeatedly warned the Election Commission that allowing Awami League or its affiliates to participate would make it impossible for other candidates to stay in the race due to insecurity. Meanwhile, Fahim Faruqi said the attack on Osman Hadi was aimed at preventing the election from taking place. “Awami League has sent a clear message that if elections are held, their existence will be erased. That is why they want to stop the election at any cost,” he said. He described the police administration as “ineffective” and blamed the Home Adviser’s inaction for the situation. “We demand his resignation and the immediate arrest of the terrorists. If the attackers are not arrested within the next six hours, we will announce continuous protest programmes. We want justice, not excuses,” he said. Sharif Osman Hadi is currently undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital, where his family members are present. The family has expressed interest in taking him abroad for advanced medical treatment. Earlier on Friday night, Inquilab Mancha issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the interim government to arrest those responsible for the attack. The ultimatum was announced by the organisation’s Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber at an emergency press conference held at around 10:45 pm in front of Evercare Hospital. Jaber said Osman Hadi has been one of the strongest critics of the interim government, yet also a key figure who stood by it during critical moments. “Now it is the government’s responsibility to ensure his best possible treatment. If necessary, he must be sent abroad by air ambulance,” he said. He added that the Chief Adviser has already contacted Hadi’s family and other advisers have visited the hospital to inquire about his condition. “Osman Hadi is not only a leader of Dhaka-8, but of the entire country. Those who fired bullets into his chest must be arrested within 24 hours. We will not accept any narrative that the attackers were ‘killed elsewhere’,” Jaber warned.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday urged the nation to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day and Victory Day with due respect and solemnity. In a statement, he said these two days are significant milestones in the nation’s history, honoring the sacrifices and struggles of the martyred intellectuals and the valiant freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War. He prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and offered condolences to their bereaved families, while wishing a speedy recovery for those injured during the July Uprising last year. Referring to the recent attack on Inquilab Mancha convener and July 2024 activist Sharif Osman Hadi, Shafiqur Rahman condemned the assault, calling it a shocking act against not only an individual but the nation and democracy itself. He urged the government to ensure Hadi’s proper medical care and appealed to the public to pray for his swift recovery. The Ameer-e-Jamaat emphasized that the country has recently freed itself from oppressive rule through the united movement of students and the public. Despite economic challenges, he warned that forces supporting fascism, both domestic and foreign, are continuing their conspiracies, citing the assassination attempt on Hadi as evidence. Former BNP MP Akhtaruzzaman joins Jamaat He called on Jamaat-e-Islami’s branches and citizens to resist anti-national conspiracies and celebrate the upcoming national days with commitment to independence, sovereignty, and citizen rights. Three-day Jamaat program announced: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a three-day programme to observe Martyred Intellectuals Day on December 14 and Victory Day on December 16 with due respect. According to the schedule, a discussion marking Martyred Intellectuals Day will be held on December 14 (Sunday) at the Krishibid Institution auditorium in Dhaka. Organised by Dhaka Metropolitan North Jamaat, the event will begin at 3:30 PM, with the party’s Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Porwar attending as the chief guest. On December 15 (Monday), Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat will host a discussion marking Victory Day at the Institution of Diploma Engineers at 3 PM. Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman will join the programme as the chief guest. The three-day observance will conclude on December 16 (Tuesday) with a youth marathon or rally organised by the party’s central youth wing at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital. The party will also hold discussions, rallies, and prayers nationwide to uphold the country’s independence and citizens’ rights while observing Victory Day with due respect.