Dhaka, Sept 24 (UNB) – Claiming that Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has been carrying out its activities lawfully, BNP on Tuesday said court has no ‘jurisdiction’ to issue an injunction on the functioning of a political party.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also accused the government of ‘nakedly using’ court to destroy JCD.

“Whatever Chhatra Dal has done so far is lawful, and its councillors have elected their leadership through direct voting following the democratic process,” he said.

As per provisions of the law, the BNP leader said, political parties and their respective activities do not fall under the jurisdiction of court. “There’re some observations of the apex court in this regard.”

“According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972 and Political Parties Ordinance, 1978, BNP is a political party, and the lower court or an assistant judge's court has no jurisdiction to issue any injunction on the activities of the party and or on any office bearer of it,” he added.

Rizvi also said the court never engaged in or interfered with the activities of a political party in the country in the past.

On Monday, a Dhaka court issued an ad-interim injunction on the functioning of JCD’s newly-elected executive committee for the next seven days following an application by a former leader of BNP’s student body Md Aman Ullah Aman.

Fazlur Rahman Khokon and Iqbal Hossain Shamol were elected president and general secretary of JCD respectively at its council on September 19.

Voicing resentment over the court’s injunction, Rizvi said it cannot be an issue of the court to interfere in the formation of a committee of an organisation.  “The culture of regulating politics through court will only invite dangerous consequences for the country.”

He said their party believes that the court will remain as the last resort for people to seek justice instead of being used as a weapon of the government.

The BNP leader said the court is silent though the president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League were removed illegally by violating the RPO. “Had the court been neutral and independent, it would have dissolved the full committee of Chhatra League and served the Awami league high command with a show-cause notice for violating the RPO.”

Rizvi said the court is only active against BNP and its leaders and activists, but it has no step against extortion by ruling party men, illegal operation of casinos,   plundering of banks and share markets and siphoning off thousands of crores of taka abroad.

Dhaka, Sept 23 (UNB) – A court here on Monday issued a temporary injunction on the activities of the new committee of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD). 

The court also issued a show-cause notice on newly elected JCD President Fazlur Rahman Khokon and General Secretary Iqbal Hossain Shyamol to explain in seven days why the committee activities should not be declared illegal.

Judge of the 4th Senior Assistant Judge Court Nusrat Sahara Bithi passed the order, said court bench clerk Kalyan Kumar Saha.

He said a petition was filed to make the JCD president and general secretary a party to the case.

The court issued a temporary injunction on the JCD council on September 12 following a petition filed by Aman Ullah Aman, a leader of the recently dissolved committee.

On Wednesday night, JCD, the student wing of BNP, got its president and general secretary elected through direct balloting. 
 

Dhaka, Sept 23 (UNB) – Condemning the attack on Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) reportedly by the activists of ruling party student body on the Dhaka University campus, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said it is an ominous sign for politics.

“When Chhatra Dal is trying to come up with positive student politics with a fresh vigour following its successful council, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) cadres attacked its president, secretary and other leaders and activists. This is not only a condemnable incident, but also an ominous sign for Bangladesh politics,” he said.

Fakhrul came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting the wounded JCD leaders and activists at a city hospital. He also heard details about the attack from the Chhatra Dal leaders.

The BNP leader demanded the government take immediate action against those involved in the attack.

At least 11 leaders and activists of BNP’s student wing JCD and three journalists were injured in an attack allegedly by workers of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on the Dhaka University campus on Monday.

Fakhrul said Chhatra League is trying to spoil Chhatra Dal’s efforts to create a new chapter in student politics. “Both the Awami League and Chhatra League are terrorist organisations.”

He said the media have been running news about the misdeeds of the ruling party men for the few days. “People also witnessed an example of their terror acts today (Monday) through the attack on JCD leaders and activists.”

Fakhrul said they hope JCD will play an active role in student politics and the movement for the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail. “We think the terrorists can never win, and they will surely be defeated by the Chhatra Dal leadership.”

Dhaka, Sept 23 (UNB) – BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday alleged that the ruling party leaders have developed personal banks and treasuries in their houses by depleting both the state-owned and private banks.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he doubted whether the recent drive against some clubs and ruling party leaders is mere eyewash as ‘big corrupts’ still remain out of touch.

“Awami League and Jubo League leaders have made banks and treasuries in their own houses after making banks in Bangladesh penniless. They’re keeping their surplus money at homes after siphoning off huge amount abroad,” the BNP leader alleged.

He said the ruling party leaders, including the small ones of its associate bodies, amassed huge ‘ill-gotten’ money by indulging in ‘corruption and plundering’.  

“The entire country has got exhausted due to plundering, gambling, extortion, tender manipulation and other misdeeds by the ruling party leaders. There’s a question in public mind whether the sudden drive against corruption is eyewash to create a positive image of the government,” Rizvi quipped.

He alleged that no-one who is known to people as corrupt element has so far been arrested. “No-one of the godfathers of illicit drug trade and corrupts have been arrested yet.  If hundreds of crores of Taka can be found at the office of a small leader of the ruling party’s associate body what can be the condition of its main leaders, ministers, and big fishes?”

The BNP leader said the ruling party leaders are running many casinos at different parts of the country, including 60 in the capital, and indulging in drug trading.

He also alleged that huge money is being plundered from different development projects. “Corruption is also limitless in the AL general secretary’s ministry. When barely Tk 28 crore is spent on constructing one kilometer of a four-lane road in other countries, Obaidul Quader has spent Tk 200 crore for it. This manifests how big fish are plundering public money.”

Rizvi criticised the ruling party leaders for accusing BNP founder Ziaur Rahman of introducing gambling culture in the country, saying Awami League senior leaders are only trying to mislead people and shift the blame of their misdeeds onto others with their unguarded remarks.

Cox’s Bazar, Sept 22 (UNB) – Mentioning that BNP made Bangladesh the world champion in corruption for five times, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said ethical words do not suit its leaders.

“BNP is raising question against the government about corruption. But they were five-time champion in corruption and no-one can break the record. They didn’t take any effective measure in preventing corruption,” he said.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, was talking to reporters after a views-exchange meeting with the government officials at the deputy commissioner’s office.

He said ‘Hawa Bhaban’ was the base of corruption during the BNP tenure and all the leaders of BNP were corrupt.

The ruling party leader also asked all the BNP leaders to resign from their posts following their failure to free their chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail through a movement.

He urged the government officials to work with honesty instead of indulging in corruption. “No corruption in the name of Awami League will be tolerated,” he said.