Latest news with #BNP
News18
22 minutes ago
- Health
- News18
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to contest general election, says party leader
Dhaka, Jul 30 (PTI) Khaleda Zia, the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and former premier, will contest the upcoming general election, her party leader said on Wednesday. BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo said the 79-year-old party chief is doing well and she will contest the election, the Daily Star newspaper reported. 'She will be elected from Feni because she is now in good health," Mintoo told reporters after a views-exchange meeting organised by the Feni district administration. On his discussions with Zia's son and acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, who is in London, Mintoo said that they believe the election will be held in the first week of February. 'I think, considering the current situation of the country, the election may be held even before February. Because there is a pending case in the Supreme Court regarding the caretaker government. If a caretaker government is introduced, the election must be held within 90 days," he was quoted as saying by the paper. Zia returned to Dhaka from London in May after four months of medical treatment. She went to London in January for advanced medical care and was admitted to The London Clinic. Zia has long suffered from liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, heart problems, diabetes, and arthritis. The BNP chairperson was lodged in the Old Dhaka Central Jail on February 8, 2018, after the Dhaka court sentenced her in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the then Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government temporarily released Zia from jail after 776 days through an executive order, suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with conditions that she would stay in her house and not leave the country. On August 6 last year, after the ouster of the Hasina regime, Zia was freed by an order of President Mohammed Shahabuddin. In March, Bangladesh's Supreme Court upheld a High Court ruling that acquitted Zia in a corruption case in which she was sentenced to seven years in jail by a lower court. Zia now stands acquitted in both the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust cases, in which she had previously been convicted and sentenced. She served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006. PTI ZH ZH ZH (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 21:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Bangladesh Polls Announcement Likely In August, Yunus Calls For Unity
National elections in Bangladesh are likely to be announced in the first week of August by the country's interim government, according to media reports, with the announcement expected to coincide with the first anniversary of the protests that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government. Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, is expected to make the announcement through a national address. Elections to install a government with a political mandate are likely to be held in February next year. Several political parties in Bangladesh have been pressing for elections, arguing that the interim government lacks a political mandate. Demands for elections by December, however, appear to have been ignored. Earlier on June 13, Bangladesh Nationalist Party's acting Chairman Tarique Rahman met with Chief Adviser Yunus in London during his official visit to the United Kingdom. In a joint statement following the meeting, Muhammad Yunus had said, "If necessary preparations are completed, the next national election could be held in the week before the beginning of Ramadan in 2026 (early February)." Notably, pressure has been mounting on Yunus to announce elections, as the country has been without an elected government since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The BNP, which is the main political contender following the ban on the Awami League, remains optimistic about the announcement of an election date and timeline. Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo quoted BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir saying on Monday, "If the Chief Adviser announces the election date within a couple of days, we will be happy-because that's exactly what we have been demanding." However, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, a hardline Islamic outfit that has supported Yunus, is reportedly not in favour of announcing an election date at this stage. Critics argue that Yunus has remained in power with the backing of Jamaat-e-Islami. Following the fall of the Hasina government, the ban on Jamaat was lifted, and its registration with the Election Commission was restored, allowing it to contest future elections. However, Muhammad Yunus has not indicated anything about an election date announcement despite multiple calls to do so. After holding meetings with the political parties on Saturday, he had called for "unity to thwart attempts to disrupt the election." "If all the forces of the uprising cannot come together to conduct a fair election, this great opportunity will slip through our hands," the Chief Adviser said during a discussion with top leaders of various political parties. Expressing hope for the cooperation of all political parties to organise a fair election, Muhammad Yunus said, "Whenever we move forward with election preparations, various conspiracies come to light. But the reality is that no conspiracy can obstruct the democratic journey. Because the unity of all democratic forces on the issue of fascism is clear." Notably, Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student-led revolution in August 2024 and was charged with crimes against humanity, including incitement, conspiracy, and issuing orders that led to mass killings.
United News of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
5.2-magnitude quake hits Iceland: GFZ
Pakistan expected to see strong hike in price of medicines in coming weeks 26 Jul 2025 | 10:55 PM Islamabad, July 26 (UNI) Pakistan is expected to see a significant rise in the price of medicines - including many essential and life-saving drugs — over the coming weeks, as the government prepares for its annual price adjustment under the country's Drug Pricing Policy, reports Samaa TV. see more.. BNP leader says no real reform possible without representatives and a proper democratic structure through polls 26 Jul 2025 | 10:15 PM Dhaka, July 26 (UNI) Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that no real reform is possible without involving representatives of the people and establishing a proper democratic structure through a national election, adding that no government can be run by just a few individuals from abroad. see more.. Iranian exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi says over 50,000 government officials have joined him to topple Islamic regime 26 Jul 2025 | 10:14 PM Tehran, July 26 (UNI) At least 50,000 officials from within Iran's government and military have registered with a secure opposition platform aimed at toppling the Islamic Republic, according to Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last monarch. see more.. Hungarian PM Viktor Orban says likelihood of WWIII increasing, urges international community to act 26 Jul 2025 | 8:13 PM Budapest, July 26 (UNI) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, referring to the wide array of conflicts plaguing the world today – most prominently the Russia-Ukraine war and the EU's increasing desire to be an active participant in it, has said that the likelihood of a World War III is ever increasing, and urged the international community to do all it can to prevent it, reports Russian state media TASS. see more..
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bangladesh's BNP functionary lived in Bengal for 30 years, wife held: Police
Kolkata: A functionary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was living in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district for the past 30 years as an enrolled voter, police said on Sunday, a day after his wife — who claims to be an Indian national — was arrested. At least 300 Bangladeshis have been apprehended from various districts of West Bengal since December last year. (Representative photo) 'Sherful Mondal, a resident of the district's Bagdah area, said that she married Rezaul Mondal around 30 years ago but came to know later that he was a BNP leader and had entered India illegally,' a police officer, requesting anonymity, said. Sherful said that Rezaul returned to Bangladesh months before a mass uprising forced Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina to resign as Prime Minister and leave the country in July last year. 'Rezaul came under scanner after police started looking for his son, Firoz, for allegedly eloping with a minor girl three months ago. A case was registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The probe indicated that Firoz is a Bangladeshi national,' the officer said. Also Read: Bengal launch helpline amid migrant worker harassment row; BJP floats counter helpline The officer said that Rezaul presented Sherful's mother, Cherbanu Mondal, as his mother while procuring an Elector's Photo Identity Card (EPIC). 'Sherful was arrested for helping an illegal immigrant,' the officer added. Prasun Pramaik, the block development officer (BDO) of Bagdah, said that Rezaul's nationality was exposed when Election Commission officials were doing field work. 'EC officials went to the area to update the electoral roll when the man and his son could not be found,' the BDO said. Also Read: '52 migrant workers detained in Gurugram': Bengal CM raps govt North 24 Parganas is one of the districts in West Bengal that share an international border with Bangladesh. The Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies have intensified vigil along the border since 2024 in view of the political unrest in Bangladesh. At least 300 Bangladeshis have been apprehended from various districts of West Bengal since December last year.
United News of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
BNP leader says no real reform possible without representatives and a proper democratic structure through polls
Dhaka, July 26 (UNI) Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that no real reform is possible without involving representatives of the people and establishing a proper democratic structure through a national election, adding that no government can be run by just a few individuals from abroad. Speaking at a discussion today, titled 'July Uprising: Expectation and Achievement at the Jatiya Press Club,' marking the first anniversary of the July Uprising that led to the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, he criticised those who think reforms can happen overnight or just through a few meetings. "Reform must be carried out through a process. It is a continuous process," he said, calling the expectation of an overnight reform 'unrealistic', reports Daily Star. The BNP leader lambasted the existing bureaucracy for holding back the country's development. "Our bureaucracy is a major obstacle to development. It is a negative bureaucracy and must be turned into a positive one. To do that, we mainly need to involve the people in the process." He further slammed the current state of politics and said 'The country is now in a complete mess. Some political parties are talking about proportional representation in elections through PR systems, which has nothing to do with the people of Bangladesh. "Ordinary people don't even understand what proportional representation is. Ask them, and they won't be able to answer. People only know that their party will nominate a candidate, and they will vote for that person." Stating that the nation is going through a critical time, he added "We are waiting for a democratic transition that will ensure political and economic welfare for the people." The BNP leader said political parties should focus on returning to the people, learning about their needs and reflecting those needs in running the country. Referring to the criticism BNP faces for demanding elections, he stated "As soon as we started talking about the election, they began saying BNP only wants polls. But has anyone thought about why do we want the election?" He explained that without elections, true public representatives cannot be chosen. "And without representatives, how can they go to Parliament? And if there is no elected Parliament, how can people's rule be established?" "You cannot just hire a few people from home and abroad to run a country. It's not possible," concluding his remarks. UNI ANV GNK
