Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that she has seen the wives of BNP ministers selling sarees after bringing them from India. She made this remarks during a discussion at the Dhaka District Awami League office in Tejgaon on Wednesday (March 27th) on the occasion of the great Independence and National Day. Speaking as the chief guest, the Prime Minister said this while talking about the call of BNP leaders to boycott Indian products. Pointing at the BNP leaders, Sheikh Hasina said, "I saw a BNP leader to burn a shawl on the street. I will now say that if the BNP leaders burn Indian sarees of their wives only then I will believe that they have really boycotted Indian products.  "Before Eid, I used to see that the wives of BNP ministers used to bring sarees from India and sell them," PM added. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Jan 16) said BNP did not participate in the January 7 election in fear of defeat and has been searching for dark ways to assume power being rejected by the people time and again. "They know they are boycotted by the people. That is why, they don't want to take part in the election. So, they are searching for different ways to go to regain power by destroying the electoral process. They are now looking for the ways of darkness bypassing the path of light which is election," she said. The Prime Minister was addressing expatriate Awami League leaders and activists at her official Ganabhaban residence here. Sheikh Hasina asked the expatriates to stay alert against conspiracies saying that the plots are still being hatched. "They (BNP-Jamaat clique) are now demanding to cancel the election," she said. Referring to 2008 parliamentary election, the premier said the BNP-Jamaat alliance got only 30 seats while the AL alone bagged 233 seats. "Since then, they don't want any election. They have been setting fire on buses, launches, trains and burning people to death. The more they do terrorist activities and arson violence, the more the people reject them," she said. Sheikh Hasina came down heavily on the BNP as they have been doing politics with their party office. "They lock their office and then unlock it. They have lost the keys of their office and ways also and they are now becoming pedestrians of the lost way," she said. BNP has one virtue and that is arson terrorism, she said. The premier said BNP are skilled to create trap to kill people referring to withdraw fishplates of the railway track in which several persons were killed. She said the BNP had distributed leaflets among the people urging people to boycott the election alongside with conducting the violence. But, the people have casted their balloting spontaneously rejecting their plea to not going to polling centres. "Not only this time (January 7 election), the people have rejected them time and again. They did not take part in the election fearing to lose," she said. The Prime Minister thanked the people as they voted spontaneously and sent her party to power again. She continued participation of women in large numbers in the election a great achievement of the AL awareness campaign to make people understand that casting votes is their constitutional and civic rights. PM said there is no scarcity of food, reached electricity to every house and transformed Bangladesh into a digital Bangladesh since the Awami League had been in power in the last 15 years. Now, the people of Bangladesh want more developed and improved life. "We will turn Bangladesh into a poverty and hunger free developed and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041 in the spirit of the Liberation War as envisioned by the Father of the Nation," she said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (January 1, 2024) urged the people to give a befitting reply to arson violence, BNP and Jamaat by casting their votes in the January-7 general election. “You must cast your vote and protect your vote. Give a befitting reply to arson violence, militant and terrorist BNP and Jamaat,” she said. “BNP and Jamaat want to snatch your votes in the upcoming election by resorting to arson violence,” PM said.   The Awami League chief said this while addressing an election rally, arranged jointly by Awami League Dhaka City South and North units at Kalabagan Krirachakro Field in the city’s Dhanmondi area. She asked the people of Bangladesh to stay vigilant always against arsonists BNP and Jamaat as they want to destroy the country. She urged the voters to go to polling stations and cast their votes in the morning on January 7 so that none can snatch away their voting rights and election.

"BNP wants to foil elections through committing killings after failing in anti-government movement," he said while joining the polls campaign at the Chaprashirhat Bazar in Kabirhat uapzila at his own Noakhali-5 constituency this noon. "Mostaq -Zia had committed massacre in 1975...they had assassinated four national leaders in jail", said Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister. Even Tareque Zia and Khaleda Zia had perpetrated August 21 grenade attack for killing Sheikh Hasina, he said. Calling on the ruling party leaders and activists to become alert, he said, "Tareque is now indulged in conspiracy to assassinate a candidate or an eminent leader from London". "You (leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League) will resist it", Quader added. Recalling the situation of 1971, the ruling party leader said the people of the country had not got frightened in 1971. "Whatever impediment comes, the people would not be afraid this time as well," he continued. "We will take any suggestions from the foreign countries, but we will never accept those who will try to hamper our elections", said the minister, adding none have the capacity to hamper the next polls. Quader also said what Israel is doing in Gaza of Palestine; BNP is doing the same thing in the country now. "We don't scare people with arms ...people are our weapons", he said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already unveiled the election manifesto that demonstrates what would be done for the development of the country if the Awami League is voted to power again, the AL general secretary said. Zilla Parishad Chairman Abdul Wadud Pinto, Kabirhat Upazila AL President Hazi Md. Ibrahim, and Kabirhat Municipality Mayor Zahirul Huq Raihan, among others, were present. Source: BSS  

Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday called a dawn-to-dusk countrywide hartal for Monday demanding cancelation of the next general election schedule, resignation of the Awami League government, and handover power to a party-neutral election-time caretaker administration for holding the next national poll. Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announced the fresh programma at a virtual press briefing on Saturday (Dec 16). The hartal will be started at 6:00am on Monday and will be ended Monday evening, he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the BNP cannot overthrow the government by killing people. “Those who damage public properties and killed people do not deserve forgiveness,” the premier said in a views exchange meeting with the FBCCI’s newly elected committee at Ganabhaban, referring to a fatal train derailment in Gazipur earlier in the day. She added, “People who cut railway tracks, set people on fire and kill police officers in a planned manner have no humanity. We must stand against them.” PM said some 20 feet of rail track was cut with a gas cutter machine at Sreepur upazila in Gazipur on Wednesday afternoon in which eight bogies of Mohonganj Express, coming from Netrakona, got derailed in Gazipur leaving a man killed and several others injured. "That means it is an attempt to kill the people by distracting the train bogies. They want to overthrow the government by killing the people. What can they achieve from a movement by killing people?" she said. Sheikh Hasina said those who plan to kill people by uprooting rail tracks or burn people alive have no sense of humanity. "So, it is the people who will have to resist it," she added. The premier expressed her disappointment over the misdeeds, saying, "What will be the future of the country if they carry out such activities at a time when we are offsetting the brunt of the global economic recession?" The country’s people had witnessed the oppression of Pakistani forces who burnt everything like this.  “And now we see the attack of Israel on Palestine where the hospital is not spared. They even bombed the hospital. We are now witnessing the same scenario in Bangladesh.”   Sheikh Hasina said: "Attack is being carried out on ambulances in the name of movement.. They are burning ambulances entering police outposts, attacking police and beating police. Such strange incidents are happening in Bangladesh. It is a movement! Whose interest is behind this type of movement?   Referring to the incident of cutting the railway line in Gazipur and derailment of seven coaches along with the train engine, PM Hasina said: “Just think what a destructive act.” “They must be resisted by the people. That is my call to the people of the whole country,” PM said.   Commenting that Awami League is not trying to seize power, the premier said they (BNP) should go to the people and those who the people vote for will come to power.  “We’ve no attempt to hang onto power." "We are making development of Bangladesh as long as we are in power. None can deny that the country witnessed development. Today Bangladesh has radically changed,” she said.   Highlighting various initiatives of the government to ensure a business-friendly environment, the premier further added that: “We don't have a Hawa Bhaban. You don't have to run a business with someone's debt. Businessmen can run their business independently. At least we have given this opportunity.”

Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (23 November) urged BNP to participate in the 12th national election slated for January 7 to examine whom the people want to see in power. "Let's join the election to see how far one can run and to know whom the people want to see in power," she said. The prime minister was delivering her introductory speech ahead of AL's Parliamentary Nomination Board meeting at the party's Dhaka district office in city’s Tejgaon area to finalise the party's candidates of Rajshahi, Khulna and Rangpur divisions. She also sounded a note of warning against any move to foil the election. "Don't try to thwart the election. If do so, the consequence will not be good for anyone," she warned. The premier called upon other political parties to participate in the next election. "They (remaining other parties) who are in dilemma, I urge you all to take part in the election as there is no doubt that the next general election will be free and neutral," she said, welcoming the parties which announced to join the polls. The prime minister said she had given instruction time and again to make sure that the people of the country can vote freely. "We will hold the election to ensure people's rights to franchise. We will not interfere to this end. We want the election commission to hold free and neutral election," she said. She also said they don't need to steal the votes, as the people have confidence and trust in the Awami League. The international agencies surveys have also portrayed the same thing, she added. "So, we will take part in the election with self-confidence," she continued. She urged the countrymen to cast their votes in favour of their choice with self-confidence. "You can vote as your wish," she said. But, being president of the AL, Sheikh Hasina said, "I called upon the countrymen to vote for my party's electoral symbol Boat to give us another change to serve the nation." The prime minister said the BNP feared to join the election as they have none at the top of the party as their two top leaders have been convicted of corruption. She continued FBI had testified against Tarique and Canadian police gave deposition against Khaleda Zia for their involvement in corruption. The premier also delivered a witty remark saying BNP can join the next election to make business with selling nomination papers which they did in the past.   The prime minister said the AL electoral symbol "Boat" brought the country's independence, made Bangladesh self-sufficient in food production, reached electricity to every house, gave houses to every landless and homeless people, provided healthcare to every people's doorstep and made Bangladesh Digital. She said that the AL government has taken various measures to give the countrymen a modern and improved life. Sheikh Hasina said her government has been successful in its endeavor and the country has got the status of a developing nation. "If the boat remains in power, the people get peace and prosperity in their lives. This is the reality. So, vote for our candidates to give them chance to serve you," she added. The premier also said BNP destroyed country's electoral process by holding farcical yes/no vote and presidential election by military dictator Ziaur Rahman and her wife followed the path of her husband holding farcical elections including the February 15 of 1996. "The people of the country toppled the BNP government between one and a half month after February 15 farcical election," she said. She added the AL has established the rights of vote and democracy after a long struggle following the footprints of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The prime minister asked the countrymen to forge resistance against the hartal, blockade and arson violence. "Whenever you (people) witness any arson violence is being committed, capture the culprits and hand them over to police. We are not saying that you take law in your hands," she said. She continued if the people start resisting the arson violence, it must come to an end. The prime minister said she doesn't bother which big country is supporting them (their arson violence). "To me, my country is great. I am here to work for my country, not to serve any country," she said. The premier said there are some big countries who favour those who serve them. "If any country of their choice invades any country, they don't say it invasion," she said, adding that they even don't see any inhuman act carried out by the countries they favour. The AL's parliamentary nomination board held their first meeting to finalise their candidates for 300 seats across Bangladesh. The second and third meeting of the board will be held on Friday and Saturday next. The AL had sold 3362 nomination papers for 300 seats in four days from last Saturday to Tuesday at party's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue which means on an average 11 forms were sold for each seat. The AL has earned a total of Taka 16.81 crore by selling the nomination papers as each of the form was sold at Taka 50,000.

Ten leaders and activists of BNP were arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from a hotel in Dhaka's Gulshan area on Tuesday.  Imran Khan, ASP of RAB Headquarters (Media Wing) said in a press conference today. He said, "At least 20 people, including three policemen, were injured in a clash involving BNP, Awami League activists, and police in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj on Tuesday, on the first day of the nationwide three-day blockade." Today is the last day of the three-day blockade called by opposition parties including BNP and Jamaat. The number of traffic on the road has slightly increased today as compared to the last two days.   

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been called a day long Hartal on Sunday, October 29. The announcement came from the party on Saturday at noon. Earlier, chase and counter chase between police, BNP leaders and activists in Kakrail. Witnesses said leaders and activists of BNP brought out a procession towards InterContinental hotel around 1 pm. After that, BGB deployed at Kakrail Church crossing. However, Additional Commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) Harun-or-Rashid has said while talking with reporters in front of Kakrail Church that some BNP activists attacked police in front of the Judges' Residence Complex in Dhaka’s Kakrail earlier today.    

BNP leaders and activists are being gathering in front of the party's central office in Nayapaltan. Earlier on Friday, police raided a building in Kakrail and arrested around 200 BNP activists who had come to Dhaka to attend the rally. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Intelligence Branch (DB) chief Harun Or Rashid said in a briefing at the spot that the BNP leaders and activists were staying in that building with the intention of sabotaging the rally.