Awami League
UK Awami League greets PM Hasina in London
The UK unit of Awami League greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday after she arrived here on an official visit.
The leaders and activists of local Awami League received the prime minister with a bouquet at her place of residence in London, said Ashequn Nabi Chowdhury, minister press at Bangladesh High Commission in London.
The prime minister is London to join the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Also read: PM lands in London to attend Queen’s funeral, will leave for NY on Sep 19
Besides attending a reception to be hosted by Britain’s new king for the world leaders, Hasina will receive some dignitaries who will call on her.
On September 16, Secretary General of Commonwealth Patricia Scotland will pay a courtesy call on her at her place of residence.
Later, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK, Minister for South Asia, North Africa, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will also pay a courtesy call on her at the place of residence.
On September 17, Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party will pay a call on her at place of residence.
Sheikh Hasina will attend the reception King Charles will host for the presidents, prime ministers and monarchs from around the world at Buckingham Palace on September 18.
On September 19, she will attend the state funeral of the Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.
From London she will travel to New York to attend the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“People will vote for Awami League if they want development to continue”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the people will definitely vote for Awami League in the next general election – for the sake of continued development of the country.
“I firmly believe that people will vote for Awami League if they want the ongoing development trend to continue. And if they don’t, there’s nothing to do. It is up to them,” she said at a press conference to brief on her recent visit to India, at her official residence Ganobhaban.
The premier said there is nothing wrong with the formation of new political alliances as her party wants participation of all parties in the next national election.
“We want all to participate in the election. If anyone doesn’t join, it is up to the decision of the respective (political) party. But we can’t halt the constitutional trend. The democratic trend in line with the constitution will continue,” she said, focusing on her government’s successes to ensure the overall socio-economic development of the country, particularly in economic progress, trade and business and employment generation.
In reply to a question whether Jatiya Party will join the next national election as an ally of the AL-led combine, the AL president said more than one year is still left to hold the next general election. “Time will say which party will stay with us or not or form a new alliance. We don’t have any problem,” she added.
Replying to another question, Hasina said the dollar crisis is not only in Bangladesh alone, rather the crisis is seen throughout the world.
She feared that if the war (Russia-Ukraine) and sanctions and counter-sanctions are not lifted, the world may face a deeper crisis including famine and acute economic crisis.
Read: UNGA: PM to highlight importance of multilateralism, resolving global issues through discussions
In this context, the PM renewed her call to the citizens to grow their own foods as part of the preparation to face the imminent crisis.
Asked about India’s stand on Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar during her visit, she said India thinks and realizes that the long stay of Rohingya here in Bangladesh is creating crisis and damaging the natural resources and environment.
“We’ve asked India to cooperate in this regard and we’ve received a positive response….India always thinks it should be solved,” Hasina said.
She, however, said the problem lies with the Myanmar government and it is engaged in internal conflicts.
Responding to another question, the premier said that she has received much more sincerity from the Indian side during her recent visit from September 5 to 8 .
“I received enough sincerity. When I had talks to the (Indian) President, the Prime Minister and others, they always showed sincerity,” she said.
She said all parties and the people from all creeds in India can reach consensus regarding Bangladesh as they did during the 1971 Liberation War and implementation of the historic land boundary agreement to exchange enclaves between the two countries.
Sheikh Hasina said there might be various problems between the two neighbouring countries. “But I think the problems can be solved through discussion,” she continued.
No non-partisan govt, EC won’t be abolished: Tofail Ahmed
There will be no non-partisan government in Bangladesh, Awami League (AL) Advisory Council member Tofail Ahmed, said today.
“There will be no non-partisan government and the Election commission will not be abolished,” he said while talking to reporters after attending a views-exchange meeting with party leaders held at Sadar upazila parishad auditorium in Bhola district.
Read Govt doesn't want a normal election: GM Quader
“Election commission has been formed through rules and Chief Election Commissioner and others were appointed through search committee. BNP should thank its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for sustaining the party through speeches and he should be given a Nobel Prize for it,” said Tofail.
Talking about natural gas in Bhola, the Awami League MP said the gas crisis will be mitigated once Bhola-Barishal Bridge opens.
Expressing profound grief over the demise of Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, presidium member of Awami League and deputy leader of the House, Tofail Ahmed said she was a great leader and made a great contribution to the party.
Read Don’t antagonise people: BNP warns civil servants
Work for more food production amid looming crisis, PM Hasina urges BCL members
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of her ruling Awami League, to work for boosting food production in the country as the world might face a deeper food crisis.
“If needed, our Chhatra League will have to help farmers plant paddy seedlings as they did in harvesting paddy (during the Covid-19 period),” she said.
The premier was addressing a discussion organised by BCL at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here to mark the National Mourning Day of August 15, the day the country’s architect Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most members of his family in 1975.
Hasina, also the AL president, asked every BCL member to plant trees massively besides cultivating crops and thus increase food production in respective village home and the place of living – it may be a hostel or educational institute.
This is needed as the world might witness a dire situation and the foods might not be purchased despite having money. “So, we will have to produce our own foods,” she added.
The PM also asked the BCL members to exercise austerity in the use of electricity, water and fuels amid the world economic crisis.
She urged the BCL members to build them as worthy citizens by attaining proper education. “I want skilled human resources and that is why I’ve established lots of universities to meet the demand as it is time for science and technology and 4IR,” she said.
Describing BCL as a large organisation, the prime minister said many outsiders infiltrated into it as Awami League has been in power for a long time. Infiltrators make trouble, but BCL is to bear its blame, she said.
Read: PM participates in extended discussion in JS on global roots of local suffering
Hasina asked the BCL leaders not to allow infiltration of bad guys into the organisation for strengthening their own groups. “If you do it, it will ultimately invite bad names for yourself, the organisation and the country,” she said.
“There is no word (criticism) about so many misdeeds Chhatra Dal did in the past. But if a trivial matter occurs in Chhatra League, big news stories are run,” she said, asking the BCL leaders to be careful of its image.
The PM urged the BCL leaders to be imbued with patriotism, non-communal spirit and the ideology of the Liberation War in order to acquire true leadership quality for leading the country rightly in future.
Noting that there is no use of money and assets in many cases, she said, “If anyone can go above personal desire and gain, he or she would be able to develop him or her as a true leader.”
About the August 15 carnage, Hasina said her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib could never believe that any Bengali could kill him. He had brought the independence of the country and always lead a very simple life despite being the president and the prime minister of this country, she said.
Recalling the contribution of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa to the struggle for freedom, Hasina said her mother used to take care of not only her family but also the organisation when her father was in jail.
The PM said her mother had never bothered her father over the familial affairs. Bangamata had helped her husband make timely and right decisions regarding national life and the freedom struggle.
“The dedication of my mother is incomparable. My father was very lucky that my mother had no personal desire or never wanted anything for her personal interest,” she said.
The premier also unveiled BCL's two publications -"Matribhumi" and "Joy Bangla" at the event.
BCL president Al-Nahean Khan Joy presided over the function, moderated by its general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee.
Sohel Taj visits Awami League president's office
Former state minister Tanzim Ahmed Sohel Taj made a sudden visit to the ruling Awami League (AL) president's political office on Thursday night, lending credence to speculation about his return to active politics.
It may be mentioned here that Sohel Taj has already expressed his desire to return to active politics on social media.
On Thursday night, Sohel Taj visited the AL president's political office in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka with hundreds of his supporters and held talks with the party's central leaders in the presidium room.
Also read: Sohel Taj to bring reality show ‘Hotline Commando’
Asked if he's still active in politics, Sohail Taj told reporters, "I was born in a political family. Awami League is in our blood. I was never out of politics. I was on personal work for a while. Now I am coming to the party office, I will try to come here regularly."
Seeking India’s help to stay in power against Bangladesh's interests, dignity: BNP
BNP on Sunday said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen’s plea to India to keep the Awami League government in power is against the interests and dignity of an independent and sovereign country.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the foreign minister just created a ground for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to seek India’s favour during her visit to New Delhi next month to prop up her government again without voting.
He also said the government has been indulging in a plot against the country’s independence and sovereignty.
Also read: Fakhrul calls for ‘unbreakable’ unity to restore democracy
“Bangladesh is an independent sovereign state, not an organ of any other state. It depends on the desire of people whether or not the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh remains in power,” the BNP leader said.
Earlier at a Janmashtami programme in Chattogram on Thursday, FM Momen reportedly said that he urged the Indian government to back Hasina so she can stay in power.
Rizvi said the foreign minister’s remark has exposed the government’s knee-jerk foreign policy.
In the wake of the ministers’ different comments on his statement, the BNP leader said the foreign minister reaffirmed that he did not say anything wrong and he took the responsibility for what he said.
“Sheikh Hasina has entrusted him (Momen) with the responsibility for lobbying in this regard. Sheikh Hasina is going to India in September to curry its favour to remain in power. Abdul Momen has created the ground for it,” he observed.
Also read: BNP demands explanation of Momen's statement on India
Slamming the ruling party leaders for their comments that Momen is no one of the Awami League, Rizvi said the foreign minister became the MP from Sylhet city seat with the party ticket as he is the No-1 member of the Awami League’s Sylhet city unit. “He (Momen) did not give his statement personally as he did it using the position of the foreign minister.”
He said the foreign minister's statement has made it clear to the people that the current government is staying in power with the help of foreign governments. “The foreign minister has also made it clear that they want to remain in power without voting in the days to come. The government has become an enemy of the people because it has been in power by force at gunpoint for 13 years with the help of different countries.”
AL set to observe 18th anniversary of August 21 grenade attack on Sunday
The ruling Awami League, its front and associate bodies will observe the eighteenth anniversary of August 21 grenade attacks.
The grenade attack on an Awami League (AL) anti-terrorism rally in the capital was carried out on August 21, 2004 during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government on Bangabandhu Avenue.
They have chalked out elaborate programmes across the country, maintaining health guidelines in wake of the COVID-19 situation.
According to Press release, a discussion will be held at 10:30 am to recall the victims of the dreadful in memory of those killed in the August 21 grenade attacks.
Also read: 17th anniversary of Grenade Attack on AL rally beckons
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over it.
Earlier, wreath will be placed at the altar build for the 21 August martyrs in front of the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue tomorrow.
General Secretary of Awami League and Minister of Road Transport Obaidul Quader called upon the leaders, workers, supporters and well-wishers of Awami League and its allies and fraternal organizations at all levels to observe the Grenade Attack Day on August 21 with due dignity along with the countrymen following the health rules.
24 people including the then Women Affairs Secretary of Awami League and wife of late President Zillur Rahman were killed and over 500 others injured in the attack and many of them became crippled for life.
Also read: Nation remembers Aug 21 grenade attack victims
Those were killed in the grenade attack are- the then opposition leader's personal security guard Lance Corporal (retd) Mahbubur Rashid, Abul Kalam Azad, Rezina Begum, Nasir Uddin Sardar, Atique Sarkar, Abdul Kuddus Patwari, Aminul Islam Moazzem, Belal Hossain, Mamun Mridha, Ratan Shikdar, Liton Munshi, Hasina Mamtaz Reena, Sufia Begum, Rafiqul Islam (Ada Chacha), Mostaque Ahmed Sentu, Md Hanif, Abul Kashem, Zahed Ali, Momen Ali, M Shamsuddin and Ishaque Miah.
Those who suffered serious splinter injuries included Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Suranjit Sengupta, Obaidul Quader, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Mohammad Hanif, Prof Abu Sayeed, and AFM Bahauddin Nasim.
Momen's India remarks have no link with AL: Quader
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the Awami League has never requested India to provide the party with support to stay in power.
"The Awami League has never requested India to provide support to us to stay in power and no one has been given responsibility by Sheikh Hasina to say it. This may be one's personal opinion," he said.
Also read: I told India to help maintain stability in Bangladesh, Momen clarifies
He said this after inaugurating the central Janmashtami procession at Palashi intersection in the capital on Friday.
He commented that Bangladesh has no hostile relationship with India, and the country had been harmed by its hostility with India in the past
He also said that there were no communal attacks except for a few isolated incidents after Hasina's government came to power.
Also read: Requested India to help Bangladesh maintain stability, harmony: Momen
Those who attacked the Hindu community were miscreants,he added.
UN can't investigate Bangladesh's internal issues: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said that the United Nations has no jurisdiction to investigate any internal issue of Bangladesh.
“The UN has no jurisdiction to investigate the complaint that BNP made to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights over alleged mass murder," he said.
He was addressing a protest organized by Dhaka South Awami League Unit marking the 17th anniversary of the serial bomb blasts across the country during the regime of the BNP-Jamaat alliance in 2005.
Read: Quader asks party to be careful with words during crisis
He also called upon AL leaders and workers to unite as the party will have to work hard to realise the dreams of Badbangabandhu and uphold the spirit of the Lberation War.
The ruling Awami League held demonstrations across the country protesting the nationwide serial bomb attacks.
On August 17, 2005, a series of bombs went off at more than 500 spots across the country during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government.
PM Hasina slams senior AL leaders for failure to protest Aug 15 massacre
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday came down heavily on the then Awami League front ranking leaders for failing to protest and speak against the brutal killing of the Father of the Nation and his other family members.
“There were so many slogans. Where did all those people go? There was not a single person who showed courage to protest the bloodshed. Why could not they do that?" she asked.
The prime minister was addressing a memorial meeting arranged by Bangladesh Awami League (AL) marking the National Mourning Day and 47th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Hasina, also the AL President, presided over the meeting held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).
She said that Awami League was a huge party having so many supporters and leaders, but not a single person got that guts to speak against the killing.
She mentioned that the body of Bangabandhu lay on the floor of Dhanmondi 32 number house from August 15 to August 16.
“He (Bangabandhu) did not take anything with him, rather he gave everything for his people. He gave a country, a nation, identity and self-identity for the people,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, the eldest child of the Father of the Nation, said that the kafon (funeral shroud) of Bangabandhu was made of the relief cloths which were supposed to be given to the poor people.
“My father, mother, brothers and sisters did not take anything with them,” she said with an emotion- chocked voice adding,“Even their namaz e janaza was not performed.”
“I have a question. Many leaders are here (at the BICC). The Father of the Nation phoned many of them, but what did they do,” she asked.
She mentioned that everyone remains beside while a person is alive, but no one remains beside a dead person. “That is the painful reality…I do not expect anything…”
Read: PM Hasina: Govt devising ways to bring down prices of essentials