Dhaka, May 29 (UNB) – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said their party’s movement for the ‘restoration’ of democracy will continue under any circumstances.

“Many of us are now upset. I think, there’s no reason to be frustrated. Our main target is to restore democracy, free Khaleda Zia and our numerous leaders and activists from jail and end the misrule,” he said.

Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP leader further said, “We’ll face many obstacles towards reaching our goal. We must go ahead braving all the barriers, and carry out our struggle for democracy under any circumstances.”

Kalyan Party, one of the components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, arranged the iftar event at the auditorium of Bangladesher Communist Party Bhaban in the city. 

Fakhrul said Awami League has been working in a planned way for over a decade to eliminate opposition parties from the country. “They sent our chairperson (Khaleda Zia to jail) implicated our thousands of leaders and activists in false cases, arrested them and killed many others.”  

He also alleged that Awami Leagued usurped power by staging a farce in the name of 11th parliamentary election.

The BNP leader said no one of the MPs of the current parliament represents people since voters could not exercise their right to franchise in the December-30 election. “The same way, we think, the current government also doesn’t represent people.”

He said though their MPs joined parliament, neither the 20-party nor the Jatiya Oikyafront considers the current parliament and the government a legitimate one.

Fakhrul called upon the people of all walks of life to get united to establish a pro-people government through a fair and credible election.

Dhaka, May 29 (UNB) – BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Wednesday said deep anger and confusion have gripped their party rank and file as its MPs joined the current ‘unelected and illegal’ parliament.

Speaking at a discussion of BNP, he also warned that their party will not be able to make progress much in national politics if the confusion cannot be removed from their minds.

 “There’ve been serious resentment and confusion among the leaders and workers at all levels of the party due to parliament joining all of a sudden. People from all walks of life are also raising many questions about BNP’s current position. We must give replies to those questions. We’ll have to take effective steps to reorganise party founded by Ziaur Rahman,” Moudud said.

He suggested holding an extended meeting of BNP’s national executive committee together with the representatives of its all associate bodies to remove confusion and misunderstanding through discussions.

BNP arranged the programme at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, marking the 38th founding anniversary of its founder Ziaur Rahman.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said their party turned down the results of the 11th parliamentary election just after its announcement. “We branded this parliament as unelected and illegal one.”

He also said BNP did not take part in the by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation and upazila polls under the current government.

“We also expelled around our 200 leaders who joined upazila polls. Our many leaders and activists were killed, maimed and injured in 300 seats during the last national election. Thousands of our leaders and activists were implicated in false cases and sent to jail. But the sudden decision of joining the current parliament frustrated the party’s leaders and activists at all levels,” Moudud observed.

He said there is no alternative to keeping BNP united since their chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman are now unable to lead the party. “Now, the country is also under the clutch of one-party and brutal autocratic rule. “

Under the circumstances, the BNP leader said, there is no alternative to strengthening the party. “Remove us from the leadership, if necessary, and create new leadership.”   

Speaking at the programme, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir did not talk anything about the issue raised by Moudud, but asked party leaders and activists not to get upset.

“Many people express their frustration and talk about it, but I don’t. I think the ideals of late President Ziaur Rahman and the sacrifices of Khaleda Zia can never fail,” he said.

Fakhrul said BNP will surely make a turnaround soon as people love this party. “We must free Khaleda Zia from jail and restore democracy.”

He alleged that the government is trying to turn Bangladesh into a “failed state” in a planned way. “It seems there’s no governing system here as misrule and crises have gripped the country.”

‘On the day of our founder’s death anniversary, we must take a vow to remain united. We won’t create any division. We’ll strengthen BNP following the ideals of Ziaur Rahman,” Fakhrul added.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Awami League is now working as the opponents of people by “destroying” democracy.

He alleged that the ruling party always fears BNP and the Zia family as the country’s people like the political ideology of Ziaur Rahman.

Mosharraf suggested reorganising BNP as per its constitution and spread the ideals of Ziaur Rahman among youths to free Khaleda Zia from jail and restore democracy.

BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, vice chairmen Selima Rahman, AZM Zahid Hossain and Ahmed Azam Khan, among others, addressed the programme.

Dhaka, May 29 (UNB) - Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of ruling Awami League, has excluded 19 leaders from its central executive body without disclosing their names after a primary investigation into various allegations brought against them.
 
A press release signed by president Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and general secretary Golam Rabbani early Wednesday states, “Nineteen posts have been announced vacant as per an emergency decision of the central executive body. The posts will be filled later after scrutiny.” 
 
BCL has also withdrew its temporary expulsion order against Jarin Dia, former member of the central executive committee, as she apologised for her mistakes, says another press release issued by the BCL president and secretary on Tuesday night.  
 
BCL general secretary Golam Rabbani said, “We took this decision after an investigation. However, we aren’t disclosing the names for a strategic reason. We’ll submit all the names, information and documents of the proof of the allegations to the Prime Minister on her return from abroad.”
 
Leaders of ‘posts-deprived’ Chhatra League faction, who have been continuing a sit-in programme for the third consecutive day on Wednesday at the foot of Raju memorial sculpture on the Dhaka University campus, termed this decision as a “new drama”.
 
Rana Jamid, former social welfare affairs secretary of BCL and a spokesperson of the ‘deprived faction’, said, “I think it's nothing but a new drama. We’ve been demanding expulsion of the controversial leaders from the beginning. But keeping their names undisclosed, they’re trying to support the controversial people."
 
He also said they will continue their protest until their demands are met. 
 

Dhaka, May 28 (UNB) – BNP on Tuesday provided political party leaders with Tk 30 iftar items each, an amount allocated for its jailed chairperson Khaleda Zia.

BNP hosted the iftar party in honour of politicians at Ladies Club in the city participated by around 2,000 leaders and activists of Jatiya Oikyafront, the 20-Party Alliance and different professionals.

Though the party invited senior leaders of ruling Awami League, no one of them turned up at the event. Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain was not present at the iftar either.

The T-30 iftar items include two dates, one jalebi, one beguni, one piaju, some cooked grams and pupped rice and a small bottle of water.

In a brief address prior to the iftar meal, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they arranged the iftar with a heavy heart since their chairperson Khaleda has been kept in jail in ‘false’ cases.

“When we’ve gathered here, she’s also waiting to take iftar at a tiny room of PG Hospital (Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University). The government provides Tk 30 for her iftar. That’s why we kept our iftar limited to the same amount of money, showing our empathy to her,” he said.

The BNP leader urged the guests to take the matter as a mark of respect for Khaleda.

He also urged them to pray for the wellbeing of Khaleda and the arrested BNP leaders and activists and their family members.

Fakhrul said the current government established a dictatorship in the country by destroying democracy, democratic institutions and basic pillars of the state.

“We’re heading towards a terrible consequence. Let’s pray to the Almighty Allah so that He saves us from it,” he added.

Gonoforum executive presidents Prof Abu Sayeed, Subrata Chowdhury, its former general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, JSD general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, Jamaat leaders Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Hamidur Rahman Azad, Abdul Halim, Selimuddin, Jatiya Party (Zafar) president Mostafa Jamal Haider, Khelafat Majlish chief Prof Mohammad Ishaq, Kalyan Party chief Syed Mohammed Ibrahim, NPP chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad, Muslim League leader AHM Kamruzzaman, Labour party chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran,  Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, among others, joined the iftar.

Dhaka, May 27 (UNB) - BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that government snatched press freedom abusing the ‘Digital Security Act’.

“It’s unfortunate that you (journalists) now can’t perform your professional duties. Assuming power, Awami League in a planned way shut down newspapers and television channels one after another, making many journalists jobless,” he said.

The BNP leader further said, “We’re seeing online news portals are also being closed. All sorts of freedom are being snatched through the Digital Security Act.”

Fakhrul came up with the remarks while speaking at an iftar party arranged by pro-BNP faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) at the Jatiya Press Club.

He alleged that Bangladesh is now no longer an independent and democratic country since the government has completed all the necessary preparations for restoring one-party rule. “Bangladesh has now turned into an autocratic state dependent on others under a fascist and authoritarian government.”

The BNP leader said the international community is also considering Bangladesh as one of the despotic countries in the world.

Fakhrul accused the current government of destroying all the democratic institutions one after another through politicisation. “They’ve politicised the judiciary and administration. They’re also using law enforcers as their party forces.”

He said there is now no rule of law in the country. “We’re also in doubt whether there any government is functioning here.”

The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party men are indulging in widespread corruption as the government has no accountability to people. “No one, including the law enforcers, judges, teachers and even doctors, can freely perform their professional duties as an unusual and appalling situation has been created in the country.”

To get rid of the situation, Fakhrul urged the people of all walks of life to get united to install a pro-people government through a fair and credible election under a neutral administration and the Election Commission.

BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed, vice chairman Barkatullah Bulu, joint secretary general Mahbubuddin Khokon, BJUJ president Ruhul Amin Gazi, its former president Shawkat Mahmud, secretary general M Abdullah, DUJ president Kader Gani Chowdhury and senior journalist were, among others, present.