United News of Bangladesh

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its Chairman Tarique Rahman for securing a two-thirds majority in the national election. In a statement, GM Quader expressed hope that Tarique Rahman would utilise his intellect, wisdom and past political experience to play a positive role in ensuring peace, stability, continuity of democracy and sustainable development in Bangladesh. He said he believed that Tarique Rahman would soon assume the significant responsibility of running the state and work to strengthen national unity by demonstrating tolerance, responsibility and political prudence. GM Quader also expressed optimism that under Tarique Rahman’s leadership, the country would be able to overcome prevailing challenges, uncertainties and divisions through effective governance. At the end of his message, he wished Tarique Rahman and his family members good health, long life and overall well-being.

Jatiya Party (Japa) Secretary General Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary on Sunday said his party is confident of performing strongly in 40 to 70 seats if the upcoming national election is held in a fair environment with a level playing field. “The voting field is very fluid. If there is a fair vote and a level playing field, I think the Jatiya Party will do very well in 40 to 70 seats," he said, while talking to reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city as he went there to attend hearings on appeals filed by Japa candidates. The Jatiya Party leader said this time there will be two sharp parties in the voting field. Describing Jatiya Party as a pro–Liberation War force, he said despite its pro-liberation stance, the party had also declared Islam as the state religion during the tenure of former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad and introduced Friday as the weekly holiday.  “So, the Jatiya Party can get votes from the Islamists as well,” he said. Patwary expressed concern over the large number of nomination papers rejected on silly grounds, saying many candidates were deprived due to minor mistakes. The returning officers cancelled so many nomination papers fearing mobocracy and the politics of tagging. “I believe they were afraid of mob pressure. The mob culture has dominated returning officers. They could have corrected mistakes and allowed nominations, but fear of being immediately labelled or branded prevented them from doing so,” he said. He welcomed the role of the Appellate Tribunal (the Election Commission), saying it had reviewed nomination appeals with an open mind and restored many candidacies, which he described as a positive sign. Patwary urged the administration to act firmly and enforce the rule of law without fear or favour. “No one is above the law. Whether big or small, everyone must remain under the law. Mobs must also be brought under legal control,” he said, strongly condemning mob influence. He further alleged that law enforcement agencies appeared hesitant and slow to respond whenever incidents occurred, reflecting a lack of confidence. “Those who will form the future government should also understand that if a government is formed after a substandard election, they will lack the mandate. They will struggle to run the country. That is, a political compromise is needed here now," he said. Responding to a question about internal divisions within Jatiya Party, Patwary admitted that the party has faced splits over time but said none of the breakaway factions have grown significantly. “The main body of Jatiya Party remains under GM Quader. The party symbol plough remains with him, and that faction is strong. Even in extremely adverse and intimidating circumstances, we have fielded 244 candidates,” he said. The Japa secretary general reiterated his demand for a level playing field, alleging that the current administration appears aligned with BNP-Jamaat interests. Patwary also expressed concern about the period after January 22, once the deadline for withdrawal of candidacies passes. “There is a risk of unwarranted attacks and threats against Jatiya Party candidates and voters. That is why state control and a level playing field must be ensured before that time,” he added.

The Jatiya Party’s district committee on Friday distributed party nomination forms among aspirants seeking to contest the upcoming 13th national election from six constituencies in Dinajpur. The forms were handed out during an extended meeting held at the party office in Kalitola this evening, chaired by Ahmed Shafi Rubel, JP presidium member and convener of the district committee. The meeting was conducted by district joint convener and JP central organisational secretary Advocate Zulfiqar Hossain. Nomination seekers who addressed the meeting included Shahinur Islam and Saifullah Chowdhury for Dinajpur-1; Advocate Zulfiqar Hossain for Dinajpur-2; Ahmed Shafi Rubel for Dinajpur-3; Abdul Alim Hawlader and Nurul Amin Shah for Dinajpur-4; Solaiman Sami, Kazi Abdul Gafur and Advocate Nurul Islam for Dinajpur-5; and Jahangir Alam and Advocate Rezaul for Dinajpur-6. Other local leaders who spoke at the meeting included Dr Anwar Hossain, Rokeya Begum Laizu, Laisur Amar Lavlu, Momtaz Alam, municipal unit general secretary Soaib Iftekhar, Sadar upazila joint convener Bidhan Chakraborty Basu, Youth Sanghati district convener Nasim Khan Piro, Volunteer Party district convener Shafik Ahmed and leaders from Hakimpur, Bochaganj, Kaharole, Biral and Nawabganj. Speakers said they are prepared to enter the electoral field and work to ensure victory for Jatiya Party under the leadership of GM Quader once the central leadership gives the green signal to participate in the election.

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.