Gonoforum president Dr. Kamal Hossain and general secretary Dr. Reza Kibria have extended their full support to the complain of 42 eminent citizens sent to the President after bringing allegation of irregularities against the Election Commission. In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday evening they said, recently 42 eminent citizens of the country in a statement have demanded for taking action following investigation by the Supreme Judicial Council against the current Election Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda over the allegations of financial irregularities, corruption and serious misconduct. We are extending our full support to the logical demand and proposal brought by the eminent citizens. In the statement the Gonoforum leaders also said, it was not expected to anyone about the serious complains like financial irregularities, corruption and serious complain related to the election against a constitutional institution like Election Commission. It is scandalous and unfortunate for the nation. They said, there are allegations of doing ‘business’ over purchase and appointment against the Election Commission. Image crisis has been created for the commission due to allegations of serious misconduct and irregularities in different elections like City Corporation and eleventh national parliament elections. We specially are requesting the President to take necessary actions following prompt investigation by forming the Supreme Judicial Council. AH       

Junaid Babunagari on Sunday took the helm of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh. The Qawmi madrasa-based organization's Dhaka city unit President Nur Hossain Kashemi has been made the secretary general. The announcements were made during a press conference at Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam, popularly known as Hathazari Madrasa, after Hefazat's council. More than 350 members of the Islamic organization participated in the council, which took place 58 days after the death of former Hefazat ameer Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi. On September 18, Allama Shafi, the first ameer and the supreme leader of the organization, died at a hospital in Dhaka. Source: UNB AH

Founder and trustee of Ganashasthaya Kendra Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury said, ruling party Awami League is going to establish BKSAL in the country from different angle. There is no democracy in the country. Awami League’s acceptance to the people has reached at the bottom. People cannot speak independently. Everyone should be given the right to speak. He said this at a human chain formed in front of National Press Club on Friday. Dr. Zafrullah said, as there is no democracy, so the works of the Prime Minister have been proved as wrong. Recently the women and children repression prevention act was amended and death penalty has been made effective as capital punishment. But by awarding death sentence change did not come in the world for committing crimes. He said, the government has snatched away the democratic rights of people. People cannot speak independently at the moment, they cannot form any association. It is a preparation to establish BKSAL in the country. Everyone should be given the right to speak. Pointing out the arrest of The Daily Sangram editor Abul Asad and BFUJ (partial) president Ruhul Amin Gazi, he said, they were arrested for their speech. During the human chain Bhasani Front chairman Mamtaz Chowdhury, NAP secretary general Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan, press advisor of Ganashasthaya Kendra Jahangir Alam Mintu also delivered speech. AH

Around 400 demonstrators have started their long-march programme from Dhaka to Noakhali’s Begumganj upazila protesting the growing incidents of rape, sexual harassment and violence against women across the country in recent times and the culture of impunity. The march began from Shahbag around 10:30am. The protesters including left-leaning parties, students, youths and rights activists, started their long march under the banner of "Dhorshon O Bicharhinotar Biruddhe Bangladesh" (Bangladesh against rape and impunity) to press home nine-point demand. They marched towards Noakhali shouting anti-rape slogans. Former General Secretary of Bangladesh Students' Union Liton Nandi said, “This march is a part of our protest against rape and injustice. Maybe the police will not interrupt this march but there are such possibilities from a student party.” “Around 450 activists are taking part in this programme. Firstly, seven buses will depart from Gulistan, then another five buses will join the protest from Narayanganj,” Sadikul Islam Sadik, vice president of Socialist Students' Front’s Dhaka University wing, stated. Meanwhile, they held a rally at Sonargaon of Narayanganj on their way and will hold another in Maizdi of Noakhali on Saturday. Their demands include ensuring exemplary punishment of the perpetrators involved in rape and violence against women, resignation of the home minister and an end to repression of women. Protests against rape and violence against women erupted across the country since the beginning of October, following the recent incidents of gang rape in Sylhet's MC College and in Noakhali's Begumganj upazila. In the wake of widespread protests against the growing incidents of rape, the President has promulgated an ordinance allowing death penalty as the highest punishment for the crime instead of life imprisonment. The ordinance was issued following waves of anti-rape demonstrations across Bangladesh after a video footage of five men gang-raping a housewife, stripping her naked and filming the video of the incident in Noakhali’s Begumganj upazila, went viral on social media. Source: UNB AH

Seven people including DUCSU VP Nurul Haque Nur were detained while protesting the incident of filing a rape case against six including Nur infront of Mathsya Bhaban in the capital. But moments after the detention they were released. Mahbub Alam, joint commissioner of metropolitan Detective Branch informed the matter to Rtv news. He said, after quizzing they were released including Nur. Earlier Ramna division Deputy Commissioner Sajjadur Rahman said, they were detained to take control over the law and order situation. VP Nur and his supporters created anarchy at the Mathsya Bhaban area. They attacked the vehicles on road. Police tried to take control over the situation. At that time they attacked the on duty police members. For this reason Nur and other six were detained by the Detective Branch. AH    

A female student of Dhaka University has filed a rape case against Vice President (VP) of Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) Nurul Haque Nur. The case was filed with Lalbag police station in the capital. Lalbag division Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Biplab Bijoy Talukder confirmed the information on Monday. He said, VP Nur is one of the main accused in this case. Besides there are names of other five people in the first information report. The case was filed yesterday. Nurul Haque Nur came into the lime light during quota reformation movement in 2018 as the joint convener of Bangladesh general students rights protection council. Then on March 11, 2019 he was elected DUCSU VP after getting 11,062 votes. Nurul Haque Nur hails from Char Biswas union under Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali district. His father Idris Hawlader is a businessman and former Union Parishad member. His mother’s name is Nilufa Begum. Nur is second among three brothers and five sisters. He passed the HSC examination from Uttara High School and College in the capital in 2012. Then he got himself admitted in the English department of Dhaka University in 2013-14 session. AH

Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Allama Ahmad Shafi is no more (Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun). He died at Asgar Ali Hospital in the capital while undergoing treatment on Friday evening. Media Coordinator of Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi Mawlana Iqbal confirmed the matter to Rtv news. Confirming the information to Rtv news Hefazat-e-Islam Dhaka metropolitan unit joint secretary general Mufti Fayzullah said, while undergoing treatment he died at around 6 pm at capital’s Asgar Ali Hospital. Earlier in the afternoon Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi was brought to capital boarded on an air ambulance from Chattogram Medical College Hospital. He was then admitted at Asgar Ali Hospital. Mentionable, Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi (104) was suffering from different old age complexities including diabetes, high blood pressure and breathing problem. AH