United News of Bangladesh

Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Tuesday gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka court in a case filed over a fabricated election and sedition, admitting to conducting a mockery of an election. Dhaka Additional Chief Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jiahdur Rahman recorded the statement after he was produced before the court upon completion of eight-day remand in two phrases, said sub-inspector of Sher-e-Bangla Nargar Police Station Shamsuzzoha Sarkar, also investigation officer of the case. The IO said the former CEC volunteered to give confessional statements in the case, prompting them to produce him. Ex-CEC Habibul Awal sent to jail On June 22, BNP filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station accusing 24 people, including former Chief Election Commissioners, Election Commissioners and other officials involved in conducting the 10th, 11th and 12th national elections, of irregularities and biased conduct. According to the case statement, the 2014, 2018, and 2024 general elections were manipulated and held in a partisan manner, despite repeated calls for a non-partisan caretaker government and the deployment of army personnel with magistracy powers during polling.  Ex-CEC Nurul Huda placed on 4-day remand In the evening of the same day, police detained Nurul Huda from his residence in Uttara, Dhaka. Later, a Dhaka court placed him on a four-day remand, and on June 27, his remand was extended for another four days. On June 29, police also detained former CEC Kazi Habibul Awal in connection with the case.

Dr M Harun-Ur-Rashid Askari, a former vice-chancellor of Islamic University in Kushtia, took over as the director general of Bangla Academy on Wednesday (July 24, 2024). The government appointed him to the post for the next three years on July 18. He was replaced by Nurul Huda as his tenure came to an end. The officials of the Bangla Academy, however, welcomed the newly appointed DG with floral reception. While taking charge, Dr Rashid Askari sought cooperation from all to work for the improvement of the academy’s ranking in the international arena and maintain transparency and accountability in all sectors. Rashid Askari, who previously served the IU in Kushtia as its 12th VC, joined the university as lecturer in English in 1990. Read more: 'Winds of Flavour': Jahangir Hossain's solo exhibition begins at Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts He, as a vice-chancellor, introduced considerable measures to secularize and internationalize the academic trajectory of the university as well as adopted down to earth policies to help the university cope with various challenges of the 21st Century. He has facilitated the development of the understanding of cultural diversity of humankind in order to prepare students to go forth with skills, knowledge and wisdom to serve and advance the communities in which they live and work.

The government has appointed poet Mohammad Nurul Huda as the new Director General (DG) of Bangla Academy, according to a ministry of public administration circular on Monday. Nurul Huda will serve in the position for a period of 3 years from the date of joining on condition he resigns from other organizations. The post fell vacant after its DG Habibullah Sirajee died of cancer on May 24. Since then AHM Lokman, secretary of the academy, has been in charge as acting director general. READ: Bangla Academy Director General Habibullah Sirajee passes away Nurul Huda earlier served as the executive director of Nazrul Institute. He is currently the member secretary of the Nazrul Birth Centenary Celebration Committee at the national level. The DG post at Bangla Academy fell vacant after its DG Habibullah Sirajee died of cancer on May 24.  READ: Bangla Academy Chairman Shamsuzzaman Khan loses battle with Covid-19