Dhaka, Oct 9 (UNB) – The acting president of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Wednesday warned that it will give a “fitting reply” if anyone tries to destabilise the country over Buet student Abrar Fahad’s murder.

“Police and administration are doing their work. Chhatra League has already expelled those found involved in the incident,” Al Nahean Khan Joy told a press conference at Dhaka University.

BCL acting General Secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee was also present at the briefing.

Abrar, a second-year electrical and electronic engineering student, was beaten to death by Chhatra League activists at his residential hall on early Monday.

Joy claimed that a certain quarter is trying to disgrace Bangladesh in the international arena by manipulating the incident.

He said BCL has taken punitive action against offenders after investigation. “Action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” he said.

Rajshahi, Sept 29 (UNB) – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday suggested Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to try to have the affection of people instead of receiving awards abroad after ‘snatching’ people’s rights.

Speaking at a rally here, he also said the recent drive against casinos has exposed how the government plundered public money. 

“People are the owners of the country. There’s no point of receiving awards abroad by fooling people and snatching their rights. Try to get the love of people and it’ll be useful for you,” the BNP leader said pointing at the Prime Minister. 

Sheikh Hasina received two prestigious international awards --‘Champion of the Skills Development for Youths' Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to skill development of the youth, and ‘Vaccine Hero’ award in recognition of Bangladesh's outstanding success in vaccination to immunise children – during her visit to New York to attend the attend the UN’s 74th General Assembly session.

BNP arranged the rally at Pathanpara Crossing in the city demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Fakhrul alleged that the ruling party leaders siphoned off Tk 27, 000 crore abroad in the last one year. “The people of the country now want Khaleda Zia to be freed. Your (govt’s) all secrets have got exposed (through the recent drive), and you won’t be able to stay in power anymore.”

He came down hard on Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud for what he said ‘inventing’ information that BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman used to get money from casinos. “You can’t confuse people with such comments as your (govt’s) misdeeds have got uncovered.”

The BNP leader said the government also committed a grave offence by ‘snatching’ people’s voting rights at the dead of night on December 29 last year.

He urged the government to dissolve the current parliament and hold a fresh election under a neutral administration and the Election Commission to install a pro-people and representative government. Or else, the BNP leader warned that people will ensure the fall of the government through a united movement, he said.

“You can’t suppress the movement of people as you’ve been in power rigging votes,” he added.

Mentioning that democracy will be restored only when Khaleda Zia is released, he called upon people irrespective of their party and opinion to get united to wage a strong movement against the government.

Fakhrul said the current government has established a one-party rule by ‘annihilating’ democracy and ‘snatching’ people’s all the democratic rights.

He alleged that the government has imposed an ‘unofficial curfew’ in Rajshahi city to obstruct people from joining BNP’s rally.

The BNP leader claimed that their party’s many leaders and activists were arrested over the last few days centring the rally. “The communications between Rajshahi and other parts of the country remained stopped since morning. It seems a curfew has been imposed here. The entire city looks empty, and no shop is opened and vehicle movement remained suspended. Even, motorcycles are not allowed to ply.”

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the local administration and law enforcers blocked BNP leaders and activists at different points of the city in an effort to thwart the rally. “You’re (law enforcers) harming yourselves by indulging in such acts. You’re friends of people and stand by them.”

Another BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said there is no use of holding rallies or making any demand to the government for the release of Khaleda Zia. “We must take to the streets and give a counter-reply if we’re obstructed.”

He also said Khaleda Zia will not be freed unless the current government quits. “So, let’s free Khaleda Zia by ousting the current regime.”

Chaired by BNP Rajshahi city unit president Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, party standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Iqbal Hossain Mahmud Tuku, its leaders Mizanur Rahman Minu, Habibur Rahman Habib, and Ruhul Quddu Talukder Dulu, among others, addressed the rally.

Bus services on the Natore-Rajshahi route remained halted since Sunday morning, causing immense sufferings to thousands of commuters.

BNP leader Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul claimed that transport workers enforced a strike ahead of the party’s rally, an allegation turned down by transport workers, saying bus services were disrupted due to rain.

Kamal Hossain Robi, a former president of the union, insisted that the services were halted as the number of passengers was low because of rain.

He said buses were running on the Rajshahi-Dhaka route.

Dhaka, Sept 28 (UNB) – Welcoming the current drive against casinos and corrupt elements, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said good governance is a must to resolve the growing unemployment problem in the country.

“Job crisis is getting worse in the country due to corruption. Good governance must be ensured to resolve the problem,” he said.

GM Quader came up with the view while speaking at a reception accorded to him by Jatiya Muktijoddha Projonmo Party at Jatiya Party Chairman’s Banani office.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is curbing corruption irrespective of party and opinion with an iron hand showing zero tolerance to it. “Jatiya Party welcomes it.”    

The Jatiya Party chief said their party will work for giving democracy an institutional shape and completing the unfinished tasks of its late chairman HM Ershad to turn the country into ‘Golden Bangladesh’.

He said Ershad used to consider the freedom fighter as the best sons of the soil and took various steps for their betterment, and introduced various facilities for them.

Dhaka, Sept 28 (UNB) – Accusing the ruling party of taking the country to the brink of ruination, Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikyafront on Saturday demanded that a national government be formed to protect the nation.

In a joint statement signed by Gonoforum general secretary Dr Reza Kibria, the alliance said, “The scenario of the wounds the State suffered, unlawful activities, plundering of public resources and defiance to the rule of law that got exposed through the police drives over the last few days is awful.

Oikyafront said such misdeeds and irregularities in the state system are possible only when there is government pampering and patronage. “It has proved that the current undemocratic government has taken the country towards the destruction with its bid to grab power.”

Under the circumstances, the alliance made three demands, including resignation of the government and formation of a national one to revive the ‘shattered’ administrative system, ‘restore’ constitutional and democratic method of governance and thus save the country’s independence and sovereignty.

The other demands include release of all the state prisoners, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, working out ways to resolve the political and governance crisis through the national talks with demonstrating political parties and professional bodies, and formation of an acceptable national commission to investigate the incidents of enforced disappearances, killing, vote robbery at the dark of night and corruption and plundering by the current government.

Dhaka, Sept 28 (UNB) - Claiming that the government has bogged into corruption, BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Saturday demanded the ministers and ruling party MPs make their wealth statements public.

“Corruption has spread to every organ of the government. We want to see the wealth statements of all the ministers and MPs. The statements must be presented before people,” he said.

Speaking at a human-chain programme here, the BNP leader also said it is necessary to know how much wealth the ministers and former ministers have so far amassed and how much wealth they had before assuming office.

“If they don’t accept our demand, we’ll understand the allegation of corruption can be brought against all the ministers and MPs of the current parliament,” he said.

Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Justifying his demand, Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said a recent global report said Bangladesh is the number one country where it is easy to become the rich very quickly.

“This means those who are indulging in gambling, casino business, and making imports in favour of the government through over-invoicing and earning black money are getting richer. The banking system has now collapsed. That’s why we’re making the demand (for submission of wealth statements),” he added.

The BNP leader said the current drive of the government against the casino business and wrongdoers will not be successful as long as the MPs and ruling party influential leaders who are behind the misdeeds are tracked down.

He also said the government will not be able to eliminate corruption as it has plunged into graft. “So, they should step down immediately and take steps for holding a credible election under a non-party neutral administration creating a scope for people to establish a true representative government.”

Moudud said the country’s people have lost their confidence in the government due to its ‘misrule and corruption’. “The government will collapse due to its widespread corruption.”

He alleged that their party chief Khaleda Zia has been in jail for nearly 17 months in ‘false cases, and she is not getting bail due to the government’s influence on the court.

The BNP leader said they will continue to put in their efforts to free Khaleda through the legal process. “But it won’t be enough as the street movement is the only path to have her released from jail.”

He called upon BNP leaders and activists to get ready to take to the streets as their party will come up with action programmes in the coming days to force the government free Khaleda.

BNP vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman, joint secretary general Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Swechchasebak Dal president Shafiul Bari Babu and general secretary Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Jewel, among others, spoke at the programme.