Awami League
AL destroyed Language Movement spirit: BNP
BNP on Monday accused the current Awami League government of destroying the spirit of the Language Movement by imposing a “fascist” rule on the country’s people.
“This is our bad luck now there’s a government in power which has distorted the spirit of Amar Ekushey. It has snatched the right to vote and freedom of speech,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Talking to reporters after paying homage to language martyrs by placing wreaths at the altar of Central Shaheed Minar, he also said the current government is crippling the country’s economy.
Read:Get ready, hit the streets: Fakhrul asks BNP followers
“A horrible fascism is going on in the country…we’ll create a mass uprising here with the spirit of Language Movement to remove it and free our leader Begum Khaleda Zia. Through it, we’ll truly implement the spirit of Ekushey,” the BNP leader said.
He said many people, including Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar, sacrificed their lives on the streets on 21st February in 1952 to establish Bangla as the state language. “As a result, the then Pakistani ruler was forced to recognise Bengali as the state language.”
The BNP leader said the main spirit of the Language Movement was to liberate the country for establishing a democratic and free society having the freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and every right of people.
“We waged the Liberation War with that spirit. But the current regime has destroyed that spirit and dashed all the hopes and aspirations of people,” he bemoaned.
Fakhrul said the government has continued its repressive acts by implicating their top leaders and lakhs of leaders and activists in false cases. “We must get rid of it.”
Earlier in the day, leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of Balaka Cinema Hall at Nilkhet at 6 am wearing black badges. Later, they first offered fateha at the graves of Language Movement martyrs at Azimpur Graveyard and then went to the Central Shaheed Minar to pay tributes to the martyrs.
Read: ‘Ruling party syndicate’ behind price hike: BNP
On Sunday, the party arranged a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking the Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day.
BNP also kept their party and national flags at half-mast and hoisted black flags at its Nayapaltan central office at 6 am in observance of the day.
Besides, BNP’s different units across the country are also observing the day with due respect amid various programmes.
Ekushey February is observed simultaneously as Shaheed Dibas and International Mother Language Day in recognition of the Bengali nation’s supreme sacrifice to the cause of their mother tongue. In 1999, UNESCO declared the 21st of February as the International Mother Language Day.
AL rebels in recent UP elections will face the music: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said strict organizational action would be taken against the party members who worked against its interest during the recent union parishad election.
" List of names of those who were involved in misdeeds and had tarnished the image of the party in the UP elections is being compiled and strict organizational measures would be taken against them," he said speaking virtually at the triennial council of Natore district Awami League this morning.
Quader directed the central leaders present at the Natore district Awami League council to identify and punish those who were involved in election violence.
Also read: None can defeat a united AL: Obaidul Quader
The AL leader said that all the development of the country would be ruined if the party gets involved in the conflict before next general election.
He said that BNP is now in a ditch after failure both in winning elections and waging movement.
He ridiculed BNP leaders for the making noise against the government.
Accusing BNP of conspiring against the government Quader said people will foil such ill attempts.
“The Awami League will win the next general election by a huge margin,” he said.
Also read: BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader
Presided over by Natore District Awami League President Abdul Quddus, the council was also attended by Awami League presidium members Abdur Rahman, AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Joint-General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, Organizing Secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Health and Population Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana, ICT State Minister Junayed Ahmed Palak, Natore District Awami League General Secretary Shafiqul Islam Shimul and other central leaders and local MPs.
None can defeat a united AL: Obaidul Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said no political opponent of Bangladesh will be able to stop the victory of Awami League if the party is united.
He said this while joining the Pabna district Awami League triennial council this morning.
Calling upon the leaders and workers of all levels of the party to prepare for the forthcoming national elections, Obaidul Quader said that no one can defeat the Awami League unless they defeat themselves.
"So everyone must remain united," he added.
Mentioning the unity of Awami League as the main strength of Awami League,he said conspiracies are going on in the country and abroad against the development of Sheikh Hasina, Calling upon all to be vigilant, the general secretary of Awami Leaguesaid that everyone should be united against all conspiracies.
READ: Obaidul Quader out of danger: Doctor
"We have to move forward with new challenges in the next elections, we have to make the party more modern and strong, " said Obaidul Quader to the leaders and workers of the party.
The general secretary of the Awami League warned the bad image holding people not to make the leader in any way, noting that the party would be weakened if the seasoal people are made leaders instead of the sacrificers.
Referring to the workers of bad times as the lifeblood of the party, Obaidul Quader said that the cuckoos of spring ( seasonal people) cannot be sheltered.
Pabna District Awami League Acting President Rezaul Rahim Lal presided over the council while Awami League presidium members Abdur Rahman, Khairuzzaman Liton, Joint-General Secretary Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Organizing Secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Health and Population Affairs Secretary Dr. Rokeya Sultana and others joined.
People won’t fall into AL trap again: Fakhrul
Terming the formation of the Election Commission through the search committee a trap of Awami League to cling to power, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said people will not fall into it again.
They (govt) have destroyed democracy and the electoral system. They’re now questioning why we didn’t give names to the search committee. It's not only a farce but also an extreme deception with people. We saw in the past they formed the Election Commission with their own people in the same way to hang onto power,” he said.
Read: DB to investigate case against BNP leader Fakhrul, 14 others
Speaking at a programmme of the party’s national committee on celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul also said the government is planning to hold a stage-managed election like in 2014 and 2018 by constituting a subservient Election Commission through the search committee formed by the president on February 5.
He said their party will forge a national unity to defeat the ruling party and establish the rule of people in the country by forcing the current government to hold a credible national election under a non-party neutral administration.
The BNP leader alleged that the government is ruining the country’s economy by allowing the ruling party leaders to indulge in corruption and plundering. “But the government is always talking about development all the time. It seems that they have covered entire Bangladesh with gold."
He bemoaned that Bangladesh has dropped 17 notches in the Index of Economic Freedom 2022.
"According to a survey of the World Heritage Foundation, Bangladesh ranked 137among the 177 countries. Bangladesh's position was 120th last year," Fakhrul said.
He alleged that the government has snatched people's basic and economic rights after taking away their political freedom in a planned way. "The economy of looting has been introduced here...Corruption is inherent in them (AL leaders) and they don't consider it a crime. They think it is their right."
Read: BNP trying to save country, not harming it: Fakhrul
Depicting the picture of massive corruption in various sectors, including health, road, and bridge construction, the BNP secretary general said many ruling party leaders have become millionaires by indulging in corruption and plundering in the name of development projects.
Fakhrul also voiced concern that inflation has risen to 200% now in the country. "The way the prices of rice, pulses, oil, and salt are growing it can't continue in an independent country."
He also compared Bangladesh's present condition with Venezuela and Nigeria as these two countries have become failed states because of abuse of power and corruption."
EC shouldn't be formed with sycophants of any party: EC
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Tuesday said the next Election Commission (EC) should not be formed with sycophants of a particular party.
"It'll be disappointing if the Election Commission is formed with flatterers of a party," he said.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said no party should have the mentality of making all gains in formation of the EC.
Read:Jatiya Party wants strong, competent EC: GM Quader
He came up with the remarks while speaking at a views exchange meeting with the thana-level leaders of Jatiya Party's Dhaka north city unit at the Party Chairman's Banani office.
The Jatiya Party chief said their party has been helping the government from the beginning to form the EC.
"Holding fair elections won't be possible if the Election Commission is not given the full power. We wanted the Election Commission law with the full authority of the Commission. But, the law that was formulated is the old wine in a new bottle," he said.
GM Quader said people want to see free, fair, neutral, and acceptable elections in the country.
He said the recent Union Parishad (UP) elections have proved that even the workers of Awami League do not want to vote for 'boat' anymore.
"Awami League has lost popularity vastly by staying in state power for a long time. "Corruption, nepotism, and discrimination have crossed the limit of tolerance of people of the country," the Jatiya Party chairman observed.
He regretted that Bangladesh's name is now there beside Myanmar and North Korea due to the US sanctions on some former and current Rab officials.
Read: Water tariff hike to be an anti-people decision: GM Quader
Despite having huge public support, GM Quadewr said BNP has now become a decayed party.
He said both Awami League and BNP have destroyed democracy in the name of parliamentary democracy since 1991.
The Jatiya Party chairman also said people have understood that they won't emancipated by Awami League and BNP. "The people of the country want to see Jatiya Party in power.”
He asked the leaders and workers of the party to make it stronger before the next general election.
‘Awami private committee’ formed in search committee’s name: BNP
BNP on Sunday alleged that the government has formed a ‘private’ Awami body in the name of a search committee.
“We previously said only those who wear the ‘Mujib Coat’ being inspired by the spirit of Awami Baksal would be there in the search committee…the newly formed search committee is the absolute reflection of that assumption,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said, "I think it’s justified to call it an ‘Awami private committee, not a search committee. This committee and those who will be found out by them for the Election Commission are all the passengers of the same boat. They’re birds of a feather.”
The BNP leader also said all the names that would be proposed by the search committee would be members of the Awami family.
Also read: ‘It’s like Baksal one’, BNP about EC law
Rizvi said the intended goal of the search committee will be finding out the tested and genuine Awami family members to hold another ‘stage-managed’ election as per a government blueprint.
On Saturday, a six-member search committee, led by Appellate Division Justice Obaidul Hassan, was formed to suggest the names of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners.
The other members of the committee are High Court Division Justice SM Kuddus Zaman, the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh Md Muslim Chowdhury, Chairman of the Public Service Commission Md Sohrab Hossain, former election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain and noted writer Anwara Syed Haque.
The tenure of the incumbent Commission, led by CEC KM Nurul Huda, will expire on February 14.
Rizvi narrated how the search committee members have links with Awami League.
“Obaidul Hassan, the current head of the search committee, was a member of the previous two search committees and he belongs to a tested Awami League family. He was also an Awami League MP candidate. He was a big leader of the Baksal Chhatra League,” he said.
The BNP leader said Sohul Hussain, an expert in election engineering, has become a member of the search committee. “He bought the nomination form of Awami League in 2018 to be a candidate of the party in Sylhet-1 seat.”
Also read: BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader
He said another search committee member and High Court Division Justice SM Kuddus Zaman is the son of Rajbari’s late Awami League leader Hamiz Uddin Sheik. “His brother is an important leader of the local Awami League. Another member Prof Anwara Syed Haque is known as a blind Awami Leaguer. She is the wife of late poet Syed Shamsul Haque, a dedicated supporter of the Awami League. She served the Pakistan Air Force Medical Center throughout the war of independence. They’re experts in Hasina-style election engineering.”
Rizvi said neither the country’s people nor BNP has any interest in the search committee or in the Election Commission. “People believe that a fair election is not possible without a non-partisan and neutral government.”
He said a polls-time neutral government must be formed to hold the next general election in a credible manner. “Once the polls-time impartial government is formed, it will constitute a neutral Election Commission…people have turned down the Awami private committee in the name of the search committee with hatred.”
The BNP leader said the Election Commission to be nominated by the search committee will be loyal to the government. “So, a mockery with people is going on in the name of formation of the Election Commission through the search committee.”
He urged the government to quit and take steps for holding the next polls under an election-time neutral government to protect the country from a civil war.
AL govt did never engage lobbyist, no plan to do either: Shahriar
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said the Awami League government did never engage any lobbyist in its last three tenures but engaged a company purely on media front in 2015 to help the world know Bangladesh based on facts and counter propaganda against the country and its people.
“We want to make it clear the Awami League government in its last three tenures didn’t engage any lobbyists. What we did is purely media-related print-media targeted,” said the State Minister.
He talked to a small group of reporters as some of the journalists approached him to know more about his statement he made in Parliament on Monday.
Also read: BNP spent a lot on lobbying by US firm: Shahriar
The State Minister said Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) spent at least US$ 3.75 million on lobbyists and shared relevant documents with the media which are also available in public domain.
Shahriar mentioned fact-based stories on women empowerment, climate change, poverty alleviation and Rohingya crisis that appeared in the international mainstream media in the last four-five years.
The State Minister said Bangladesh also countered with facts when there is any negative perception in the global media and when someone writes something negative about Bangladesh and its people deliberately.
“We engaged the PR company as in most cases rejoinders aren’t published with due importance which is a common practice at home and abroad,” he said, adding that it is not a lobbyist firm.
Shahriar said the government will do only those things which are “judiciously correct” and acceptable to the people of the country.
The State Minister said some media outlets, being operated from foreign lands, are acting as spokespersons of BNP-Jamaat, and they are pointing fingers against Bangladesh.
He said they have so far eight agreements in hand and at least three agreements show BNP’s central office address.
One of the agreements was signed with Blue Strategies, LLC in Washington for a period - September 2018 to May 2020, Shahriar said.
Also read: Bay of Bengal resources to be tapped in environment-friendly way: Shahriar Alam
He said they will forward these documents related to eight agreements to the Bangladesh Bank governor to check how BNP sent that huge amount of money abroad.
Shahriar also said they can share those documents with the Election Commission through relevant Bangladesh Missions abroad and also from here if they want as every year political parties show their incomes and expenditures.
Responding to a question, the State Minister said BNP and Jamaat are two sides of the same coin and mentioned that they found Jamaat’s names in the contents of four documents.
“I’m sure there are more beyond these agreements,” he said, suggesting journalists to do investigative journalism.
The State Minister said there is nothing wrong in engaging a lobbyist but it is not good to hide the fact and act against the interest of Bangladesh and its people.
Asked whether he sees it as a defeat of the government's diplomacy against lobbyists, he said, “We don’t see it as a defeat against lobbyists using dirty money against our diplomacy.”
Responding to a question on RAB, he said the government remains engaged with the US and there will be an exchange of high-level visits soon. “I don’t want to elaborate. We hope there’ll be a solution to the problem.”
He hoped that they would bring a positive outcome through engaging with the US directly without engaging any lobbyists. “We do believe it. We don’t have an immediate plan to appoint a lobbyist firm.”
Shahriar said they do not believe in pursuing political agenda using that route where cash is involved.
AL conspiring to rig votes again, alleges BNP
BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday alleged that Awami League has been conspiring to rig votes again in the next election using the state machinery.
“Awami League is conspiring against people. They’re hatching a plot to snatch people’s voting rights again and rig votes in the upcoming (general) election,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader also said the ruling party has been trying hard to hang onto power by regulating the judiciary, gaging the media and using government officials.
“All the vote thieves have joined hands to manipulate the election while people are getting united to resist them,” he observed.
READ: AL conspiring to hinder BNP’s victory in city polls, alleges Fakhrul
As part of their party’s second phase of countrywide programmes, Chattogram south district unit BNP arranged the rally in Karnafuli CDA residential field on the south side of Shah Amanat Bridge demanding Begum Khaleda Zia’s advanced treatment abroad.
Khosru, a BNP standing committee member, said the people of Bangladesh have been closely observing the election manipulators and vote robbers.
“The wave of movement that has created now will foil all plots and evil plans. Those who’ve been involved in the conspiracy against people won’t be spared. No one of those who’re snatching our constitutional and basic rights will be spared,” he warned.
The BNP leader said their party’s ongoing movement gathered pace across the country with the spontaneous participation of mass people. “No force can stop this movement. Those who’ve sold the soul of Bangladesh will have to pay the price in the future.”
Referring to media reports that the government is making a list of BNP leaders and activists, he said almost all, except a few supporters of Awami League, now belong to BNP. “Now there's no politician in Awami League. No one except those involved in plundering, is now with Awami League.”
“The US State Department's Human Rights report has made it clear that it’s a political decision to imprison Begum Zia. It has also become as clear as daylight around the world that this regime came to power by resorting to enforced disappearances, killings, false cases and vote robbery at midnight,” the BNP leader said.
In the United States, he said, members of the Congress of the two parties are jointly talking about taking effective action against the Bangladesh government. “Human rights organisations around the world are calling for effective action against it. The most famous newspapers in the world are also advocating for taking similar action. They’re saying a regime has been in power in Bangladesh by stealing votes and depriving people of their freedom of speech.”
READ: Clash at BNP rally in Chattogram, stage collapses
Khosru said they will no longer demand for the release of their party chairperson Khaleda Zia as they will ensure her release by ousting the current regime from power.
Rally stage collapses
Meanwhile, a clash broke out between two groups of BNP activists while Khosru was delivering his speech.
Although no one was injured, the stage collapsed with the leaders on it during the clash.
The BNP activists also threw chairs at each other and clashed using sticks.
Later, senior BNP leaders intervened and brought the situation under control.
Shamim to campaign actively as ground hots up ahead of NCC poll
Member of Parliament Shamim Osman on Monday said Jamaat-Shibir forces are yet to attain the power needed to sink the boat (Awami League’s electoral symbol) in Narayanganj. He made the remark in a press briefing where he announced he would start actively campaigning for the AL in the upcoming Narayanganj City Corporation Election. In the presence of many local AL activists and supporters, Shamim Osman said, “The game will be on and we will win it on January 16.” Following his announcement most of the AL leaders, activists in Narayanganj were seen in full campaign mode for the AL-nominated candidate Dr Selina Hayat Ivy.
READ: Shamim Osman sued over clash during hawker eviction drive
Meanwhile on Monday evening independent candidate Taimur Alam Khandakar’s chief coordinator and campaign in-charge, also convener of District BNP Monirul Islam Robi was arrested by police from his residence in Hirajhil. Selina Hayat Ivy, while campaigning in Ward 21 in Bandar area on Monday, once again said: "It has become clear from Taimur’s activities that he is the candidate nominated by Shamim Osman."
This was the same claim she made earlier, that ruffled feathers in the AL high command and forced Shamim Osman to come out and clarify his stance ahead of the election today.
On Sunday, AL made it known that if there was any truth found to Ivy's claim, Shamim Osman would be disciplined within the party structure.
READ: NCC polls: Taimur actually candidate of 'godfather' Shamim Osman, says Ivy "If Taimur said I am a ‘Godmother’ to save his own back, he did a very wrong thing as I didn’t attack him personally and neither would I do so in future," said Ivy, who has served as mayor since 2011.
Regarding Shamim Osman’s support, Ivy said, “I did not say I won’t need his support. The party has nominated me and the partisans and voters will cast votes for me. If one or two votes don’t get cast it will not matter.”
Independent candidate and BNP leader Taimur Alam Khandakar after his campaign at ward-27 said, “My opponent is assuming I got support from certain people and is trying to assassinate my character.” Taimur said his party activists, leaders are being threatened through police visits to their homes.
He urged the people of Narayanganj to pay no heed to any propaganda and said, "A lot of oppression will come but we will need to march forward facing all of this.”
AL chalks out programmes to observe Bangabandhu’s Homecoming Day
Bangladesh Awami League has taken various programmes to observe Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic Homecoming Dayon Monday.
The ruling party leaders will pay homage to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the premises of historic Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi -32 at 8.30 am.
Besides, a delegation of Bangladesh Awami League will also pay homage at the grave of Bangabandhu at Tungipara at 11 am.
READ: 2021: A year of challenges for Awami League
A discussion meeting will be held on Tuesday at 3:30 pm at the AL central office at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue where Prime Minister and AL president Sheikh Hasina will join through a video conference.
READ: Khaleda always tried to wipe out Awami League, says Hasina
Bangabandhu returned to independent Bangladesh on January 10 in 1972, after over nine and half months of captivity in Pakistan jail.