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Long march against rape heads towards Noakhali from Dhaka
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16 Oct 2020, 17:46
Photo: Collected
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
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Mirza Fakhrul Warns Against Division, Urges Unity Amid Rising Instability
Expressing concern over several recent incidents, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “If division persists within one’s own house, nothing can be achieved.” He made these remarks on Wednesday (November 27) at an event held at the National Press Club.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated, “I am deeply worried. A type of frenzy has been created centering religion. We fought for a free press, but now it’s being destroyed. I am also alarmed by the frenzy unfolding on social media.”
The BNP leader added, “Our true nature is beginning to surface within just three months. Success cannot be achieved with such a state of affairs. Personally, I do not want such a Bangladesh.”
Raising questions about the reasons behind the grave instability, the top BNP leader said, “It hasn’t even been three months, and demands are erupting on the streets; there’s killing, bloodshed, arson. Why this instability? Where lies the problem? How much more division must Bangladesh bear? Will it keep rising only to fall again due to violence?”
Referring to an underlying conspiracy, Mirza Fakhrul said, “Do we understand where our fear and anxiety lie? The assailant stands behind us. If we truly understood this, such irresponsible remarks would not come forth.”
He alleged, “Some individuals, despite being in responsible positions, are inciting division. I won’t name them. They are paving the way for division. Whether they are friends or foes of the nation, the people will judge that.”
Addressing the interim government, he said, “Those in charge should refrain from making statements that create confusion among the people. This government was not established out of anyone’s mercy but was built upon sacrifices and bloodshed. Therefore, it is the government’s responsibility to reflect the aspirations of the people.”
Also present at the event were BNP Standing Committee Member AZM Zahid Hossain, Chairperson’s Advisory Council Member Amanullah Aman, and many others. The program was presided over by DAB President Harun Al Rashid and moderated by Senior Joint Secretary General Mehedi Hasan under the supervision of General Secretary Abdus Salam.
BNP's Three Wings to March Toward Indian Embassy Today
In protest against the attack, vandalism, and desecration of the Bangladeshi national flag at the Assistant High Commission in Agartala, India, as well as alleged conspiracies to incite communal unrest, three organizations of the BNP—Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal (Youth Front), Swechchhasebak Dal (Volunteers' Front), and Chhatra Dal (Students' Front)—will hold a march and submit a memorandum to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka today.
The program will begin at 10:00 AM on Sunday, December 8, in front of the BNP's central office in Naya Paltan. Earlier, on Saturday, December 7, this information was announced in a press release.
According to sources from the three BNP organizations, leaders and activists will start the march from the BNP's central office at Naya Paltan at 10:00 AM and proceed towards the Indian High Commission in Baridhara.
Following the march, a memorandum will be submitted to the Indian High Commission on behalf of Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal. The three organizations will jointly execute this program.
An appeal has been made for the spontaneous participation of leaders and activists from all levels of Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal in this program.
Tarique Calls for Unity to Restore Democracy: Fakhrul
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has urged all to work together with patience to establish democracy in the country.
"A huge victory has come through the student-people mass uprising. To make this victory fruitful and successful, everyone must keep patience and work together. Through this, democracy will be re-established," he said while talking to the journalists at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on return home from London.
Everyone must prepare for the first step of democracy, which is the election, he said, adding that everyone must keep patience and work together in this regard.
The BNP Secretary General said, "The purpose for which I went to London has been fruitful. I met with party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. I have talked to expatriate Bangladeshis and BNP leaders and also attended various meetings organized by them."
"The London visit has been fruitful," he added.
As the journalists asked him when the acting chairman of the party may return to the country, Fakhrul said that there are many false cases against him.
Tarique Rahman will return to the country once his legal issues are solved, he said.
In response to another question, the BNP Secretary General said, "The political parties are supporting the interim government led by Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus. We expect that the government will follow the path of holding elections after completing the minimum reforms that are necessary."
The BNP Secretary General went to London with his wife Rahat Ara Begum on November 30. His flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12:45pm today.
While staying in London, he met with BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and also participated in several party programmes. His wife Rahat Ara Begum underwent a health check-up and took advice of the physicians concerned.
BNP leaders Farhad Hossain Azad, Abu Mohammad Ahsan Firoz, Sadi Ahmed, and BNP Media Cell Member Shairul Kabir Khan were present to welcome the BNP Secretary General at the airport.
(Source: BSS)
U.S. State Department Report: / Awami League Portrayed Political Opponents as 'Terrorists'
The U.S. State Department has reported that while no international terrorist incidents occurred in Bangladesh in 2023, the Awami League government frequently portrayed the activities of political opponents as akin to terrorism.
This information was detailed in the State Department's annual report on "terrorist" activities worldwide, published on Thursday, December 12.
The report noted that Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies maintained a strong stance against militant groups, particularly Ansarullah Bangla Team (an Al-Qaeda affiliate) and Neo-JMB (a group linked to ISIS). However, it also highlighted allegations of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations by some segments of Bangladesh’s security forces.
Additionally, the report mentioned an attack by the armed group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region that claimed the lives of three soldiers in 2023.
Online extremism was flagged as a concern in Bangladesh, with the report citing the December arrest of two members of the banned group Hizb ut-Tahrir, accused of organizing an online conference.
Furthermore, the report acknowledged that in 2023, the Bangladesh government replaced the controversial Digital Security Act of 2018 with the Cyber Security Act, which gave the police enhanced authority to curb online terrorist activities.
Tarique Rahman Expresses Solidarity with South Korea’s Democracy Movement
Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of Bangladesh’s opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has voiced strong support for the people of South Korea as they continue their pro-democracy struggle. In a statement released on social media, Rahman drew parallels between South Korea’s fight for democratic governance and Bangladesh’s decade-long battle against what he described as a ‘repressive regime.’
“Standing in solidarity with the courageous people of South Korea as they continue their stand for democracy,”Rahman wrote, acknowledging the shared experience of confronting political oppression. “In Bangladesh, we have endured a repressive regime for over a decade, and so we deeply understand the pain, resilience, and resolve it takes to confront oppression.”
Rahman also criticized the misuse of democratic mechanisms by elected governments, calling it a challenge faced by both nations. “Both our nations know the dangers of elected governments exploiting democratic loopholes for their own purposes,” he said. However, he emphasized the resilience of ordinary citizens, stating that the successes of pro-democracy movements in both countries underscore the unyielding power of a determined populace.
Rahman urged political leaders and citizens to remain vigilant to prevent future threats to democracy. “By building strong democratic institutions, we can protect the rights of our people and secure a just and free society,” he added.
The BNP leader’s comments come at a time of heightened political tension in Bangladesh, where opposition parties, including the BNP, have accused Awami League government of stifling dissent and undermining democratic norms. Rahman, who has lived in exile in London since 2008, remains a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s opposition politics.
Rahman’s message also signals a broader call for international solidarity among nations striving to preserve democratic principles. With hashtags like #Democracy, #Bangladesh, and #SouthKorea, his statement has sparked discussion on the interconnectedness of global democratic movements.
The pro-democracy struggle in South Korea, which has captured international attention, serves as a poignant reminder of the shared challenges and hopes of democracy advocates worldwide.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Announces Program for Victory Day
On the occasion of the Great Victory Day, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has announced nationwide programs for December 16. This information was conveyed in a press release issued on Saturday (December 14) by JCD Office Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam.
The press release stated that December 16 marks the Great Victory Day. To commemorate the day, JCD will organize Victory Rallies with the national flag at all educational institutions under its district, metropolitan, university, college, upazila, thana, and municipal branches across the country.
Leaders and activists of the organization have been instructed to participate in these programs. The directive was issued by JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.
Tarique Rahman Urges Unity and Reform in Victory Day Message
In his Victory Day message, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman called for celebrating the occasion free from "fascism" and urged reforms to establish a truly democratic Bangladesh.
“This Victory Day, celebrated in an environment free from fascism, is certainly more joyful and significant,” Rahman said in a statement on social media. He expressed hope that future observances would reflect a stronger commitment from the state to the welfare of its people.
Rahman emphasized the need for unity and structural reforms, warning against complacency. “We must harness this unity to build a Bangladesh free from discrimination and division,” he said, adding that empowering the people is crucial for sustainable national unity.
The opposition leader criticized past governance practices and called for transparency from the interim government. He urged it to share a clear roadmap with objectives and timelines, asserting, “The people have the right to know the interim government’s practical roadmap.”
Central to his vision is a parliament composed of genuinely elected representatives. “A parliament reflecting the aspirations of the people serves as the cornerstone of democratic governance,” Rahman stated. He underscored the importance of harmony between an accountable government and a functional parliament for sustainable democracy.
Rahman’s Victory Day remarks combined celebration with a call for reform, unity, and accountability, highlighting the enduring challenges in fostering a democratic system that empowers the people.
