Hidden uneasiness in Awami League on NRC in Assam



Reza-ud- dowla Pradhan, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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In the recently published National Citizens Registrar (NRC) of North – Eastern Indian state of Assam more than 19 lakh people have been excluded from the final list. They have identified these excluded citizens primarily as the ‘Bangladeshi intruders’. As neighbor of India the Assam incident has also created impact in Bangladesh.

There are hidden uneasiness among the leaders and workers of Awami League about the Assam situation. The comments of the leaders and ministers of Assam in the media have further aggravated that uneasiness. But it was not admitted by the party high command.

According to opinion of the ruling Awami League the Assam incident is their internal matter. However the Awami League is closely observing the situation. On the other hand, India has also assured us that Bangladesh should not be worry about it.

Awami League presidium member Kazi Zafrulllah told barta24.com that Bangladesh need not to be worried on Assam incident. However, we are to remain alert so that they cannot make ‘push in’ attempt. There is no uneasiness or anxiety in Awami League.

But the activists of different tiers of Awami league are not assured about the comments of the leaders and ministers about Assam incident.

A secretary of the central committee on condition of anonymity told barta24.com that it is fact that during the rule of Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina several important problems between two countries were solved but still there are some pending issues. The relation between Bangladesh and India are at new height now. The heads of the government of the two countries have expressed it on several occasions. But the NRC in Assam can be a new irritant in the bi-lateral relation.

Myanmar military junta has created a mounting problem to Bangladesh by driving out 11 lakh Rohingyas from their Rakhaine state. Similarly in future there might be a flow of people from Assam to Bangladesh creating huge problem for the already burdened with 17 crore people.

It is learnt from diplomatic sources that during his recent visit to Bangladesh Indian External Affairs minister S. Jaishankar assured Bangladesh government that the NRC is their internal matter so Bangladesh does not need to be worried about it.

Though the central government of India has assured Bangladesh about the NRC but the comments of the provincial governments’ law makers and ministers are worrying Bangladesh who are saying that the excluded 19 lakh people are of Bangladeshi origin and they will have to go back there. Similar opinions are being passed by some ruling BJP MPs.

After talking with some leaders of policy making level it was learnt that the Assam situation was discussed formally at their level. Primarily the high command likes to keep faith on Indian governments’ assurance. So the party and the government are showing restraint from making any ‘aggressive’ reaction in reply to the comments of any body of India.

The grass root level activists of Awami League are of opined that the NRC related problem in Assam cannot be observed lightly. It is clear from the movements of both central and state governments India and Assam that the matter is still unclear to them. This does not mean that India is free from the risk. The Assam people are mostly Bangla speaking and above all they are Muslims also. So the Awami League and the government should strike out a counter strategy if they are made ‘push in’ in Bangladesh.

Regarding Assam situation Awami League general secretary and Bridges minister Obaidul Kader said that we have learnt from India that there is opportunity of making appeal to the courts by the excluded people declared stateless. It will take time to reach a final decision through several legal procedures. Let us wait and see to take any decision after it reaches its peak.

   

After capturing power, Awami League also captured history: Amir Khosru



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has commented that Awami League is taking over history by illegally grabbing power.

He said that the rulers are using the state machinery to implement their fabricated history. They are manipulating the Judiciary to explain their fabricated history. When politicians become historians, it is no longer history, but propaganda.

Amir Khosru made this comment at a discussion meeting organized by the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) at the National Press Club on Wednesday (April 17) at noon, demanding the declaration of Republic Day on April 10.

This member of the BNP Standing Committee said that although the Awami League government has dropped the boat symbol in the Upazila Parishad elections, it has not withdrawn from the project of stealing votes. The vote stealing scheme is the source of their power. The government no longer has the courage to go in front of the people with the boat. 95 percent of the people did not go to the polling station in the January 7 election. There is no such thing as voting.

He also said that every effort was made to break the BNP before the election, but the unity of the BNP is intact. Cases, assaults, jails have been defamed against BNP leaders and activists, yet the unity could not be broken.

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BUET should decide whether to have student politics or not: Gayeshwar



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, said that if the BUET authorities think that the BUET authorities will stop politics there for the sake of keeping the atmosphere of the campus calm and for the education of the talented children of parents who study here - that is their decision.

On Monday (April 1), Natore District BNP Joint Convenor Dewan Shaheen, who was undergoing treatment at BSMMU, made this comment in response to the questions of the journalists present after inquiring about the treatment.

Gayeshwar Chandra said, we want student politics; we have come this far by student politics. Student politics is not an obstacle. I don't want a group student organization in the classroom. Abrar, a brilliant student of BUET, was brutally killed in BUET. Not only the students, civil society and political parties of the country erupted in protest. Then the BUET authorities decided that there will be no political student organization in BUET. In the context of which BUET has taken this decision, whether it is still valid or not, whether there is any danger or not, considering the overall aspect, BUET has to decide whether there will be student politics or not.

Claiming that the condition of Jahangir Nagar University is more deplorable than the condition of BUET, the former minister said that Chhatra League leader Manik had celebrated a century of rape there. What could be more disgusting than that? In fact they are not tainted with any stigma! The more we find them tainted, the more they are embellished. One reason is to use muscle power and destroy politics as a party worker in the administration.

Mentioning the attack on Natore district BNP joint convener Dewan Shaheen, Gayeshwar Chandra said, "Our leaders and workers are often attacked by Awami League terrorists." This brutality of the rulers is going on all over the country. Still, BNP activists do not leave the field. However, without these terrorist activities and muscle power, it is not possible for an isolated government to survive politically.

In response to a journalist's question about former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment in CCU at Ever Care Hospital in the capital, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said that the government is killing Khaleda Zia in a planned way without giving her better treatment abroad. The ruling party will be happy even though the news of his death will go down in tears all over the country.

BNP Organizing Secretary Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu, deputy secretary Taiful Islam Tipu and others were present at this time.

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In the 12th JS election the cost of Awami league is Tk. 2.76 crore



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka:
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The party's treasurer HN Ashikur Rahman said that the ruling Awami League spent Tk. 2 crore 76 lakh 88 thousand 120 in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election.

He gave this information after submitting the party's expenditure account to the commission in the 12th election at Agargaon election building in the capital on Monday (April 1) afternoon.

After submitting the election expenses of the ruling party, the presidium member of the party, Kazi Zafarullah, said that we had a limit of Tk. 4 crore 50 lakh. The expenditure is less than that.

At that time, the treasurer of the party, Ashiqur Rahman, said that Tk. 2 crore 76 lakh 78 thousand 120 have been spent. Our expenditure limit was Tk. 4 crore 50 lakh.

He said that the district level leaders spent on their own because of their loyalty to the party. So our expenses are reduced. Moreover, the entire expenditure in elections is not party-related. Where other parties require Tk. 10, we require Tk. 2.

In response to the question where this money was spent in the election, he said that it was spent on posters, public meetings, publicity etc.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Barrister Biplab Barua said, as a registered party, we will submit the income and expenditure account. Then there will be details.

At that time, Presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, Treasurer HN Ashiqur Rahman, Publicity and Publication Abdus Sobahan Golap, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were present in the delegation of Awami League.

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Awami League leader's comments on parliamentary elections is viral



District Correspondent, Barta24.com,Cumilla
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General Secretary of Cumilla North District Awami League Roshan Ali Master has gone viral with his controversial comments on Debidwar parliamentary elections. There has been uproar among activists over the video that has spread online. Some reacted angrily.

On Saturday (March 30) afternoon, Roshan Ali Master gave the speech at the iftar party at his residence in Devidwar Municipal area on the occasion of pilgrimage to Makkah to perform Umrah.

In a four-and-a-half-minute video spread on Facebook, he was heard saying, "We didn't lose the vote, we lost by the mechanism." For any reason we could not get the results, 82 thousand votes is less? They have a lot of history, you will not understand them and your brother will explain them. Those whom I have made leaders do not count on me now. There are many Mir Jafars in our party, they have been and will be. If they get better, we will get better. And if it is not good after Hajj, then I will come in the field.

The leaders and workers of Debidwar Upazila Awami League expressed their immediate angry reaction to his speech.

In response, they said, "Where the Prime Minister has set an example all over the world by holding a free, fair and impartial vote, his statement calls into question the fair election." In his speech, he wanted to prove that the current Member of Parliament Abul Kalam Azad was elected by rigging the vote. They condemned such a statement.

Debidwar Upazila Awami League Joint General Secretary Principal Humayun Kabir said, 'Awami League is becoming a laughing stock to common people with these unrestrained statements. No one can stop him. Earlier, in various meetings of the 12th National Election, he has been in controversy by abusing independent candidates and his leaders and activists, which everyone has seen on social media. Awami League leaders and activists are embarrassed by these statements.

Cumilla North District Awami League General Secretary Roshan Ali Master called several times to get a statement on the matter, but he did not receive.

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