United News of Bangladesh

The National Citizen Party (NCP) on Monday condemned an alleged attack by Chhatra Dal leaders and activists on journalists and students at Rajshahi University and demanded immediate action against those responsible. In a statement, the NCP said the attack reportedly followed a dispute over a comment on a Facebook post. According to the statement, Chhatra Dal leaders and activists gathered in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall carrying weapons and attacked journalists covering the incident. The NCP said four journalists — Mainul Islam Raju of Samakal, Noor Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star, Arifuzzaman Korban of bdnews24.com and Jahidul Islam of Agamir Somoy — were injured in the attack. It said Jahidul sustained a serious head injury. The party also alleged that the attackers threatened the journalists, including by warning that they would “bury them alive.” The NCP claimed that at least 10 Chhatra Dal leaders and activists took part in the attack, naming University Chhatra Dal Vice-President Ahsan Habib, Joint General Secretary Hasibul Islam, Vice-President Shariful Islam and Assistant Office Secretary Shahriar Alam among those allegedly involved. The injured journalists were initially taken to the university medical centre and later shifted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for treatment, the statement said. The NCP criticised the university administration for failing to ensure the safety of students and journalists on campus. It demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and strict action against them under party rules and state law. The NCP also called for measures to ensure the safety of students and media personnel and protect freedom of expression on university campuses.

Hasnat Abdullah, MP for Comilla-4 and chief organiser of the southern region of the National Citizens Party (NCP), has said repeated attacks, intimidation and repression will not silence NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary. In a Facebook post reacting to the reported attack on Patwary at the Lalon Akhra in Kushtia, Hasnat said Patwary had once again been targeted in Kushtia, marking the fifth such incident since the BNP government came to power. “No one has ever succeeded in silencing Patwary through such attacks, nor will anyone be able to do so in the future, Insha'Allah,” he said. Hasnat said no obstacle could halt the struggle for justice, rights and freedom, adding that the fight for truth and justice would continue. NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary was allegedly attacked and his vehicle vandalised on the premises of Lalon Akhra in Chheuria under Kumarkhali upazila on Sunday evening. The incident occurred around 7:15pm, according to police and party sources. Jamal Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali Police Station, said police went to the spot after receiving information and brought the situation under control.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary was allegedly attacked and his vehicle vandalised on the premises of Lalon Akhra in Chheuria under Kumarkhali upazila on Sunday evening. The incident occurred around 7:15pm, according to police and party sources. Jamal Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali Police Station, said police went to the spot after receiving information and brought the situation under control. Patwary remained confined inside the Akhra for some time following the incident. Police later rescued him and, around 8pm, escorted him to Kumarkhali Police Station with the help of local party activists, where he was expected to file a complaint. According to NCP sources, Patwary was visiting Kushtia on a personal trip. He first visited Rabindranath Tagore’s Kuthibari in Shilaidah and later went to the Akhra in Chheuria. While he was watching a musical performance by local artists and livestreaming it on Facebook, he was allegedly attacked and his vehicle was vandalised, the sources said. Local NCP leaders alleged that the attack and vandalism were carried out under the leadership of Sangram, a member of the Kushtia municipal unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. Mozakkir Rabbi, convener of Kushtia District Chhatra Dal, however, said the organisation did not believe in “mob-style politics”. He said if any Chhatra Dal leader or activist was involved in the incident, that individual would be personally responsible for their actions. NCP Kushtia District Convener Jannatul Ferdous Tony and other local leaders were accompanying Patwary when the incident occurred. NCP Joint Member Secretary Tarek Reza alleged in a social media post that BNP leaders and activists attacked Patwary. A video circulating on social media shows several people chasing Patwary and his associates while shouting, “Catch them, catch them”. However, the authenticity of the video and the identities of those seen in it could not be independently verified. Patwary did not speak to local media about the incident at the time of reporting.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam on Monday said restoring law and order in the country would not be possible as long as Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed remains in office as he has “failed to fulfill his responsibilities”. “We believe he has already failed. If a person has failed, he cannot and should not remain in charge,” Nahid said at a press briefing following a meeting at the party office in the capital. He said the Home Minister should step down to set an example of accountability within the government. “We have already seen a few reshuffles in the cabinet. So, now he should be removed. An example needs to be set that if someone fails in their duties, they must step down and make way for a successor,” he said. “This will send a message to everyone including the government officials working under him,” he added. Nahid accused the government of failing to rein in its party activists. Referring to the recent demolition of the Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur and the attack on content creator Salman Muqtadir’s studio, he said the incidents reflected the deteriorating law and order situation. He alleged that law enforcement agencies remained inactive during the attacks, raising questions about the government's ability to ensure public safety. “The government had promised that the law and order situation would improve after an elected government came to power. But the situation has deteriorated further,” he said. The NCP leader also accused the government of politicising public recruitment, citing the exclusion of candidates from the primary school teacher recruitment process following police verification. He said qualified candidates should not be disqualified without specific evidence of their involvement in criminal or anti-state activities. Nahid said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent address to the United Nations General Assembly had failed to reflect the expectations and concerns of Bangladeshi people. He said the prime minister missed an opportunity to highlight key national concerns including the ongoing energy crisis, border killings, push-ins from India, the Rohingya crisis and the implementation of the Teesta project. On constitutional reforms, Nahid rejected the government's initiative to form a parliamentary committee to amend the Constitution, arguing that fundamental reforms could not be achieved through the regular amendment process. He called for the immediate convening of the Constitution Reform Council to implement the July National Charter, warning that the NCP would continue its programmes and move towards tougher action if the government fails to do so. Nahid also expressed concern over the proposed Cyber Security Act, alleging that it could curtail freedom of expression and be used to suppress criticism of the government. On the upcoming local government elections, he said the NCP would contest independently and support candidates committed to combating extortion, terrorism and land grabbing. Senior party leaders Akhter Hossen, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Nasiruddin Patwari, among others, were also present at the meeting.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Sunday demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the attack, vandalism and looting at the Radda MCH-FP Centre in the capital’s Mirpur area and called for a neutral investigation into the incident. He visited the health centre around noon with party leaders and activists, inspecting the sections damaged in the vandalism and looting. Asif spoke with patients who were still receiving treatment at the facility and demanded that the damaged centre be rebuilt and health services restored as soon as possible. During the visit, NCP activists removed a signboard of a shopkeepers' co-operatives society, which was put up in front of the centre. Speaking after the inspection, Asif said the facility had long been providing essential maternal and child healthcare services, including vaccination. “Such destruction of a healthcare facility is completely unacceptable,” he said. He said medicines, vaccines, injections and medical equipment were also looted from the centre. The NCP leader alleged that the incident was not isolated and involved a BNP lawmaker, a city corporation administrator and local police, describing it as an “organised crime” and “state-sponsored looting.” He further alleged that police were present at the scene when the vandalism began but left the spot, returning only after the incident ended. Asif demanded action against those involved in the attack as well as those accused of negligence of duty. He said the Radda clinic will not be allowed to be grabbed, adding that health workers will try to keep maternal and child healthcare services running even amid the debris.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam on Saturday questioned whether any government exists in the country, after a maternal and child healthcare facility, which had served the community for five decades was demolished overnight in the capital. In a statement, Nahid said the razing of the Radda MCH-FP Centre, which had run maternal care and vaccination programmes for 50 years, exposed how fragile the country's law and order situation has become, as vandalism and looting continued through the night while law enforcement remained silent and unmoved. "A country cannot run this way," he said, adding that the demolition and takeover of a hospital in the heart of the capital, carried out like illegal land grabbing, raised public questions over the very existence of a functioning government. Nahid said locals allege that BNP reserved-seat lawmaker Ferdousi Ahmed Misty and an influential leader of Dhaka North BNP were behind instigating the vandalism and occupation of the facility. He further said the home minister's largely inactive role, despite the steady deterioration of law and order over recent days, was a matter of shame for the entire nation. "Our clear demand is that everyone involved in the vandalism and looting at the Radda MCH-FP Centre must be arrested immediately and brought to justice," Nahid said. He also demanded that the masterminds behind the incident be identified and brought under the law, ensuring exemplary punishment for the guilty.

Dhaka University unit of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, the student wing of the NCP, on Friday held a “Red Card to BNPization” program, accusing the government of politicizing primary school teacher recruitment and depriving qualified candidates of jobs in the name of police verification. The human chain program was held at Raju Memorial Sculpture on Dhaka University campus around 7:30pm. The protesters demanded an end to political discrimination in public recruitment, an impartial investigation into allegations of recruitment irregularities, reinstatement of candidates whose appointments were cancelled following verification, and a transparent, merit-based recruitment process. Addressing the program, Kurratul Ain Kaniz, vice-president of the Shamsun Nahar Hall Students’ Union, said meritorious young jobseekers had sacrificed their lives during the 2024 mass uprising, but were now being subjected to harassment and facing obstacles in the recruitment process. “After being elected, the BNP government is now harassing those meritorious jobseekers and obstructing their recruitment process. We strongly condemn such activities,” she said. She said Chhatra Shakti and students and members of the public across the country would stand beside the affected jobseekers. “We are showing a red card to the BNP government,” she said. She also demanded the immediate reinstatement of candidates whose appointments had been cancelled despite being recommended for government jobs. “If the government betrays the students again, we will once again build a strong movement against the BNP with the participation of students, as we did during July,” she said. Hasib Al Islam, president of the DU unit of Chhatra Shakti, alleged that the BNP government was appointing its party supporters to various positions after assuming power. “Their only qualification is that they are BNP leaders or activists. No country can run this way,” he said. He also alleged that students and members of the public were being subjected to harassment in the name of police verification and demanded an immediate end to it. “The politicization of primary teacher recruitment and the exclusion of qualified candidates must be reversed immediately,” Hasib said. He said candidates who had been excluded on political grounds or because of their political ideology should be reinstated, while membership of an organization affiliated with the ruling party should not be used either to deny or grant jobs irrespective of merit. “If you do not turn back from this path of politicization, we know how to remove you from power,” he said. Hasib urged the government to follow what he described as the spirit of the July mass uprising, building a state based on equality and free from discrimination. Meanwhile, the Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir also demanded an end to harassment and deprivation of candidates in government recruitment in the name of police verification, as well as merit-based recruitment and an end to political discrimination. In a statement issued Friday, it demanded an impartial investigation into allegations of political discrimination and recruitment deprivation, fair remedies for victims and a transparent, merit-based recruitment system. The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) also demanded prompt measures for candidates who have not received appointment letters for primary school teaching posts and an end to harassment in the name of verification.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam said the 11-party alliance wants security for the country and safety for its children. He made the remarks while speaking at the closing rally of the 11-party alliance’s Dhaka-Rangpur long march on Saturday. “We have not received justice for the killing of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi. Justice must be served. Death sentences are being handed down to those who are not in the country. We want to see verdicts against those who are actually here,” he said. Nahid also demanded implementation of the Teesta Master Plan. He said the alliance’s eight-point programme could “liberate Bangladesh”. An activist of the 11-party alliance was hacked and injured in Sirajganj, he said. “If there is even one more attack, we are prepared to strike back,” Nahid said, warning that attempts to suppress the opposition would fail.  

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam on Friday accused BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of emerging as a ‘new authoritarian,’ saying democracy and human rights are not safe under his leadership. “Democracy is not safe in Tarique Rahman’s hands, nor are human rights. Tarique Rahman has emerged as a new authoritarian,” Nahid said while addressing an NCP human chain in front of the Jatiya Sangsad. The NCP arranged the human chain protesting what it described as the BNP government’s passage of laws violating human rights, suppression of dissent and deprivation of citizens’ fundamental rights. He alleged that the BNP government was suppressing dissent and passing laws that undermine citizens’ fundamental rights, despite its earlier struggle for democracy and human rights during the ousted Awami regime. Nahid demanded amendments to laws concerning enforced disappearances and the National Human Rights Commission, as well as proposed changes to Cyber Security Act, saying such measures must not curtail freedom of expression. He questioned the government’s handling of disappearance allegations, particularly the case of Miraj Sheikh, who, he said, had remained missing for five months. He also criticised the use of the Anti-Terrorism Act against NCP-linked activists Gazi Salahuddin Tanvir and Sifat, arguing that offensive speech should not be treated as terrorism. “But it is not terrorism. People’s mouths are being silenced and their right to speak is being stopped in the name of the Anti-Terrorism Act,” he said. He alleged that law-enforcement agencies should not investigate disappearance complaints involving other law-enforcement agencies and expressed concern that provisions penalising false complaints could discourage victims’ families from seeking justice. Nahid also alleged that the Anti-Corruption Commission was being used against opposition figures. “You are using the ACC against us, against our leaders; by all means, continue doing so,” he said. “You have not formed a police reform commission; instead, the police force is being prepared to suppress the opposition,” he added. He called for independent mechanisms to investigate human-rights violations and protect democratic and constitutional rights.

National Citizens Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari on Thursday alleged that the current government is moving towards agreements with India and Israel related to surveillance and access to citizens’ digital communications. “We have heard that, behind the scenes, the current government is also moving towards such agreements with Israel and India. But they will not admit it publicly,” he said. Patwari made the remarks at a discussion titled “SRB, enforced disappearance and cyber law: Human rights violations”, organised by the NCP at its central office in the afternoon. Referring to the Digital Security Act enacted by the previous government, he said the law had been used to justify checking the Facebook and WhatsApp messages of political figures and other people. He alleged that the previous government had entered into agreements with foreign powers, including India and Israel, to obtain such security and surveillance capabilities. He called on experts in the field to bring the issue to public attention and examine whether the current government is pursuing similar arrangements. “If the government goes to a foreign state and says it needs to see what the people of Bangladesh are doing on Messenger and WhatsApp, and asks companies operating here for call records, that raises questions about citizens’ security,” he said. Patwari said the state has a responsibility to ensure security both offline and online and that laws are necessary to protect people from genuine security threats. But, he said, national security should not be compromised in the name of protecting citizens, nor should citizens be handed over to foreign powers. He said many Bangladeshis are not sufficiently aware of their constitutional and legal rights and that this lack of awareness was being used to introduce laws that could be used as “weapons”. Referring to Salahuddin Ahmed, He said there was no guarantee in Bangladesh regarding compensation for victims of enforced disappearance or whether such cases would be investigated independently. “The person who was a victim of this kind of incident is now, through the stroke of his own pen, bringing such laws back to Bangladesh,” he alleged. AB Party secretary general Asaduzzaman Fuad alleged that the government is using legal provisions against critics over their Facebook posts and other public comments. He said offensive or rude language should not automatically be treated as a criminal offence and alleged that such legal measures were aimed at weakening the balance within society and the state. He said the government is also restricting criticism by bringing people under legal provisions for spreading what it considers misinformation or for making comments that could prejudice or harm the reputation of ministers and MPs. He questioned the effectiveness of such restrictions, saying similar practices had existed during the Awami League government but had not prevented citizen journalists and others from disseminating information. The speakers at the discussion included of NCP Law Affairs Secretary Zahirul Islam Musa, NCP Joint Member Secretary Faridul Haque, Jatiya Narishakti Convener Monira Sharmin, Citizens Coalition co-coordinator Fahim Mashroor, Member of the NCP Political Council Sarwar Tushar, NCP MP from Narayanganj-4 Abdullah Al Amin, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Nabila Idris, Women’s reserved seat MP Tasmia Pradhan.