Awami League
No scope for dialogue with any party before election: Obaidul Quader
Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday made it clear that no one is being called for any discussion ahead of the next parliamentary election and there will be no compromise on the question of constitution, i.e. the election-time government.
“We do everything in public. Democracy doesn’t discuss in the backdoor. Discussion will be in public, if any. But I am still not seeing any such opportunity,” Quader said, while answering a question about any possibility of dialogue with the BNP to bring them to the polls.
The senior cabinet member, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, was speaking with media personnel in the conference room of his ministry.
Mentioning that the election "will be held here like other democratic countries", Quader said: “Nothing has happened in Bangladesh that we have to amend our constitution. There will be no compromise over the constitution.”
Responding to a question about BNP’s movement, Quader said that his government doesn’t see the movement as a challenge. “No movement is possible without people’s participation. It is clear that the party has failed to draw as many people as they hoped. We are not seeing their movement as a challenge. We will face their political movement politically.”
BCL's Comilla University unit committee dissolved
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, has dissolved its Comilla University unit committee.
A statement signed by BCL central committee president Saddam Hosain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, was issued in this regard on Monday.
According to the statement, the committee was dissolved due to the expiry of its term, organisational inactivity, indiscipline, and 'involvement in unconstitutional activities'.
The now dissolved Comilla University BCL committee was formed naming Ilius Hossain Sabuj as president and Rezaul Islam Mazed as general secretary, in May 2017.
Later in November that year, the then BCL Central Committee led by Sohag and Jakir approved the full committee of CU Chhatra League.
BNP's complaints about corruption 'laughable': Hasan Mahmud
When the BNP complains about corruption, even donkeys laugh at them, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud commented on Tuesday.
“BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the acting chairman have been punished for corruption and money laundering. The FBI came to Bangladesh and testified against Tareq Rahman,” he said.
"So when the BNP complains about corruption, even donkeys laugh at them," he made these remarks while speaking at a Chattogram City Corporation event.
“My question is: who made Bangladesh five times champions in corruption? The answer is BNP,” he continued.
Read more: Economic crisis, inflation leave public life in the lurch: BNP
Hasan Mahmud, the Awami League's joint general secretary, mentioned fires on school grounds in several districts in 2014.
He said, “BNP carried out arson attacks in 500 schools. New books for students were destroyed in those schools. The BNP did this in the name of resisting the election.”
“Prices of commodities increased due to the Ukraine war and the Corona pandemic,” he said in response to the BNP’s secretary general’s speech on the commodity price hikes.
“Inflation is 8 percent in our country, which is much lower than in other countries,” he added.
Chittagong City Corporation Mayor Bir Muktijoddha Rezaul Karim Chowdhury presided over the event, and Suborna Mustafa MP was the special guest.
Vote for boat in next election for continued national development: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reiterated her call to the people to vote for ‘boat’, her Awami League party’s election symbol, in the next general election for their continued wellbeing and further development of the country.
“If only the boat symbol forms the government the next time as well, you will get improvement and the country will witness development,” she told a civic gathering.
The rally was arranged by Mithamoin Upazila Awami League at Mithamoin Helipad ground in the district.
Hasina, also the Awami League president, said whenever BNP or BNP-Jamaat jote came to power, the public sufferings went up. On the other hand, when AL comes to power, the country witnesses an increase in the production of crops, fish, vegetables, she said.
“The people are happy getting food and clothes. The fate of the people has changed,” she said.
She said today’s Bangladesh has turned around and gets dignity in the world arena. “Bangladesh is a role model for development. Bangladesh is marching forward and will do so,” she said.
Noting that the government is now implementing different programmes for the overall development of the haor region, she said if AL returns to office again, the programmes will continue.
“So, I would like to urge you to give us the scope to serve you by making AL victorious through casting votes for the boat symbol also in the next election which will be held in December 2023 or January 2024. It is my appeal to you,” said the PM.
Also read: Reopening embassy will boost trade between Argentina, Bangladesh: Visiting minister hopes
At this time, she asked the people to raise their hands and promise to vote for the boat. The crowds responded with jubilation.
The PM said taking over power in 1996 after 21 years AL made the country food-sufficient. But then the BNP-Jamaat alliance came to power again and unleashed plundering, money laundering, corruption, militancy, terrorism and killing. They mercilessly tortured AL leaders and activists, she added.
“They had been able to give nothing except repression and exploitation towards the people and will not be able to as well,” she said about the BNP-Jamaat rule.
Noting that BNP was founded in the hands of those who grabbed the power illegally violating the constitution, she said they (BNP leaders) don’t think of the wellbeing of the people and Bangladesh, rather they come to power for looting national wealth.
In an oblique reference to BNP leader Tarique Rahman, she said whenever they came to power they looted the assets of the country’s people. They are leading a lavish life by siphoning the money off the country to the foreign land, she added.
Reminding the people about the arson violence carried out by BNP-Jamaat during the 2013-2015 period, she said they killed the people burning them alive and did not value the human lives.
“Those, who don’t give value to the lives of the people and those who can kill the people burning them alive, create militancy as well as carry out bomb attacks and grenade attacks, can’t do any good the people,” she said.
Turning to the development of the haor development, the premier said the otherwise neglected region witnessed a remarkable change in the last 14 years.
Recalling her visit to Mithamoin in the past, she recalled that there was only water everywhere and no road even fit for rickshaws at that time. “Today those bad days are gone,” she said.
Focusing on her government’s steps to develop Kishoreganj, Sheikh Hasina said her government has been implementing different programmes to change the fate of the neglected communities in the haor area of Kishoreganj.
She said all the roads the government will construct in haor areas from now would be elevated to protect arable land and existing roads. The government is dredging rivers and canals in the haor region to channel water with a view to protect crops from flash flood, she added.
“Today Kishoreganj is no longer a neglected region,” said the PM.
Noting that the goal of her government is to develop the whole country, she said, “We want the inhabitants of every village to enjoy the same facilities as the urban people do.”
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, its organising secretary Mirza Azam and office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, local MP Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq, Kishoreganj district council chairman and district AL acting president Advocate Zillur Rahman and its general secretary MA Afzal Hossain spoke at the rally.
Mithamoin Upazila AL president Principal Muhammad Abdul Haque presided over the programme, while its general secretary Samir Kumar Baishnab conducted it.
AL govt involved in BDR carnage: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that Awami League and its government were involved in the BDR mutiny at the Pilkhana Headquarters that left 57 army officers killed.
“The Awami League government gets unnerved whenever February 25 comes. One of their (govt’s) ministers said yesterday (Saturday) whether our leaders Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman were involved in that carnage,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, “We would like to say very clearly that Awami League and its government were fully involved in this killing. With their direct cooperation and through their conspiracy and plan, this BDR carnage was carried out to turn Bangladesh into a weak subservient state and to completely demoralise the patriotic army of the country.”
Fakhrul said the government’s involvement can easily be understood as it talked to the rebel leaders and made a negotiation with them at the time of the mutiny. “What kind of negotiation was it? You compromised with those who were killing the smart officers of our army."
As per the rules of the Army, he said the mutiny must be suppressed through intervention, not by another means. “Moeen U Ahmed was the then Army Chief who played the main role in destroying democracy in Bangladesh through 1/11 (political changeover) and who tried to hamper the country’s independence and destroy the army.”
BNP arranged the discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in memory of 57 army officers killed in the BDR mutiny 14 years back.
On 25-26 February 2009, a cabal of the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) killed 74 people, including 57 army officers, of the paramilitary force at the Pilkhana Headquarters.
Following the heinous killings of the army officers at the Pilkhana headquarters, the government renamed the mutiny-hit paramilitary force BDR as Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), changing its logo as well as uniform.
Fakhrul criticised the media for 'not running any news' on the BDR mutiny on Saturday.
“Unfortunately we note with sadness that yesterday (Saturday) was February 25, but there was not even a single column of news in any newspaper of the country about the horrific carnage that had taken place on that day,” he said.
Fakhrul said there is a positive sign that the country’s people have started taking to the streets to restore democracy and their voting and other rights.
“We’ve already been on the streets and we’ve been observing different programmes in protest against the price hikes in the daily essentials, including rice, pulses, oil and fuel, since August last year,” he said.
During the current movement, the BNP leader claimed that police gunned down their party’s 17 leaders and activists while many others were arrested and sent to jail by implicating them in false cases. “We must get rid of such an awful situation.”
He called upon people from all walks of life and all political parties to get united to establish a pro-people and democratic government through a credible election under a non-party administration.
"No election will be held in Bangladesh until the caretaker government is established. No elections will be allowed before that,” Fakhrul warned.
He said their moving ached with their peaceful programmes in a democratic manner. “They (govt) are obstructing our programmes…they can’t stop us as people will come up with resistance very soon and we’ll move forward with redoubled speed.”
Speaking at the programme, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the Awami League government must be held responsible to people someday for its all misdeeds, corruption, looting and killing incidents carried out by it.
"The people of the country have their backs against the wall. They’re waking up. Inshallah, the unelected, undemocratic, usurper and illegitimate government will be ousted. We will be there on the streets with the people until this government is removed,” he said.
AL to resist anything nefarious on behalf of nation: Dipu Moni
The Awami League will resist any nefarious move with the help of the people of Bangladesh, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Saturday.
“An identified evil force wants to destabilize the country ahead of the national election. They want to wreak havoc once more, as they did in 2013 and 2014. However, Bangladesh Awami League will strongly oppose any vicious move with the people of the country,” she said.
The education minister, also the Awami League Joint General Secretary, said this while talking to the reporters at the diamond jubilee ceremony of Chandpur Govt College.
Also Read: BNP conspiring to regain power illegally: Dipu Moni
“The Awami League's peace rally today is part of the effort to move Bangladesh forward,” she said, adding: “This program is to ensure that we can continue our development work and build Smart Bangladesh.”
Our programs are not counter to any party’s programs, she explained and said, “We have always been in the field and will always be. We are in the government, we are also with the people of the country in the field. We have always been present to safeguard peace, order, and people's lives, and we will remain so in the future."
Md Hasanuzzaman Kollol, secretary to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Md Anisur Rahman, election commissioner, Faruk Hossain, former secretary and author, and Kamrul Hasan, DC of Chandpur, were among those present at the ceremony.
Go to people, Sheikh Hasina asks party leaders
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday directed the leaders and workers of local Awami League to further strengthen the party ahead of the next general election.
She gave the direction while exchanging views with the leaders of Kotalipara Upazila Awami League at Kotalipara.
Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon said that Sheikh Hasina also asked the party leaders and workers to remain united and highlight success stories of the Awami League-led government achieved over last 14 years.
Also Read: Step up vigilance against militancy, drugs and terrorism: PM Hasina
"Leaders and workers will have to go to the doors of the people and project before them the development taken place across the country since 2009," she said.
BNP's allegation over Shaheed Minar incident 'false': Info Minister
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said BNP made false allegations over what happened while placing their floral wreath at Shaheed Minar along with anti-liberation forces and the persons who were against the language.
He made this comment in response to questions from journalists over Mirza Fakhrul's complaint at the meeting room of his ministry at the Secretariat in the capital.
Read more: Ansar al-Islam threatens to bomb Amar Ekushey Boi Mela
"It is a false allegation. Last year, we placed wreaths after them (BNP) and it took over three and a half hours. And this year, we stood in silence for 30 seconds after paying tributes and then left. BNP started late when the Shaheed Minar was crowded. No one obstructed them," Hasan Mahmud said. In fact, "BNP doesn't have the spirit of Amar Ekushey or the Liberation War. They talk about 21st February and the spirit of the Liberation War but they do politics with the anti-liberation forces who tried to do so-called Islamization of the language by introducing Bengali writing in Arabic alphabet and banned Rabindranath's songs in East Bengal," he said.
Read more: BNP pays homage to Language Movement martyrs Replying to another query over Begum Khaleda Zia, Hasan Mahmud said if any person is convicted for more than two years, he or she cannot take part in the election as per the law of the country. As she was sentenced for more than two years. So, there is no question of her participation in the election, he added. In addition, the government has given her conditional permission to stay home considering her health and age. As per the condition, she can not do politics, he added.
Read more: Khaleda has no chance to do politics as convict: Quader Earlier, the minister unveiled covers of five books at the meeting room and congratulated the writers. The books are 'Bangabandhur Jiban and Shilpa Bhabna' written by Sowmithra Dev, 'Sheikh Hasina ekti Kaljoyee Upakkhyan' and 'Sheikh Rehana ek Dipto Shikha' written by Shamima Sultana, Swapno Loker Nadi and 'HIV-Aids Risk and 'Gender Relation: Women Sex Worker in Bangladesh' written by deputy secretary of the information ministry Dr Sheikh Muslima Moon.
Clash between factions of AL in Laxmipur leaves teen dead
A 14-year-old boy was killed and 10 people were injured in a clash between two factions of Awami League over establishing supremacy at Charkasia village in Raipur upazila of Laxmipur district on Wednesday.
Russel Hossain, son of Manir Hossain Bhuttu of the village, was stabbed to death in a fierce clash between two rival factions of AL, said Mahfuzzaman Ashraf, officer-in-charge of Laxmipur police station.
Shahjalal Rahul, joint general secretary of Charbongshi union unit AL and Nazrul Islam, a member of the same AL unit had been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy in the area, he said.
As a sequel to the enmity, the supporters of both groups equipped with sharp weapons, attacked each other in Miarhat area in the morning, leaving Russel dead on the spot and 10 others wounded.
The injured were taken to Sadar Hospital.
On information, police rushed in and brought the situation under control. They recovered the body from the spot.
Additional police have been deployed to avert further trouble.
6 hurt in clash involving Sramik League in Manikganj
At least six people were injured in a clash between two groups of Sramik League, one of Awami League’s front organisations, over placing wreaths at the central Shaheed Minar in Manikganj Sadar Upazila on Tuesday.
The clash erupted between the followers of Sramik League leaders Abdul Jalil and Babul Sarkar around 9:00am in front of the central Shaheed Minar at Manikganj Govt High School. Later, the Jubo League and the Shecchashebok League also got involved in the fight.
Jubo League leaders Nazmul and Pradip Basu, Shecchashebok League leader Kajal and Sramik League leader Kader were among the injured.
According to police and party sources, a long-standing dispute has been going on between Abdul Jalil and Babul Sarkar over the leadership of district Sramik League. Both claim themselves as president of the district Sramik League.
On Tuesday morning, leaders and activists from Awami League’s front organisations gathered around Manikganj’s central Shaheed Minar to pay their homage to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs.
Later, district AL’s former additional secretary Sultanul Azam Khan announced the name of Abdul Jalil as the Shecchashebok League leader to place wreaths at the Shaheed Minar triggering protest from Babul Sarkar’s followers. Protests led to a massive clash between the two groups.
Senior party leaders and police officers intervened to bring the situation under control about half an hour later.
District Awami League's General Secretary Abdus Salam termed the incident "unexpected" and said disciplinary action would be taken against those who were involved in the clash.
Abdur Rouf, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police Station, told UNB that no complaint was immediately filed in this regard.
“However, the senior leaders of the district Awami League have managed to reach a compromise between the two groups,” he added.