Politics
Govt must take responsibility for growing custodial deaths: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the government must shoulder the responsibility for the growing incidents of death in jail.
“The incidents of death in jail are taking place one after another under the current regime, especially the dissidents are dying in custody. The government must take responsibility for these incidents,” he said.
In a statement, the BNP leader said killing anyone in jail is an utter violation of human rights.
He said former BNP leader and MP Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, writer Mostaq Ahmed and many other dissidents died mysteriously in jail.
The statement was issued voicing concerns over the death of Hefazat leader Maulana Iqbal Hossain who fell ill in jail and later died at a hospital on Thursday night.
Fakhrul said there is no credible and acceptable investigation or satisfactory statement from the government regarding the custodial deaths.
He demanded a judicial investigation into the death of Maulana Iqbal.
The BNP leader prayed for the salvation of Iqbal’s departed soul and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Maulana Iqbal, also the president of Khelafat Majlish’ Sonargaon unit, was arrested by a team of Rab-11 on April 11 as he was the main accused in a case filed over vandalising Royal Resort and creating violence on a highway.
He was taken to Mitford Hospital as he fell sick in Narayanganj district jail where he died last Thursday night.
Fakhrul visits ailing BNP leader Rizvi
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday visited his party colleague Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at his Adabar residence as he has been suffering from post-Covid complications.
Fakhrul along with BNP’s health affairs secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam went Rizvi’s house around 11:30am and enquired about his health condition and treatment.
They stayed there for a while and talked to BNP senior joint secretary general Rizvi and his wife.
Talking to UNB, Dr Rafqi said though Rizvi was discharged from the hospital over a month ago, he is still suffering from various post-Covid complications.
He hoped that the BNP leader would fully recover soon.
Rizvi was admitted to Square Hospitals in the city on March 17, a day after he was found positive for the Coronavirus.
He was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital with breathing difficulties on April 1.
As he tested negative for the virus on April 17, the BNP leader was discharged from the hospital two days later.
He has been undergoing treatment at home under a specialist physician since then.
Get united to get rid of repression: BNP to journalists
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday urged journalists to get united under a single union putting behind the division to get rid of repression and restore their dignity.
“Journalists have to stand up with their heads high. There’re girls like Rozina Islam who’re trying to stand up tall facing fears,” he said.
Fakhrul came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club arranged by Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal demanding the release of Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam and all the political prisoners.
The BNP leader said, “I would like to request journalists not to allow any division among themselves. We see there’re divided journalist unions and associations. So, their voices are not loud enough. You all get united and declare not to tolerate any repressive act against journalists. And then your dignity will increase gradually.”
He also called upon the journalists to speak the truth and call the spade a spade. “You shouldn’t bow down to greed. “You won’t be able to protect your community and the media if you only think about personal gains and protection.”
The BNP leader also urged people to make united efforts to protect the country and free it from the grasp of a ‘monstrous’ regime.
He said journalists could not wage a strong movement against the Digital Security Act, but many media workers are now falling victims to the repressive law.
He appreciated journalist Rozina for what he said exposing the official corruption through her investigative reports. “That’s why the government and the health ministry are angry with Rozina.”
“Rozina has been subjected to suffering for objective journalism. She’s not getting bail. Our leader Nipun Roy Chowdhury is also not granted bail as she had raised voice against irregularities?” the BNP leader observed.
He said the government also wants to teach Rozina a lesson by jailing her. “They also want to intimidate journalists through treating Rozina in this way so that they don’t write much against it. This is the character of a fascist. They want to scare all to suppress them.”
Fakhrul accused the government of destroying all the democratic institutions in the country by running the country depending on bureaucrats. “Bureaucrats are also now the leaders of the ruling party. They openly talk about running the country and they do politics.”
He alleged that the court is unlawfully making a delay in granting bail to Rozina in a billable case. “Filing cases against its opponents is a culture of the Awami League government.”
The BNP leader said Rozina’s arrest and harassment is not an isolated incident as 42 more journalists were killed earlier while journalist couple Sagar-Runi's killers have not been detected yet.
Fakhrul said the country is facing two devils--the Awami League government and the Coronavirus. “The Covid is ruining the entire world like a devil while the current regime is destroying Bangladesh's achievements like a monster.”
Post-Covid complications affected Khaleda’s heart, kidneys: Fakhrul
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s kidneys and heart have been affected by the post-Covid complications, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Friday.
“It’s a matter of little worry that her (Khaleda Zia's) heart and kidneys have been affected by her post-Covid complications. Doctors are worried about this and they’re trying to figure out how to cure that,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while speaking at a discussion programme at the Jatiya Press Club arranged by Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal
Fakhrul said he visited Khaleda Zia on Thursday at the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital in the city. “I felt good seeing her yesterday (Thursday) as I saw a little smile on her face after a long time.”
Referring to Khaleda’s doctors, he said her oxygen saturation is now quite good with normal body temperature and no breathing difficulty. “But she has been receiving treatment at the hospital in a very bad condition due to the post-Covid complications."
He said doctors told him that the BNP chief needs treatment for her various complications, including that of heart and kidneys, at an advanced medical centre where all modern equipment is available.
“That’s why her family members submitted an application to the government to send her abroad for treatment. It’s unfortunate for us that the government didn’t give that permission,” the BNP leader bemoaned.
He thanked the doctors of the hospital and Khaleda’s personal physicians for providing her treatment with utmost sincerity. “They’re regularly monitoring her condition and trying to provide her better treatment in consultation with the doctors from the USA and London.”
Fakhrul hoped that Khaleda would surely recover fully and work again for the welfare of the country’s people.
The 76-year-old BNP chief, who tested positive for Covid-19 for the second time on April 24, was admitted to Evercare Hospital on April 27 for a thorough health checkup. She was shifted to the CCU of the hospital with shortness of breath on May 3.
On April 28, a 10-member medical board, headed by Prof Shahabuddin Talukder, was formed for the treatment of Khaleda at the Evercare Hospital a day after her admission there.
Khaleda Zia tested positive for Covid-19 on April 11 as eight people at her residence were infected with the virus. She underwent the second Covid-19 test on April 24 and her report was positive.
She tested negative for Covid-19 on May 8, 27 days after she had been infected with the deadly virus.
The BNP chief’s family submitted an application to the government on May 6 seeking permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment, but it was turned down as a convicted person cannot avail of such a scope.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.
BNP writes to Mahmoud Abbas, voices concern over Israeli attacks
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday wrote to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas voicing deep concern over the recent violence and inhuman air attacks by Israel on innocent Palestinian civilians on the compound of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Mirza Fakhrul sent a letter in this regard to Palestinian Ambassador to Bangladesh Yousef SY Ramadan at his Baridhara office, BNP organising secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince told UNB.
In the letter, Fakhrul said, “I, on behalf of BNP, express my heartfelt condolences to the victims and the people of Palestine who lost their family members…may Allah be with you and give you the strength to overcome the current difficult time.”
He said BNP always condemns violence and hatred in any form that violates human values and principles and, basic human rights.
“Violating the mosque’s sanctity during the month of Ramadan and the threat of evicting Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood are a clear violation of human rights,” the BNP leader mentioned.
He called upon the international community to be vocal against such violence that leads to killing innocent people in Palestine.
The BNP leader urged the international community to provide all types of protection for Palestinian civilians in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the rest of East Jerusalem in line with the rules of international law and charter of the United Nations,” Fakhrul said.
He reiterated the support of BNP and the people of Bangladesh to the rights of the people of Palestine for having a free and sovereign homeland, State of Palestine.
Israel has conducted more than 1,800 airstrikes on Gaza since the fighting began between Israel and Hamas over a week ago, killing more than 220 Palestinian people, including more than 60 children.
END/UNB/ARJ/SAM
Chattogram BNP leader Dr Shahadat freed on bail
BNP Chattogram City unit President Shahadat Hossain was released from jail on bail on Wednesday, one month and 22 days after his arrest.
Shahadat walked out of the Chattogram central Jail around 4:30pm after the bail order reached the jail authorities, said city unit BNP leader Idris Ali.
He said though some BNP leaders and activists went to the jail gate, they could not meet Shahadat there due to the presence of huge law enforcers.
Idris said Shahadat went back home in the port city from the jail gate.
Police had arrested him from the city’s Treatment Hospital on March 29, a day after a clash between BNP leaders and activists and law enforcers in Kazirdewri area.
He was shown arrested in an extortion case filed against him with Chawkbazar Police Station by a former city unit female BNP leader and two other cases filed in connection with the clash.
Shahadat recently obtained bail in the three cases from the High Court.
Tk 50cr ‘misappropriated’ but no guarantee of vaccine: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Tuesday alleged that Tk 50 core has been ‘misappropriated’ in the name of a tripartite agreement over procuring Covid vaccines, but there is no guarantee of having the second dose of the jabs for 14 lakh people.
“Concerns about the second dose of corona vaccine for the country’s 14 lakh people are not diminishing. The second dose of the vaccine is required between 8 and 12 weeks, but the health directorate can’t give assurance of its availability,” he said.
In a statement, the Jatiya Party Chairman also said uncertainty over the corona vaccine is unfortunate as the country has failed in vaccine diplomacy for lack of farsightedness of the authorities concerned.
Also read: GM Quader seeks govt support for local vaccine Bangavax
Stating that vaccine doses have been imported with an aim to make a profit of crores of taka, he said, “That’s why no alternative source for collecting the vaccine has been kept.”
GM Quader said top officials at the Health Ministry are every day frightening people talking about the third, fourth and fifth waves of the deadly virus. “They’re trying to avoid their responsibility by blaming the people for it.”
He said the government still cannot clearly present its preparations to tackle coronavirus before people.
Also read: Take mega projects to improve healthcare system: GM Quader
“The second dose of corona vaccine must be ensured within the specific time as people are worried about it,” the Jatiya Party chief concluded.
The government launched the mass vaccination programme on February 7 with a target of giving three crore doses of AstraZeneca vaccine following an agreement with Serum Institute of India through Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited.
However, the government suspended giving the first dose of the vaccine on April 26 as the Indian government imposed a ban on vaccine export for meeting its local demand.
Also read: People want to know initiatives about vaccine: GM Quader
There are around six lakh second doses of the vaccine in government hands, but over 20 lakh people are left to receive it after taking the first jab.
Fakhrul for unity among professionals to get rid of repression
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that fascism has spread in the country due to divisions among different professional groups, including that of journalists.
“Fascism has spread in the country and its downfall is inevitable. Fascist regimes couldn’t sustain for long in the past and they faced dire consequences at the end,” he said.
The BNP leader said, “Attempts are being made to destroy the main soul of Bangladesh by creating divisions. There’re now divisions among journalists, lawyers, doctors and other professionals. As a result, no one can raise their voice against the fascist government and its repressive acts.”
Talking to reporters at his residence in the district town, Fakhrul warned that people's confidence in the state will diminish due to the government’s ‘repressive’ acts.
The BNP leader urged the people of all walks of life and professions to get united and raise their voice for press freedom and the freedom of journalists.
He said BNP has made many sacrifices in the fight against the current regime as their party’s over 500 leaders and activists have been made disappeared. “We’ve exposed how the government has been in power using the state machinery by participating in elections. There’s no alternative to ousting this regime through a movement together with people.”
About the arrest of Prothom Alo reporter Rozina Islam, the BNP leader said it is a nasty incident and the female journalist was subjected to repression for unveiling corruption in the health sector during the Covid crisis through her investigative reports.
“What happened in the office of the health secretary is disgusting. We don’t have the words to condemn it. I denounce the government for arresting and sending her (Rozina) to jail in a false case. I demand immediate withdrawal of all the false charges brought against her and her release with dignity,” he said.
He also demanded the resignation of Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Health Secretary Abdul Mannan over the incident.
Fakhrul wondered that a senior journalist was detained for more than five hours in a place like the Secretariat and handed over to the police after torturing her mentally and physically. “Such an incident can’t be imagined. This’s not the first case of torture for revealing the truth as many journalists were subjected to repression in the past while many others were imprisoned and killed.”
He also said around 50 journalists have been forced to leave the country in the face of the government’s wrath. “Journalists' writings are being regulated by the Digital Security Act. These’re not isolated incidents. It’s part of a blueprint for destroying a democratic society.”
The BNP leader said they have long been saying that people have lost their rights. “There’s no right of citizens, politicians and journalists. Still, the current government calls it democracy. The key thing in democracy is freedom of expression and the freedom to hold different views.”
He said journalists are being tortured and implicated in false cases for filing reports against the government or its ministers and MPs.
Fakhrul alleged that the government has been using the Digital Security Act as the biggest weapon to gag the media and suppress the journalists.
He said Rozina has been repressed so that no one else dares to write against the government’s corruption and irregularities.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court sent Rozina, arrested in a case under the Official Secrets Act, to jail after rejecting the police's demand for her five-day remand.
Rozina was arrested for allegedly attempting to illegally “collect sensitive government documents and taking photos of them” from the Secretariat on Monday.
The Prothom Alo journalist has rejected all the allegations. "I was, in fact, harassed at the Secretariat," she claimed immediately after her arrest.
Fakhrul demands Rozina's immediate release
Stating that the arrest and harassment of Prothom Alo's Senior Reporter Rozina Islam is an example of the government's obstruction to revealing the truth and corruption, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday demanded her immediate release.
In a statement, he also demanded the resignation of Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Health Secretary Abdul Mannan as he thinks Rizina was repressed at their behest.
“The government can’t avoid the responsibility of cruel attitude towards journalists in the Health Ministry. Although the health minister and the secretary knew about the incident, they didn’t take any step to rescue Rozina Islam. Instead, she was handed over to the police,” Fakhrul said.
Also Read: Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina arrested under Official Secrets Act
“This’s not a trivial or isolated incident. This’s just an example of suppression of journalists by the authoritarian ruler and also an example of the government's obstruction to expressing dissenting opinions, uncovering the truth and rampant corruption,” he observed.
The BNP leader said the brave and investigative journalists have been intimidated by the incident so that they can no longer make reports on the government’s ‘corruption, plundering, irregularities and waywardness’. “The government wants to cover up its corruption and misrule by spreading fear and panic.”
He said the country’s people could know about many malpractices and irregularities through many investigative and courageous reports by Rozina. “That's why the government was angry with her and she was kept under its watch.”
As she went to the Health Ministry alone for professional reasons on Monday, the BNP leader said some officials and employees of the ministry unfairly confined her to a room for six hours and tortured her both physically and mentally. “She was arrested later. Such attitude towards a female journalist by the government officials is a shameful and unforgivable crime. We strongly protest and condemn the incident and the arrest of the journalist.”
Also Read: Prothom Alo journo Rozina sent to jail
Fakhrul said the nasty incident has manifested that there is no scope left in Bangladesh for independent journalism and getting information.
He demanded the government release Rozina immediately after withdrawing the false charges brought against her. “Exemplary punishment of those involved in torturing and arresting her must be ensured.”
Fakhrul also demanded an end to the government’s interference in independent journalism and right to information, and repression and suppression of journalists.
Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court sent Rozina, arrested in a case under the Official Secrets Act, to jail after rejecting the podemand of police for her five-day remand.
Rozina was arrested for allegedly attempting to illegally “collect sensitive government documents and taking photos of them” from the Secretariat on Monday.
The Prothom Alo journalist has turned all the allegations. "I was, in fact, harassed at the Secretariat," she claimed immediately after her arrest.
Containing Covid: BNP against giving magistracy power to police
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday opposed the government’s reported move to give police the magistracy power to force people to wear masks as he thinks it may boomerang, causing harassment to common people.
"This government has turned the country into a police state. Police are now being given magistracy power to control the pandemic, which will be a boomerang as we know what the police will do. It’ll only help increase the harassment of common people,” he said.
Also Read: Don't get upset, work for change: Fakhrul
The BNP leader came up with the comment while talking to reporters at his local residence in the district town.
According to media reports, the government is considering giving police the magistracy power by amending the Infectious Diseases (Prevention, Control and Eradication) Act-2018 to force people to mask up in a bid to contain the Covid-19 transmission.
Fakhrul alleged that the government has completely 'failed' to tackle the corona situation. “The mismanagement in dealing with the pandemic the government has exhibited its failure and incompetence.”
The BNP leader said their party has long been calling upon the government to involve other political parties, NGOs and social organisations in corona control activities, but the government has not paid heed to it.
He said the main target of the government’s corona prevention activities is to indulge in corruption. “People are suffering because of corruption and plundering by the government.”
The BNP leader said the government could never take any right step to slow down the coronavirus transmission. “Their indifference, ignorance and corruption are the main reasons behind the current corona situation in the country.”
He also said the government enforced lockdown and kept the public transport services suspended during the eid without any proper plan to control the movement of the holidaymakers. “People went to their village homes in many ways facing serious ordeals.”
“Had the public transport services been resumed before the eid, people could have gone to their homes smoothly. Now people are returning to their workplaces the same way. This is the ultimate failure of the government,” the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul said the government asked people to stay indoors by enforcing the lockdown without taking any step to ensure food for the poor, destitute and the day labourers. “In other countries of the world, the governments sent grants to the low-income people and day-labourers during the lockdown.”
The BNP leader said the government mainly enforced the lockdown to carry out a crackdown on the opposition activists and the dissent.
He said their party urged the government to provide the helpless people with a one-time grant of Tk 15,000 for three months. “There're two crore people in the country who live below the poverty line while about six crore people work in the informal sector. These six crore people have not been brought under stimulus packages. Incentives have been given to garment owners and the owners of industries.”
The BNP leader said their party also proposed giving remittance earners incentives, but the government did not pay heed to it. “Policymakers are saying the government has no specific plan. How’ll people abide by an unplanned lockdown?”