United News of Bangladesh

The Historic July Charter was officially signed on Friday afternoon at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Vice President of the National Consensus Commission Professor Ali Riaz signed the charter, joined by several other political leaders. Among the attendees were BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar and Zonayed Saki, Chief Coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon. In addition, on behalf of the martyred family, Mir Mostafizur Rahman, father of Shaheed Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdha, and Shamsi Ara Begum, mother of Shaheed Tahir Zaman Priya, were present at the July National Charter signing ceremony. Earlier, the much-hyped event began with the singing of the national anthem. The proceedings are being conducted by Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haider.  

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday warned that any disruption in the democratic process could lead to the ‘entry of a dark horse’, creating more uncertainty in the country’s political situation. Talking to reporters at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he also criticised those promoting the proportional representation (PR) system as the best model of democracy, calling the idea “unrealistic and misleading.” “In most democratic and developed countries like Britain and the United States, people directly vote for their representatives. So, why suddenly claim that PR is the best model of democracy? I think such comments are unnecessary and confusing,” Rizvi said. In an indirect reference to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, he said the party is pushing for the PR system and a referendum before the national election to mislead the nation as part of a master plan, possibly to derail the election. The BNP leader urged all those involved in the democratic movement to stay united so that the country’s democratic journey faces no obstacle. “Otherwise, a dark horse may enter and cause harm,” he warned. Rizvi said even in developed countries, debates continue over whether the PR system truly reflects public opinion. “Japan, one of the most advanced democracies, applies PR to only 37 percent of its system. Discussions and criticisms about the PR system are going on all over the world, and it has not been fully implemented anywhere. So, why would they suddenly want to introduce it here?” Rizvi asked. Country’s political, economic future depends on next election: Fakhrul He said raising the PR issue just before the national election would only create confusion among voters. “Most people in Bangladesh have little or no idea about proportional representation. Many are already confused about how it works.” On the issue of the referendum on the July Charter and the national election, Rizvi said holding both on the same day would be more practical and acceptable. “Some parties want the referendum before the election, but if the national polls are to be held in early or mid-February — before Ramadan begins — it will not be possible to organise a separate referendum earlier. Both should be held on the same day,” he said. The BNP leader said preparations for both the referendum and the election require significant time and public involvement, which is not possible within the current schedule. “It is urgent to hold the national election soon. Everyone feels that the country’s political and economic problems are getting worse day by day. You can see the economic situation — investment has dropped to almost zero as there is no elected government,” he observed. Rizvi warned that if power is not handed over to elected representatives soon, the crisis will deepen further. “If there were an elected government, both domestic and foreign investors would have confidence, they would feel encouraged to invest, and they would invest. Investment is directly linked to job creation and the overall recovery of the economy,” he said.  

Police disrupted a gathering of Jatiya Party (JP) supporters and activists in front of its Kakrail central office in the capital on Saturday afternoon, even resorting to spraying water from water cannons and hurling sound grenades. The police action took place around 3:40pm, creating panic among pedestrians and local residents in the area, besides dispersing the targeted crowd. However, no casualties were reported. Witnesses said the situation escalated quickly when leaders and activists of the JP were trying to hold the rally defying police's obstacles. At one stage, police sprayed water from a water cannon and threw several sound grenades to disperse the JP leaders and activists. Many nearby people were seen running for cover amid the chaos. JP leaders alleged that despite repeated requests, police did not allow them to hold the pre-scheduled programme. "Though we were peacefully holding our gathering but police suddenly intervened and used force to break it up," said one JP activist at the scene. Contacted over phone, Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) of the DMP Masud Alam said that there was no permission for a JP workers' gathering. Besides, they were holding the rally completely disrupting vehicular movement on the road, he said. Replying to a question, DC DMP Alam insisted that police had to take action to prevent any untoward incident. Following the clash, law enforcers were seen patrolling the area to maintain order.

There's no room for confusion over Jatiya Party’s registration and symbol, said Jatiya Party (JaPa) presidium member Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan on Sunday. He said this emerging from a meeting between a team of GM Quader-led Jatiya Party (JaPa) and Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital. The JaPa team comprised three presidium members --Saifuddin Ahmed Milon, Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan and Iqbal Hossain Tapos— went to the Election Commission to learn about its current stance regarding the party’s registration and symbol. Rezaul Islam said the council held in the name of Jatiya Party under the leadership of Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ruhul Amin Hawlader is illegal. “The council can no way be valid. It was approved neither by the party chairman nor the presidium body,” he said. The Election Commission informed them that they will discuss the issue next week, said Rezaul Islam. “We believe that the registration and symbol will remain under the GM Quader-led Jatiya Party as it did in the past,” he went on. In the last parliamentary, upazila and city corporation elections, candidates under GM Quader’s leadership contested with the ‘plough’ symbol and were elected. “So, the matter is already clear from the legal perspective,” he said. Rezaul said the move taken by them (the Anisul-Hawlader group) to demand registration and symbol (ploung) is unacceptable in any way. "We have informed the Election Commission in writing. We hope that the EC will officially confirm its stance in favour of us within a day or two," he said. JaPa Office Secretary Mahmud Alam told UNB their team went to the Election Commission in the wake of circulation of rumours about their party. On August 10, the Anisul-Hawlader group submitted a letter to the EC seeking recognition for their newly elected leadership, just a day after holding what they called the party’s 10th council on August 9. Later on August 14, Jatiya Party (JaPa) faction, led by GM Quader and Shameem Haidar Patwary, met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin to refute the claim placed by the Anisul-Hawlader group.

Fearing further untoward incidents in the days ahead as part of a plot to derail the national election, BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Saturday said the country is moving towards an abnormal process. “Yesterday on social media, I listened to the remarks of one of the world’s most powerful leaders. It made me feel that our country is not going through a normal process, but moving forward in an abnormal way,” he said. Abbas, a BNP Standing Committee member, made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting injured Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Nur has been receiving treatment at the DMCH after being seriously injured during a clash with Jatiya Party leaders and workers in the capital’s Kakrail area on August 29. Condemning the attack on Nur and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa) President Khandaker Lutfur Rahman, Abbas said he had heard a few days earlier that some people might come under targeted attacks. He said the government should properly look into these attacks and find out the motives behind the incidents. “Otherwise, we will understand that the government is perhaps failing to maintain its command.” As journalists drew his attention to the attack on a shrine and the burning of a dead body, Abbas said the attacks on political leaders and the shrine are not isolated incidents. “With the election ahead, you will see many more such incidents, as a certain quarter wants to prevent the election from being held,” he said. The BNP leader said the attack on Nur seems not normal but intentional. “The attack on Nur was brutal and clearly deliberate, not a random clash. His condition is serious, as he is still bleeding at times, and I fear internal injuries. A fair investigation must be carried out to find out who was behind it and why,” he said. Abbas said although the government has said Nur will be sent abroad for treatment, it has not happened yet, which is frustrating. Mirza Abbas smells fresh ‘minus-two formula’ to depoliticise Bangladesh He said Nur should be sent urgently, and not just anywhere, but to the country best equipped to treat his injuries. “From my experience, I can say treatment in Western countries, especially Germany, would be most effective.” The BNP leader said the longer this is delayed, the greater the risk to Nur’s health, as heavy medication, including the use of antibiotics for a long time, cannot continue indefinitely. “I urge the government to act quickly, ensure he gets the best possible treatment abroad, and keep him under proper care so that he can recover and return to serve the country.”

Once again, the central office of Jatiya Party in the capital’s Kakrail came under attack, vandalism, and arson on Friday evening. Eyewitnesses said around 7:15pm, agitated protesters stormed the JP central party office and set fire inside the building. The incident was taken place after a rally held in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh, where leaders of Gono Odhikar Parishad, protesting the attack on its president Nurul Haque Nur, reiterated their three-point demand including the resignation of the home affairs adviser.  After the rally, participants went back Gono Odhikar Paltan office and soon after, the attack on the Jatiya Party office took place. To bring the situation under control, police used water cannons and sound grenades before dispersing the mob and attempting to extinguish the blaze. According to the Fire Service control room, they received an emergency call around 7:30pm through the national helpline 999 reporting the fire at the Jatiya Party office. Firefighters later rushed to the spot and doused the flames. Jatiya Party Presidium Member Rezaul Karim, without naming anyone, told reporters that those who held the rally at Shahbagh were responsible for the attack. Jatiya Party office vandalised, set on fire in Kakrail He also alleged that the government had failed in its duty to ensure security and prevent mob attacks. “Jatiya Party was here in Bangladesh, and it will remain in the future,” he added. Earlier on August 30, the same office had also come under attack and arson.

A group of unidentified people reportedly linked to the Gono Odhikar Parishad, attacked the Jatiya Party's central office in Dhaka’s Kakrail area and set it on fire on Saturday evening. Confirming the attack, police said they successfully brought the situation under control. In a statement, Khandaker Delwar Jalali, Press Secretary to the Jatiya Party Chairman (with the rank of Joint Secretary General), said terrorists set fire to the Jatiya Party's central office in the capital's Kakrail area, burning books from the party’s library, important documents, and furniture on the ground floor. He added that a group of 20 to 30 attackers carried out the arson after party leaders and activists had left the premises following an event. Law enforcement officials brought the situation under control by using batons, water cannons, and sound grenades to disperse the attackers. According to the statement, this was not the first such attempt. On Friday, the same group reportedly tried to set fire to the office through a series of attacks and torch processions. However, they were unsuccessful due to resistance from party members and prompt action by law enforcement. Earlier on Saturday, at 3:30 pm, Jatiya Party Secretary General Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary held a meeting with leaders and activists from the Mymensingh division. At 4:30 pm, he addressed questions from journalists at the party’s central office auditorium. Following the conclusion of the event, law enforcement officers advised party members to vacate the office for security reasons, which they complied with. Shortly after, the attackers arrived and set fire to the building.

Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman Golam Mohammad (GM) Quader said on Wednesday that elections excluding certain parties, particularly the ruling Awami League, would not be acceptable. Speaking at a views-exchange meeting of the party’s Dhaka district unit at the central office in the capital, he stressed that the country’s citizens must be allowed to participate in a free and fair political process. The JaPa chief recalled that he had previously protested when the Awami League banned Jamaat-e-Islami from politics. “Similarly, now we say that elections will not be acceptable if they are held without including all parties,” he said. He criticised the government for filing numerous false cases following the July People’s Uprising. “Many fabricated murder cases have been filed against me and our party activists. Those arrested under false charges are not being granted bail. Law adviser and the IGP have confirmed the cases are false, so why are bail pleas denied?” he asked. Attempts to intimidate them through arson, attacks, and legal harassment would not succeed, he said, adding, “We oppose the government’s wrongdoings and speak for the people despite risks. Fear of repression will not stop us, and that is why the public stands with us. If anyone else tries to claim our symbol, we will protest in the streets.” Quader also addressed the party’s previous lack of clear direction, saying that there was confusion among leaders and the public about what the party wanted. From now on, they will pursue politics in the interest of the people. He highlighted that he had long been outspoken against electoral restrictions under Sheikh Hasina’s administration, defending citizens’ right to vote. JaPa leader criticized both past and current governments for restricting his political activities under legal pretenses, saying, “The current government has followed the same pattern as the Awami League. What has changed?” “Now, except for our party, all others enjoy government privileges. We face obstacles even in exercising our constitutional rights, making us the true oppressed in the eyes of the people,” he said. Struggle for JaPa: GM Quader's faction to meet CEC Thursday, amid Anisul-Hawladar committee’s claim for recognition The meeting, presided over by party Secretary General Barrister Shamim Haider Patwari, included speeches from presidium members Md. Rezaul Islam Bhuiya, engineer Iqbal Hossain Tapas, chairman’s adviser Khalilur Rahman Khalil, joint organizing secretary Bahadur Islam Imtiaz, and several other party leaders. Earlier in the week a newly emerged faction of the Jatiyo Party, led by Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud as chairman and ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader as secretary general, wrote to the Election Commission to approve their recently formed committee as the "mainstream" of the party. The faction held the party's 10th National Council in Dhaka's Gulshan on Saturday– leaving aside the GM Quader faction – where Anisul and Ruhul were elected to the above-mentioned posts by voice vote of councillors.

Jatiya Party (JaPa) faction, led by GM Quader and Shameem Haidar Patwary, will meet Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday to present its legal explanation opposing the recognition claim of the Anisul Islam Mahmud–Ruhul Amin Hawlader-led committee. “We have already sent a letter to the Election Commission outlining our legal position against their claim for recognition. Tomorrow, we will meet the CEC and explain why this committee is illegal,” Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary told UNB on Wednesday. Patwary, who is the secretary general of GM Quader-led JaPa’s faction, said a three-to-four-member delegation will meet the CEC in the afternoon. An EC official also confirmed the scheduled meeting. On August 10, the Anisul-Hawlader group submitted a letter to the EC seeking recognition for their newly elected leadership, just a day after holding what they called the party’s 10th council on August 9. PBI to probe Jatiya Party's alleged nomination trade prior to 2024 polls The council, organised without GM Quader, elected Anisul Islam Mahmud as the JaPa chairman, Ruhul Amin Hawlader as secretary general, Kazi Firoz Rashid as senior co-chairman, and Mujibul Haque Chunnu as its executive chairman. Anisul Islam Mahmud told media that the council was held in compliance with due procedure and claimed it represented the “mainstream” JaPa. "We have informed the Election Commission about the council conducted following the procedures. We have held a council for the registered party number 12 (Japa, Pratik Langal)." he said, adding that the decision now rests with the Commission. Anisul claimed that only their committee has the constitutional right to use the party’s election symbol, the Plough. However, the EC’s website still shows GM Quader as the chairman of Jatiya Party and Md Mujibul Haque as its Secretary General. Jatiya Party postpones tomorrow’s rally On July 07 last, GM Quader removed his party’s 10 senior leaders, including Anisul, Hawlader and Chunnu from JaPa and made Shameem Haidar Patwary as the party’s secretary general.

Jatiya Party (JaPa) on Monday appointed its former MP Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary as the party’s new Secretary General, removing Mujibul Haque Chunnu, amid growing tensions within the party ahead of the national council. JaPa Chairman GM Quader, using the authority given to him by the party’s constitution, removed Mujibul Haque Chunnu from the post of Secretary General and appointed Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary to the vacant position, said a party press release. Mujibul Haque Chunnu had been serving as Secretary General since October 9, 2021, following the death of then-Secretary General Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu. Soon after the new appointment, GM Quader also removed three senior party leaders --Anisul Islam Mahmud, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, and Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu -- from all party posts for violating party discipline, said another party press release. PBI to probe Jatiya Party's alleged nomination trade prior to 2024 polls According to the media release, district and city-level party leaders at a meeting held on June 25 raised the allegations of breaching party discipline against the three senior leaders and called for action. Later, on 28 June, a meeting of the party Presidium decided to relieve the three of all party responsibilities. “Exercising the authority given by the party constitution, GM Quader has relieved Senior Co-Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud, Co-Chairman ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader and Secretary General Md Mujibul Haque of all party posts, including primary membership,” the press release said. It said the decision has already been put into effect. Shamim Haider Patwary previously served as MP from Gaibandha-1 and is known to be a close associate of Chairman GM Quader. Tensions within the Jatiya Party have worsened, as the party now seems divided into two rival groups over its leadership. The issue became more visible last month after the party announced its upcoming national council. The party earlier planned to hold the national council on June 28 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. However, on June 16, Chairman GM Quader postponed the event, saying the venue was unavailable.  In defiance of this decision, a group of senior leaders led by Co-Chairmen Anisul Islam Mahmud and ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader announced that the council would go ahead as planned. They later withdrew this decision. Meanwhile, Co-Chairmen Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ruhul Amin Hawlader issued a joint statement opposing the appointment of Shamim Haider Patwary. Another Jatiya Party office, this time in Khulna,  vandalised They called the decision highly undemocratic, unconstitutional and a direct violation of the party’s charter. The two leaders accused GM Quader of taking one-sided, autocratic actions, which they warned could seriously harm the party’s future. In their joint statement, they said Mujibul Haque is the party’s legitimate and respected Secretary General. “No appointment or dismissal can be considered valid before the announced national council,” the statement said. They also said removing Mujibul Haque without any reason and appointing Patwary without consultation clearly goes against party discipline and democratic values. “Such a decision breaks down the party’s internal democratic system.”