United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has expressed deep shock over the deaths in a fire at an unauthorised gas lighter factory in South Keraniganj. In a statement on Saturday night, he said the fire broke out at the Kadamtali factory around 1pm and five people, including three women, had died as of the time of the statement. Two others are seriously injured and undergoing treatment in hospital. He said the grief of the families of those killed in this tragic accident will never be filled. Dr Shafiqur Rahman prayed for the forgiveness of the souls of the deceased and expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and the injured. He said such accidents continue to occur due to the operation of illegal and unsafe factories, which is very worrying. He added that these losses are the result of irresponsibility and lack of proper supervision by the authorities concerned. He urged the government to conduct a thorough investigation, identify those responsible, and take strict legal action. He also called for the injured to receive the best possible treatment and for appropriate financial compensation to be provided to the families of both the deceased and the injured. The Jamaat Ameer stressed that effective measures must be taken against illegal factories and safety standards in industrial plants must be strengthened to prevent such accidents in the future.  

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday strongly condemned the government’s decision to increase the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and autogas in the private sector, expressing concern over its impact on public life and industrial production. In a statement, the party’s Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said LPG is an essential daily commodity and any price hike would significantly impact people’s lives. “It is very difficult for lower- and middle-income groups to bear the additional cost. The government has increased gas prices without considering the purchasing power of the people, which goes against public interest,” he said. He warned that the decision would raise production costs in both small and large industries, which could lead to higher prices of essential commodities, directly affecting consumers. Golam Parwar urged the government to reverse the decision and take effective steps to increase imports or production to stabilise prices. He said the increase in private sector LPG prices by Tk 32.30 per kg at the consumer level is unprecedented. As a result, the price of a 12kg cylinder — the most widely used in the market — has risen to Tk 1,728, up from Tk 1,341 last month, marking an increase of Tk 387. He also said the price of autogas has increased significantly at the consumer level. For April, the price of autogas, including VAT, has been raised by Tk 17.94 per litre, up from Tk 61.83 in March. The Jamaat leader said the increase in autogas prices would have a major impact on the transport sector, putting additional financial pressure on people. He called on the government to consider the overall situation and take immediate steps to ease the burden on the public.

The 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a rally and protest march in Dhaka this coming Saturday (April 4), demanding implementation of the referendum verdict through constitutional reform. The rally is scheduled to be held at 5:00pm at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad announced after a meeting of the alliance on Thursday. He said the opposition alliance would also seek to build public opinion through outreach and leaflet distribution to press home its demands. The outline of the movement and the next programme will be announced at a meeting of the alliance’s top leaders on April 7, he added. Dr. Azad alleged that the government is taking initiatives to amend the constitution while ignoring the popular mandate expressed in the referendum, which he said insults the people and contradicts the spirit of the July uprising. He said amending the constitution to meet the country's needs falls within parliament's jurisdiction and is a routine process. However, no part of the basic structure of the constitution can be changed through an amendment bill, he added. In special cases, he said, the legal way to change the basic structure is to hold a referendum and form a Constitutional Reform Council to secure direct public consent. He also alleged that constitutional amendments paved the way for authoritarian rule in the past, and claimed the current government is moving in the same direction. He said reforms based on the referendum verdict are needed, rather than amendments. Criticising the energy crisis, the deterioration in law and order, and the government’s decision to introduce online classes in educational institutions, he said the authorities deny the energy crisis despite its existence. He also described the decision to introduce partial online classes in schools as harmful to students’ intellectual development. The 11-party alliance strongly demanded implementation of the referendum results and the immediate formation of a Constitutional Reform Council. It warned that if the demands are not met, a movement will be launched on the streets.

Opposition Leader Dr Md Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday appreciated Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal for expressing his views in his introductory speech to play impartial role in Parliament. “The sentiment you have expressed here today through your speech is exactly what the people of Bangladesh desire. They want Parliament to be turned into the center of all activities in the country,” he said. Earlier the first session of Parliament resumed on Sunday after a 14-day break as its third sitting began at 3:00pm with Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal in the chair. Jamaat Ameer mourns death of speaker’s wife Dilara Hafiz While presiding over the House for the first time, the Deputy Speaker made his introductory speech and expressed his views to remain neutral and would play impartial roles in the Parliament. He also cited that he already resigned from the post of his party (BNP) for the sake of being impartial. Following his speech, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, also the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, took the floor and hailed his views. “We congratulated you once when you were elected Deputy Speaker. Today, we are officially congratulating you again,” he said. “This chair is a very important chair of justice. The message you have given from this chair is that you will impartially consider everything and give everyone what is due to them. So, I congratulate you once again for this attitude,” he went on. The Opposition Leader assured the Deputy Speaker that they would extend all sorts of cooperation to all reasonable steps taken by him.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Dilara Hafiz, wife of Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and a noted educationist. In a condolence message, he said her contributions to her family and society will be remembered with great respect. The Ameer-e-Jamaat also prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus and to give the bereaved family the strength to endure this difficult loss. Jamaat Ameer condoles over Daulatdia Ferry Ghat bus tragedy Dilara Hafiz breathed her last at Singapore General Hospital at 1:29pm Singapore time on Saturday. She was 78. She is survived by husband, one son, one daughter, grandchildren and many well-wishers. During her long career, Dilara Hafiz made important contributions to the development of education in the country. She served as principal of Eden Mohila College and Suhrawardy College at different times. She also served as Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education under the Ministry of Education.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman exchanged Eid greetings with diplomats of various diplomatic missions in Dhaka on Saturday. He exchanged greetings with them from 11 am to 12:30 pm at his official residence on Minto Road in the capital. Earlier, he offered Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at around 8:00 am at the Monipur Girls’ High School ground adjacent to 60 Feet Road in Mirpur in the capital.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Opposition Leader in Parliament, will offer the holy Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at 8:00am on Saturday at the Monipur Girls’ High School ground, located beside the 60 Feet Road in Mirpur. Following the prayers, he will exchange Eid greetings with people from all walks of life, according to a media statement. Later in the day, he is scheduled to exchange Eid greetings with diplomats stationed in Dhaka from 11:00am to 12:30pm, and with political leaders and others from various segments of society from 3:00pm to 4:30pm at his government residence on Minto Road.  

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Monday welcomed the canal excavation initiative taken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.In a Facebook post from his verified account, he said Bangladesh was once widely known as a riverine country where rivers played a vital role in transportation, trade and agriculture.He mentioned that rivers previously ensured smooth navigation, helped transport goods and supported farming activities. Besides, rich fish resources, preservation of soil fertility and proper water flow during the rainy season helped prevent frequent floods and related sufferings.However, he said that since independence, the combined impact of the Farakka Barrage and the filling of major rivers, canals and beels has severely affected the country’s water systems. Jamaat Ameer congratulates Tigers on historic ODI series win over Pakistan“As a result, rivers that once flowed strongly cannot hold enough water during the rainy season. This often leads to premature flooding, while in the dry season many rivers resemble deserts,” he said.He added that disruptions in natural water flow cause waterlogging in major cities and towns during the monsoon, while in the dry season there is not enough water for navigation and agriculture.Shafiqur Rahman stressed that restoring navigability through adequate dredging of major rivers should be a top national priority to protect the country.He also said that although funds had been allocated in the past for dredging, river management and reform, the expected benefits were not achieved due to widespread corruption.“There is no alternative to transparency in all sectors,” he said, adding that the government has a responsibility to ensure proper and transparent use of public funds.He further said that canal excavation alone will not produce the desired benefits unless rivers regain their vitality and navigability. “Only then will people receive the full benefit of canal excavation,” he added.Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme by cutting soil with a spade at Sahapara canal in Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur.The programme was launched at around 12:27pm at Balrampur village under Ramchandrapur union of Kaharol upazila.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar expressed deep shock and sorrow over the road accident in Bagerhat’s Rampal that killed 13 people and left several others seriously injured. In a condolence message on Thursday, he described the loss of women, children, and ordinary passengers in the tragic accident as “very painful and heartbreaking,” adding that the sudden loss of so many lives is an “irreparable loss for the nation.” Bride returning from her wedding party among 12 killed in Bagerhat road crash He prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and conveyed his deepest condolences to their families, while also praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. The Jamaat leader urged the authorities to investigate the real cause of the accident and take necessary action against those responsible to prevent similar tragedies in the future.  The accident occurred around 4:30pm when the bus of Bangladesh Navy collided head-on with a microbus carrying people returning from a wedding programme, said Md Hasan, sub-inspector of Katakhali Highway Police camp. Three children, three women and four men were among the deceased, he said. Rampal Upazila Health and Family Planning officer, Dr Sukanto Kumar Pal, said among the deceased eight bodies were kept at Khulna Medical College and Hospital while the rest were kept in Bagerhat.

Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami and deputy leader of the opposition Syed Abdullah Muhammad Abu Taher on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction on behalf of the opposition party for not consulting with the opposition while nominating the Chair for presiding the House. “The process could have been even more constructive had the Prime Minister or a government representative held prior discussions with the opposition beforehand, we would still have accepted the proposal with great enthusiasm,” he said. Abu Taher expressed hope that in future similar matters would involve dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition before decisions are finalised, noting that such discussions would help improve the parliamentary environment and strengthen democratic practices. The Jamaat MP, however, said opposition has full support for a proposal put forward by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. On behalf of the opposition, he welcomed the Prime Minister’s proposal and reiterated their party’s full support for the initiative.