United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday accused some political parties and individuals of trying to create anarchy by exploiting the country’s ongoing power and gas crises inherited by his administration, saying everyone should act within their limits. “We are trying to resolve all the problems we have inherited, whether from the authoritarian regime or the interim government,” he said while speaking at a discussion meeting marking the BNP’s 48th founding anniversary. Tarique Rahman acknowledged that there are problems in various sectors that are causing suffering to the people. “But we are noticing that some political parties and individuals are trying in different ways to create confusion by exploiting these problems, and through this confusion they are trying to create anarchy in the country,” he said. The Prime Minister said the government will uphold the democratic process and make its utmost effort to maintain democratic principles and ethics. “But if anyone wants to create anarchy, the law of the country clearly sets out how to control such anarchy. Therefore, as a government—and not just as a government, but as a government elected by the people—I want to make it clear that everyone needs to remain within their respective limits,” he said. The discussion was held at the auditorium of the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in Farmgate. At the beginning of the programme, participants observed a one-minute silence in memory of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, former BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and all those who sacrificed their lives for the country and the party. The event began with the national anthem, followed by the party anthem and a documentary on the BNP. President Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP on September 1, 1978. The five-day central programme marking the party’s 48th founding anniversary, which began on Tuesday, concluded with Saturday’s discussion. Tarique Rahman said the BNP inherited a fragile economy, as well as weak health, education and communication systems, after forming the government. He identified the energy crisis as the country’s biggest immediate problem, acknowledging that many people and industries are suffering from shortages of electricity and fuel. “I apologise on behalf of the party to all those who are suffering from the shortage of electricity and fuel,” the BNP chief said. He, however, said the government did not want to use the problems left behind by the previous regime or the interim government merely as excuses. “We do not want to simply cite these problems as excuses. Rather, we want to present the reality to the people and at the same time take measures so that people do not have to face such problems in the future,” the Prime Minister said. He said the BNP has already adopted an action plan to address the energy crisis and prepare the country to withstand possible future global disruptions. “An action plan requires time to formulate, and implementing it also requires some time,” Tarique Rahman said, adding that the government is taking its measures keeping possible future global crises in mind. He alleged that a political group operated in disguise during the previous authoritarian regime and that some of its members subsequently admitted their involvement. The Prime Minister also accused some political parties of attempting to spread confusion and said such activities could create an opportunity for forces associated with the ousted authoritarian regime to return to the political scene. “Could it be that those who remained hidden under the authoritarian regime are now, from within that hidden network, trying to incite this anarchy?” he asked. “If that is the case, then those who are hiding are actually working to bring that authoritarian regime back to the forefront,” Tarique Rahman said. Calling on all nationalist forces and BNP leaders and activists, he said: “Let us make the people more aware. Let us expose to the people who is taking responsibility for whom and who is trying to protect whom.” The Prime Minister alleged that certain political forces had protected or sheltered one another at different points in Bangladesh’s history. “This politics must be exposed before the people. We have to make it clear to the people..Because we have seen these forces, operating covertly, shielding and sheltering one another at different times over the years and decades—whether in 1971, 1986, 1996, over the past one and a half decades, or even today," he said. “So today, we have to expose their politics before the people. We have to make it clear to the people," Tarique Rahman said. He said the BNP had consistently sought to establish a democratic system and uphold the democratic rights of the people since the party’s inception. “We still firmly believe in this,” the Prime Minister said, adding that hundreds of thousands of BNP leaders and activists had sacrificed their lives for democracy. At the same time, he said, the BNP wants to build a humane state and a democracy where no one would face obstacles in exercising their rights. PM’s four directives to BNP leaders and activists Tarique Rahman urged party leaders and activists to help implement the government’s development programmes, including tree plantation, canal excavation and cleanliness drives. He also called upon BNP leaders and activists to play an active role in nation-building by undertaking four key tasks at the grassroots level. First, the Prime Minister asked party workers to participate in the government’s campaign to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years, describing it as a continuation of the tree-planting initiatives of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia. Second, he urged them to actively participate in the government’s plan to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals across the country, particularly when such work is undertaken in their respective areas. Third, the Prime Minister asked BNP’s main and affiliated organisations to work with local communities to remove garbage and keep villages, towns and cities clean, using the party’s extensive grassroots network. Fourth, Tarique Rahman urged every BNP leader and activist to remain vigilant against misuse of the party’s name, calling on them to ensure that no one carries out activities in the name of BNP that embarrass the party or cause suffering to ordinary people. The Prime Minister said the BNP’s role in Bangladesh’s independence and democratic politics could not be erased. “However hard anyone may try, even through the law and the courts, it cannot be erased,” he said. Tarique Rahman said Ziaur Rahman had declared Bangladesh’s independence and later restored multiparty democracy after the country gained independence. He also highlighted Ziaur Rahman’s initiatives on multiparty democracy, a free-market economy and creating overseas employment opportunities, as well as former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s contributions to parliamentary democracy, sustainable democratic practices, women’s education, economic development and the system of transferring power through elections under a neutral, non-party government. “In every crisis—whether it concerns the country’s independence, democracy or economic emancipation—Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have taken the country forward and brought it out of crisis,” the Prime Minister said. Tarique Rahman said the BNP had remained on the streets during the movement against the previous authoritarian regime despite facing widespread repression. “For the past 17 years, the BNP was on the streets. The BNP did not take any other role; it did not do anything secretly or underground. Whatever it did for people’s rights, it did openly on the streets, standing firm and fighting for people’s demands,” he said. The Prime Minister said the people were the “masterminds” behind the success of the 2024 mass movement. “We have always said that the mastermind behind the success of the 2024 movement was the people of this country. The BNP, together with the people, made that movement successful,” he said. Tarique Rahman said the people had subsequently seen that the BNP was the political party that protected their interests and democratic rights. He acknowledged that the BNP government had limitations and could not fulfil all its aspirations for various reasons. “Despite that, after assessing everything, the people of Bangladesh have seen that if there is a political party that protects the interests of the people, that party is the BNP,” he said. Tarique said the BNP had received public support and formed governments in elections that were considered credible both by the people of Bangladesh and internationally. The discussion was chaired by BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and moderated by the party’s Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku. Economist Mahbub Ullah, BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Amanullah Aman, Farhad Halim and Ismail Zabiullah, Jubo Dal General Secretary M Moinam Munna, Krishak Dal General Secretary Shahidul Islam Babul, Swechchhasebak Dal General Secretary Rajib Ahsan, Dhaka South BNP Member Secretary Tanvir Ahmed Robin, Dhaka North BNP Member Secretary Mostafa Zaman and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib also spoke at the programme. BNP Standing Committee members Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman and AZM Zahid Hossain, among other senior leaders, were present. The discussion was organised as part of a five-day programme marking the BNP’s 48th founding anniversary. The party was founded by President Ziaur Rahman on September 1, 1978.

Bangladesh has expressed its displeasure to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk over a recent letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a press note on the country “without waiting for fuller information and facts.” “We expect that human rights mechanisms would give themselves adequate time before jumping to conclusions without the benefit of full facts to avoid the risks of being influenced by rumors and unverified information,” according to Bangladesh’s response to Türk on November 10. The letter seen by UNB notes that the UN rights chief’s letter, dated November 1, 2023, addressed to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been written “hastily without waiting for fuller information and facts” to emerge and without allowing sufficient time for reflection. The letter mentioned that a press note was also “hurriedly released” from Türk’s office on the same issue without consulting Bangladesh, and without taking into consideration the facts and figures the country provided along with “horrific images and video footage taken from neutral sources.” Guided by the obligations emanated from the constitution, Bangladesh side said that the government has been allowing and extending necessary cooperation to all political parties including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to arrange assemblies, protests, processions etc. Read: Bangladesh can be an ideal location for BRI, IPS cooperation: Prof Imtiaz In this spirit the government allowed mass assemblies convened by different political parties on October 28, 2023 on the streets of Dhaka despite the declared objective of a major opposition party – BNP – to create anarchy and disconnect Dhaka from other parts of Bangladesh as a pressure tactic, reads the letter. During its rally and strike on October 28-29, the unruly activists of BNP – “misguided” by the propaganda of its leaders – took recourse to indiscriminate street violence, arson, other forms of violent activities on the apolitical law enforcement agency members, police stations, CCTV cameras, the judiciary, media personnel, innocent civilians, state institutions, hospitals, ambulances, fire service vehicles and public properties, according to Bangladesh’s reply to Türk. A member of the police was beaten to death while more than 100 police officers were injured, a bus worker was burnt alive, residences of the chief justice of Bangladesh and other judges of the Supreme Court were attacked, it said. Read: Economy buffeted by political unrest amid declining forex reserves: Analysts On the following days, as BNP spread the “campaign of arson and terror” all over Bangladesh, a few more people were killed, reads the letter. “It is unfortunate that BNP unleashed its attacks on the on-duty media personnel. TV cameras were snatched away and at least 25 journalists were attacked, several of whom were admitted to hospitals. Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) condemned these attacks by the BNP activists,” according to Bangladesh’s response.  In the letter, Bangladesh said Türk’s office should conduct an unbiased assessment of BNP’s targeted attacks on the press impeding freedom of expression. “Let me reassure you that our law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are well-trained to apply minimal and optimal force as they seek to prevent destruction of property or lives. Our LEAs deserve appreciation for being reasonable and restrained despite a member of the Police being mercilessly beaten to death by BNP hoodlums,” reads the letter. The current government, as a democratically elected one, is committed to uphold the rule of law and ensure peace and security, it said. Every single arrest made following the incident of October 28, was based on specific allegations against the persons concerned, Bangladesh said. “There has been no arbitrary arrest and detention, and we assure them access to full legal recourse as allowed under domestic laws,” the letter said. Read: Uncertainty, tension grip students, parents amid raging political crisis In its reply, Bangladesh also mentioned that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was convicted on corruption charges in two cases while a few other cases are ongoing – all of which were filed during the 2007-08 caretaker administration. Considering her health condition, based on the application of her family members, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina suspended her sentence under legal provision. “Begum Khaleda Zia was offered a release for a period of six months on conditions of (a) taking treatment in Bangladesh and (b) not leaving the country. She accepted the conditions under which she was released on 25 March 2020 and her release tenure was extended several times,” said the government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh in its reply mentioned that she has been receiving treatment of the highest standard at the Evercare Hospital, one of the best hospitals in Bangladesh, as per her choice. Recently, her family members and the leadership of BNP sought permission from the government to bring specialist doctors from the USA for her treatment. The government accorded its permission. Bangladesh appreciated engagement of Türk’s office with the government of Bangladesh on the recent developments. “As Bangladesh is constructively and consistently engaged with the UN mechanisms in promoting and protecting human rights, we expect our steadfast commitment would be reciprocated with the spirit of cooperation and proportionality,” reads the letter to the UN rights chief. Read EC to announce polls schedule in a couple of days: PM Hasina

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today said that action will be taken if anyone tries to create anarchy in the country. Political parties have to do politics, abiding by rules, the home minister said at the inauguration ceremony of Upazila Ansar and VDP office in Bagha of Rajshahi. Read more: There was no lack of security during US ambassador’s Shaheenbagh visit: Home Minister He said that the law and order situation in the country is satisfactory and the police force is working with patriotism and bravery. “If political parties of the country do not follow rules, they will be held accountable.” “Every force is working efficiently. Ansar and VDP are among them,” said the minister, adding that when police cannot be deployed in elections, Ansar personnel are deployed. “Around 2,00,000 Ansar members performed their duties bravely when arson attacks were carried out in the country,” the minister said. Regarding killings at Bangladesh-India border, the home minister said, “Talks have been held with India to stop border killings. They (India) also do not support such killings.” Read more: Fardin Noor: Home Minister puts faith in RAB, DB investigation Besides, India has requested the Bangladesh government to take care of the issue of free movement in the border areas, he added. “The government is also keeping an eye on it.” If there is a problem at the border, an immediate flag meeting is being held. The home ministries of both countries are also working together to solve various problems and crises, the home minister said. In order to make the field level activities of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP more dynamic and up to date, construction of upazila Ansar and VDP model buildings is underway in 13 upazilas of Bangladesh. Construction of nine Upazila Ansar and VDP buildings has been completed.

BNP wants to hold its Dhaka divisional rally at Nayapaltan instead of any other venue or ground in the city as its aim is to create anarchy, said Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday. “Their (BNP) intention is not good,” he told the reporters after an anti-tobacco advocacy meeting organised by Unnayan Samannoy in the city. He said the purpose of holding the rally in Nayapaltan is to vandalise vehicles and create anarchy, leading to public suffering. Read more: BNP should apologize before using Padma Bridge: Hasan Mahmud The government doesn't want to obstruct any rally, he said. “If the government had wanted, they (BNP) couldn’t have held any of these (previous seven) rallies.” In fact, it was BNP who obstructed Awami League’s rally by carrying out grenade and bomb attacks, in the process killing many people, said Mahmud. “We are providing them all the support from the government so that they can hold rally peacefully. And they are holding rallies peacefully,” the minister added. Regarding the militant issue, Mahmud said BNP is the chief patron and financer of militancy in the country. “Begum Khaleda Zia had opposed the arrest of militants as there are militant groups in their alliance,” he added. Read more: Hasan Mahmud to BNP: Don't play with people's lives “The very recent rise of militancy and Mirza Fakhrrul Islam Alamgir’s statement is interlinked. They want to create instability in the country,” the information minister said.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) claimed to have arrested three people and recovered four foreign revolvers, three foreign pistols and a huge amount of ammunitions from Kapashia Pahara area in Rajshahi city on Friday. The arrestees are identified as Md Atikur Rahman alias Atik, 35, son of Md Abdul Matin of Kapashia Parharpur, his cohorts Md Shaheen Ali, 25, son of Md Jhandu Mia of Charkajla and Md Shahidul Islam, 26, son of Md Nekchhar Ai of Dharampur Purbopara in the city respectively. Lieutenant Colonel Riaz Shahriar, commandant of the Rab-5, disclosed this information at a press conference in the Rab office of the city. Read: Arms, ammo recovered from Rajshahi border He said on information a team of the elite force conducted a drive at house of Atik and recovered four foreign revolvers, three foreign pistols, four magazines, eight rounds of bullet, 1.1 kilogram of gunpowder, 750 gram of stone used in making bomb and cocktail, other ammunitions, two mobile phone sets and four SIM cards. With information revealed from Atik, the elite force also arrested Shaheen and Shahidul from separate places in the city, he said. “The arrestees informed us that Rajshahi University’s students Tanjim, 27, and Md Abdur Rahim, 28, supplied the arms to them after collecting from an unknown place on Indian border,” he said. The varsity’s students are members of an anti-liberation force and their main target is to destabilise stability of the country, he said adding that drives are on to nab them. Replying to a question, the Rab officer said they had information the arrestees gathered the arms and ammunitions to create anarchy in Rajshahi as well as the country ahead of the next parliament elections.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the government is trying to create anarchy in the country by attacking opposition leaders and activists and their houses in different parts of the country. , "The Awami League cadres have established a reign of terror across the country. They have added a new dimension to their terror activities now by attacking the houses of the leaders and workers. The armed terrorists of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League are attacking our various rallies, party offices, business establishments and killing and injuring our leaders and activists and filing false cases against them,” he said. Speaking at a press conference, Fakhrul said the current ‘illegal’ government has started to continue their suppression policy again by getting afraid of BNP’s countrywide movement that began on August 22 in protest against hikes in the prices of fuel and essential commodities. “We have got an unprecedented response from the people for our protest programmes as lakhs of people are participating in our rallies,” he said. Read: Fakhrul renews demand for ailing Khaleda's unconditional release Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent comment that opposition leaders and activists would not be obstructed from carrying out protest programmes, Fakhrul said the current government says one thing and does another. “They’re now doing the opposite of what they have said. This is the character of Awami League. Their terrorist character has once again been exposed to the people of the country through the incidents. This is how they have destroyed democracy in this country and turned Bangladesh into a failed state," he observed. Read: Stern action if anyone creates anarchy: Tajul warns The BNP leader said their ongoing protests at upazila, thana, municipality and union levels will continue until September 10. He said they will announce their next course of programmes after September 10. Fakhrul said their party leaders and activists came under attacks in different districts, including in Jashore, Munshiganj, Tangail, Feni, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Chattogram, Bagerhat, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Thakurgaon, Laxmipur, Mymensingh, Magura, Gaibandha, Barishal, Khulna, Netrakona, Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi, Rajshahi, Noakhali, Bhola, Natore, Cumilla and Narail, by the ruling party ‘cadres’ and law enforcers centring their peaceful protest programmes. "So far, more than 750 leaders and activists have been injured in these attacks. False cases have been filed against thousands of leaders and workers while around 60 of them have been arrested,” the BNP leader said.  

Education Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday said attempts are being made to create anarchy at the educational institutions of the country ahead of the national election. “Their plan of destabilizing the country through creating anarchy at the educational institutions will not be implemented. Conscious students will obstruct it,” she said while speaking at a prize giving ceremony at Baburhat High School in Chandpur town. Also read: Working to improve universities' world ranking position, says Dipu Moni The people of the country want peace and the country is approaching fast to achieve the development goals under the leadership of the Prime Minister, said Dipu. “The evil forces are trying to raise their heads ahead of the national election and trying to take advantage of the chaotic situation created by them,”she said. Also read: Don't react to provocations on social media: Dipu Moni Dipu Moni also urged the students of the school to be  human being through good deeds and love the country.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam on Saturday said an ‘extreme level of anarchy’ has been prevailing in all sectors for lack of good governance in the country. “Seventeen files have gone missing from the Health Ministry's Medical Education and Family Welfare Division and a general diary has been filed with Shahbagh Police Station in this connection. This is the condition of the current governing system,” he said. The BNP leader also said, “An extreme level of anarchy has been there not only in the health sector, but also in every sector and everywhere as their (ruling party leaders’) main goal is to make money.” He made the remarks while launching a book on former Dhaka University VC Dr Anwarullah Chowdhury at a city hotel. Fakhrul said when people were dying and passing through a horrible time due to the spread of coronavirus, the ruling party men and government employees were busy making a quick buck taking advantage of the situation. Read: Govt out to clear election field: Fakhrul “Even, a driver of the health directorate DG owns Tk 400 crore. This is the situation created in the country now,” he said. The BNP leader said a Rajshahi University VC appointed 169 people in one night to make money. “It’s very difficult to expect anything good from the current society we’ve built.” He said the government does not give adequate allocation for the development of the education sector as its main intention is to indulge in corruption by taking mega projects. “They make allocations for mega projects from which they can get commission and amass wealth.”