BANGLADESH NATIONALIST PARTY: May 2011

May 31, 2011

Khaleda Zia will sit with the leaders of its allies

Khaleda Zia

BNP chief Khaleda Zia will sit with the leaders of its allies on Tuesday night.

The meeting was scheduled to be held around 8pm at the party chairperson's Gulshan office, her press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told reporters on Tuesday.

Leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote and Bangladesh Jatiya Party will attend the meeting.

Earlier, she sat with the party's standing committee members from 6:30pm to 7:10pm.

Committee members Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, R A Gani, Mahbubur Rahman, M K Anwar, A S M Hannan Shah, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Nazrul Islam Khan were present at the meeting.

Earlier in the day, prime minister Sheikh Hasina at a press conference said that there was no chance for retaining the caretaker government system since the top court has abolished it.

BNP has been saying that it would boycott the general election if a caretaker government was not in place to oversee it.

Source : bdnews24.com, May 31, 2011

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BNP will not participate in any election under political govt

Party flag of BNP

Main opposition BNP will not participate in parliamentary election under any political government.

“BNP will not take part in any general election under the Awami League government," said Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of BNP.

Earlier on the day, BNP claimed that US officials had informed its chairperson that the US is going to postpone sending money to Bangladesh for implementing Millennium Development Goals (MDG) until a respectful resolution of Muhammad Yunus issue.

Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, BNP chairperson's press secretary, made the claim while addressing a press conference at party chairperson’s Gulshan office.

He said the US officials conveyed the information to Khaleda Zia during her recent visit to the country.

“Congressman Joseph Crowley (the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Bangladesh) also disclosed it before the press there,” Maruf Kamal said.

Terming the BNP chairperson’s recent US visit as highly successful, he claimed it has brought honour for her as well as the whole country.

On an allegation of extortion to raise fund for Khaleda’s UK and US tour, Shamsher Mobin, BNP Vice Chairman and Khaleda’s entourage during the visit, said “This is not true. Expatriate Bangladeshis provided the money.”

The MDGs were set by the United Nations, which also funds various programme to achieve the eight goals – end poverty and hunger, universal education, gender equality, child health, maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability, and global partnership.

According to UN sources, the US makes significant contribution to the UN fund for achieving the MDGs. The USAID may contribute to some similar programmes, which the US government controls. The UN funds are controlled by the UN.

In other words, it is particularly not possible for the US to stop MDG funding for Bangladesh.

Source : The Daily Star, May 31. 2011

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May 30, 2011

Beloved Leaders of Bangladesh People

Bangladesh Nationalist Party

Ziaur Rahman
Ziaur Rahman was born in the village of Bagbari in the Bogra District of the northwest Bangladesh. His father, Mansur Rahman was a chemist working for a government department in Kolkata. Zia's childhood was divided between living in the village and the city. He was later enrolled into the Hare School in Kolkata. With the partition of the British-India in 1947, Mansur Rahman with his family returned to East Bengal, which became part of the new state of Pakistan. The family later moved to Karachi, the federal capital located in Sindh West Pakistan, where Mansur Rahman had been transferred to work for the Government of Pakistan. Zia was enrolled in the Academy School in Karachi.

Begum Khaleda Zia
Politician who served at three times as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In 1960, she married Ziaur Rahman, at the age of 15, a leader in the fight for the independence of Bangladesh. Her husband became president of Bangladesh in 1977, and after his assassination in 1981 she became politically active. In 1984 she assumed the leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Khaleda Zia is the widow of assassinated President of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman, and leads his old party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Khaleda Zia was arrested repeatedly during the dictatorship of Hossain Mohammad Ershad in the 1980s, but in 1991 she led the opposition to victory and became the First woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been elected to five separate parliamentary constituencies in the general elections of 1991, 1996, and 2001, a feat unachieved by any other politician in Bangladeshi history.

Tareq Rahman
Tarique Rahman (also spelled as Tarek Rahman) is a Bangladeshi politician. He is the Senior Vice Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). His nickname is Pino, which is less used by the public than the nickname, Coco, of his younger brother Arafat Rahman. He is also popularly known as Tareq Zia, the reminiscent of his father's main name.

Source : Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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May 29, 2011

Begum Khaleda Zia returns home

Khaleda Zia

Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia returned home Sunday afternoon ending a 15-day visit to the US and the UK.

An Emirates flight carrying the former premier landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:14pm.

BNP leaders and activists accorded a grand reception to Khaleda at the airport.

Completing the second leg of her tour, she started from John F Kennedy International Airport around 12:00pm on Saturday.

The BNP chairperson was accompanied by her advisers Osman Farroque, Abdul Awal Mintoo, Sabihuddin Ahmed and Vice President of the party Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, journalist Shafik Rehman and some of her personal staff.

Khaleda left for the UK on May 14 and went to the US on May 21.

Source : The Daily Star, May 29, 2011
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May 28, 2011

BNP lawmakers form human chain

Human Chain

On the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises BNP policymakers on Saturday formed a human chain demanding declaration of May 30, the day BNP founder Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in 1981, as a public holiday.

Speaking during the programme, which lasted for 30 minutes from 10:00am, the opposition policymakers said that Ziaur Rahman had “proclaimed the country’s independence which has already been recognised at home and abroad.”

Zia was also a sector commander during the country’s Liberation War of 1971, they said.

The BNP policymakers who joined the human chain included Moudud Ahmed, Zainul Abdin Farroque, Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, Barkatullah Bulu, Nazrul Islam Manju, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, Joynul Abdin, Mozahar Ali Prodhan, Mostafa Ali, Mezbahuddin Farhad, Golam Mostafa, Nazimuddin Ahmed, Rumana Mahmud, Hasina Ahmed and Nilufar Chowdhury Moni.

Source : The Daily Star, May 28, 2011

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BNP to boycott e-voting: Moudud Ahmed

Moudud Ahmed

A BNP lawmaker has said they will not take part in elections if the government introduces e-voting, as it will be 'a tool of vote rigging'.

"We won't accept e-voting and take part in elections. Elections must be held under the existing voting system," Moudud Ahmed said at a human chain programme at the South Plaza of the parliament building on Saturday morning.

The government plans to introduce e-voting to check irregularities and scope of vote rigging.

BNP members of parliament formed the human chain demanding a public holiday on May 30, the death anniversary of the late president and party founder Ziaur Rahman.

"Ruling Awami League is plotting conspiracies for manipulating vote, because AL will be defeated in the polls," he said adding, "e-voting method is a great tool for manipulation. It is possible to declare someone a loser or winner by using this method."

Moudud also claimed that this method is not followed even in developed countries like the UK, the USA, France and India. "Manipulation is possible through installing a programme in this method. People's verdict does not reflect through this method of polls."

The chequered politician also alleged that the government in collaboration with the Election Commission was trying to introduce the method with ill motive.

The former law minister issued a warning that if the method as introduced, then his party (BNP) would not take part in the polls. "BNP will create a countrywide public opinion in this regard."

Earlier, on Mar 1, election commissioner Muhammad Sakhawat Hussain said that the commission had decided to go for e-voting in every constituency or to the extent possible in the next general election to ensure free and fair polls.

As a preliminary step, BUET and BMTF had been asked to assess the feasibility of the project, he said.

The Election Commission conducted a trial run of e-voting in one ward of Chittagong City Corporation mayoral election on Jun 17, 2009. BNP-backed mayor candidate Manjur Alam won the polls then.

Opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury and other BNP leaders also took part in the human chain programme.

Source : bdnews24.com, May 28, 2011

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May 27, 2011

Robert O Blake tells Khaleda Zia about his concerning as to Muhammad Yusus

Khaleda Zia and Robert O Blake

Robert O Blake US assistant secretary of state has told BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia that he is concerned about the process through which Muhammad Yunus was removed from Grameen Bank as its managing director.

Blake met Khaleda, who is in the US now, at her hotel suit in Washington at 4:30pm (local time) on Thursday, her press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com.

He said they also discussed the state of Bangladesh's democracy, human rights, judiciary and several other issues.

Khan said Blake expressed his concern that Grameen Bank's microcredit programme might face obstructions due to the removal of Nobel Peace laureate Yunus from the bank.

Quoting Khaleda as saying at the meeting, Khan said, "Professor Yunus is an honourable personality. People of the country think that he was denied justice due to favouritism in the judiciary."

Bangladesh Bank on Mar 2 sacked Yunus, who in 2006 became the first ever Bangladeshi to win a Nobel prize, from the post of managing director of Grameen Bank for his 'unauthorised' reappointment in 1999.

It said Yunus, 71, stayed at the helm of the bank beyond the limits permitted under the laws of the land that govern banking that require a chief executive to retire at 60.

He had been carrying on as the managing director since its foundation three decades back.

Yunus lost the legal battle as he appealed against the central bank decision which sparked criticism from home and abroad.

Main opposition BNP has also been criticising the decision.

About the relation between the two countries, Khaleda told Blake that it should be developed without third-party help.

Her advisor Osman Faruque and vice-president of the party Shamser Mobin Chowdhury were also present on the occasion.

Khaleda also met Tony Blinken, advisor for national security policy for US vice-president Joe Biden.

They discussed the issue of tackling terrorism and other bilateral issues, he said.

Khaleda informed him of her party's plan on various issues, he added.

Source : bdnews24.com, May 27, 2011

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May 26, 2011

BNP sees a constitutional crisis

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir

The opposition has accused the government of creating a 'constitutional crisis' in the country.

BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Thursday the government has done so mainly by 'making the judiciary partisan'.

Addressing a programme at the party's Naya Paltan head office, he said, "No one seems to know whether we are following the 1972 constitution or the BKSAL rule, which was legalised through the Fourth Amendment [to the constitution]."

Fakhrul made the comments at the programme where a number of leaders and activists from other parties joined BNP.

He said, "The government was pushing the economy towards a critical point. This programme itself proves how helpless the ruling coterie has become."

Over 500 activists of Basail Upazila in Tangail led by former Sakhipur municipal mayor Sanwar Hossain Sazib, also Krishak Sramik Janata League leader, former Awami League general secretary Abdul Gafur and former municipal councillor Asaduzzaman Milton joined the BNP.

Citing people's suffering over the inflation, Fakhrul said, "People are spending their days in the dark. The prices of basic commodities have gone out of reach of the general people. Yet the government does not seem to care."

The failure of the government has ruined everything including the administration and economy, he alleged.

BNP chairperson's advisor and Tangail BNP unit president Ahmed Azam Khan presided over the programme while joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, and other local leaders from Tangail also attended the programme.

Source : bdnews24.com

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Begum Khaleda Zia meets US Congressmen

Khaleda Zia

When they met with visiting BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday US Congressmen expressed deep concern over the human rights situation in Bangladesh as well as that of the judiciary.

Khaleda Zia had a joint meeting with four US congressmen -- Joseph Crowley, Sheila Jackson, Hansen Clarke and Brad Sherman.

A representative of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was present during the meeting.

Different issues, including democracy and rule of law in Bangladesh, came up for discussion in the meeting that lasted for one and half hours.

BNP vice-chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, who was present in the meeting, told UNB over phone that the Congressmen said if democracy and rule of law are threatened in Bangladesh, the US Congress will take a serious note of this as it might make uncertain Bangladesh’s access to the US Millennium Challenge Account.

The US Congressmen told Khaleda that they are monitoring the evolving situation in Bangladesh and would brief the US administration.

They recalled good relation of the Congress and the US administration with the past government of Khaleda Zia and hoped the relation would be strengthened.

Khaleda invited the Congressmen to visit Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has expressed regret as she could not meet with Khaleda due to her preoccupations.

Hillary Clinton conveyed the regret through her younger brother Tony Rodham to Khaleda at her Hotel Marriot suite in Washington on Wednesday.

Senator John Kerry also expressed his regret for not being able to meet with Khaleda and conveyed this through a special aide.

Source : The Daily Star, May 26, 2011

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May 25, 2011

'Govt plotting to put BNP men in jail'

Zainul Abdin Farroque

Dhaka, May 25—BNP has alleged that the government is 'conspiring' to revive cases against 138 party leaders filed during the previous military-backed caretaker government.

"We've come to know that the government has started hatching conspiracy to revive the cases filed against 138 BNP leaders by the Fakhruddin-Moeen Uddin government," party chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque said on Wednesday.

From a discussion at the National Press Club, he threatened that the conspiracy would not be successful as "millions of party supporters will remain free even if the 138 leaders are put in jail".

Farroque said their demand for mid-term polls would be realised through vigorous movement if the government did not give it willingly.

He also accused the ruling party of making parliament ineffective, where "we're barred to speak".

The opposition leader also criticised the government as well as retired chief justice A B M Khairul Haque for making the judiciary 'partisan'.

The discussion organised by Bangladesh National Awami Party, was chaired by its chairman Jebel Rahman Ghoni. Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP-Matin) secretary general Abu Naser Mohammad Rahmatullah also spoke, among others, on the programme.

Source : bdnews24.com, May 25, 2011

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BNP wants good relations with India: Khaleda

Begum Khaleda Zia

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, now in USA, on Tuesday said India should discuss with all the political parties of Bangladesh if it wants durable solutions to the long running problems between the two countries.

Her party wants good relations with India on the basis of mutual benefits, Khaleda said.

She made the remarks replying to a question how BNP considers Bangladesh’s relation with neighbouring India at the Atlantic Council of USA in Pennsylvania Tuesday afternoon.

Her entourage member BNP vice-chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury told UNB over phone that Khaleda delivered a statement on democracy, governance and economic development of Bangladesh at the Atlantic Council, a think tank outfit.

The council stimulates dialogue and discussion about critical international issues to enrich public debate and promote consensus on appropriate responses in the administration, the Congress, the corporate and nonprofit sectors, and the media in the United States and among leaders in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The former prime minister said the unresolved issues between Dhaka and New Delhi will have to be resolved on a win-win situation respecting each other’s independence and sovereignty.

Khaleda said the outstanding issues will have to be worked out through discussions.

Replying to another question, the BNP chief said practice and process of democracy inside her party has already started with the councils took place from grassroots to divisional levels.

On governance, Khaleda said without good governance, rule of law can not be established. She observed complete independence of the judiciary and the Election Commission is essential to ensure the rule of law.

The opposition leader said the administration should be kept out of politics at all levels, and recruitment, promotion everything should be done on the basis of merit. The administration should work as servant of the republic.

On socio-economic development, Khaleda said there should be growth of private sector and the public sector should have its role particularly in education and health sectors. The NGO will also have a role.

US Congressmen, a representative of vice-President Joe Biden, and BNP leaders Dr Osman Farruk Abdul Awal Minto and Khaleda’s press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan were present at the function.

Source : The daily Star, May 25, 2011

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May 24, 2011

New Jersey Senate honours Begum Khaleda Zia

Dhaka, May 24 — The New Jersey State Senate has conferred special honour on opposition leader Khaleda Zia for her contribution to strengthening democracy, fighting terrorism and empowerment of women.

She was honoured during the Senate's budget session on Monday, Bangladesh American public affairs front president Hasanuzzaman Hasan told bdnews24.com.

Senate president Stephen M Sweeney handed over the citation to the former prime minister, while senator Barbara Buono read out Khaleda's biography.

Hasan said the honour was awarded during the senate's budget session in Trenton, the capital of the state, 65 kilometres from New York.

The senators erupted in applause to congratulate Khaleda.

The citation gave her credit for contributing in the establishment of parliamentary democracy. Rural women became self-sufficient following the steps taken in Khaleda's tenure.

Khaleda in her speech expressed gratitude to the senate for the honour. She expressed hope that relations between Bangladesh and United States would be strengthened in future.

"The United States is a partner of Bangladesh in the fight against terrorism," she said.

Her foreign affairs adviser Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, former education minister Osman Farruk, businessman Abdul Awal Mintoo and press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan were also present at the programme.

Following the New Jersey programme, Khaleda reached Washington in the evening where she is due to hold a meeting with Department of State officials on Tuesday.

The BNP chairperson is expected to attend a reception from expatriate Bangladeshis at Grand Hyatt Hotel on Tuesday evening.

Khaleda arrived New York from London on May 21 in her 7-day tour. She will return home on May 27.

Source : bdnews24.com

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May 23, 2011

Khairul can't be caretaker head: Khaleda Zia

Begum Khaleda Zia

Dhaka, May 23 (bdnews24.com) — Branding immediate past chief justice A B M Khairul Haque as a partisan man, BNP chief Khaleda Zia has said they will not accept him as the chief advisor to the next caretaker government.

"Khairul is a party man. We'll never accept him as the chief advisor. We'll resist any such move," she said on Sunday night.

Khaleda was addressing a reception at Sheraton Hotel at Manhattan in New York, according to a message received here.

"We'll launch a vigorous movement for midterm polls on my return," she warned seeking cooperation of the Bangladeshi expatriates in this regard.

Source : bdnews24.com

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May 22, 2011

Dissolve parliament: BNP to president

Zainul Abdin Farroque

Dhaka, May 22 (bdnews24.com)— The BNP chief whip has urged president Zillur Rahman to give mid-term election by dissolving parliament before the constitution amendment.

"The current parliament is dysfunctional. So, we urge president Zillur Rahman to dissolve it and give fresh polls before amending the constitution," Zainul Abdin Farroque said on Sunday.

He made the demand at a news conference held at the Media Centre of the parliament building hours before the parliament goes into its ninth session at 4pm on Sunday.

He said they had already decided not to go to parliament at the beginning of the session and the final decision would be made after the return of party chief Khaleda Zia from abroad.

Khaleda, now in the US, is expected to return on May 29.

Source : bdnews24.com, May 22, 2011

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May 21, 2011

Withdraw cases against Khaleda: Moudud

Moudud Ahmed

Dhaka: BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed has said they will return to parliament if the four cases filed against party chairperson Khaleda Zia are lifted.

"We would like to return. But to create a congenial atmosphere for joining the session, withdraw at least the four cases filed against our party leader by today (Saturday)," Moudud told a discussion in the city on Saturday.

The next session of the ninth parliament begins on Sunday.

On Friday, BNP chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque said they would join parliament if their demand for midterm polls was met.

BNP walked out of the last session of parliament on its concluding day on Mar 28 after its return following a 74-day boycott since June last year.

Moudud said they wanted to make parliament effective, but there was no congenial atmosphere in the House.

News Source : The Independent, May 21, 2011

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Mid-term polls now public demand: Khaleda

Begum Khaleda Zia

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday said a midterm election has now become people’s demand in the wake of, what she said, the government’s ‘failure’ in all fronts.

Talking to reporters at Heathrow International Airport in London before flying for New York, she said the government should quit power to hold the snap polls recognising the public demand to uphold democracy.

She flew to New York by Virgin Atlantic Airlines at 10:30am local time.

The BNP had offered cooperation but the government did not respond to it; rather pushed them to street for movement, Khaleda said.

She termed her UK visit as ‘fruitful’.

Khaleda Zia said that she came to London to meet her eldest son Tarique Rahman, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

Replying to a question, she said Tarique’s health is improving.

On her meetings with British politicians, Khaleda said the existing good ties between Dhaka-London will be further enhanced in future.

She said she has requested the UK government to increase its cooperation in different sectors in Bangladesh

News Source : The Daily Star, May 21, 2011

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BANGLADESH NATIONALIST PARTY

Home

May 31, 2011

Khaleda Zia will sit with the leaders of its allies

BNP will not participate in any election under political govt

May 30, 2011

Beloved Leaders of Bangladesh People

May 29, 2011

Begum Khaleda Zia returns home

May 28, 2011

BNP lawmakers form human chain

BNP to boycott e-voting: Moudud Ahmed

May 27, 2011

Robert O Blake tells Khaleda Zia about his concerning as to Muhammad Yusus

May 26, 2011

BNP sees a constitutional crisis

Begum Khaleda Zia meets US Congressmen

May 25, 2011

'Govt plotting to put BNP men in jail'

BNP wants good relations with India: Khaleda

May 24, 2011

New Jersey Senate honours Begum Khaleda Zia

May 23, 2011

Khairul can't be caretaker head: Khaleda Zia

May 22, 2011

Dissolve parliament: BNP to president

May 21, 2011

Withdraw cases against Khaleda: Moudud

Mid-term polls now public demand: Khaleda

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