Posts published in “Bangladesh”

THE political vendetta between the Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the ruling Awami League, steered by Sheikh Hasina, is one of the bitterest in South Asian politics. Over the past few days, a new twist has been added to this decades-old rivalry as a Bangladeshi court convicted Ms Zia on a corruption charge. BNP supporters have taken to the streets to protest the conviction as Ms Zia has been shifted to a Dhaka jail.…

report in Dhaka Tribune, Feb 11,2018 After a Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced BNP chief Khaleda Zia to five years in prison in a graft case, leading the party and mobilizing its activists during the upcoming general elections has become a major concern for the BNP top brass. The ruling Awami League thought that once the verdict was delivered, BNP men would resort to violence but that scenario never came to pass as Khaleda repeatedly…

by Shahedul Anam Khan in The Daily Star, Feb 10, 2018 The writer is Associate Editor, The Daily Star. It was a surreal situation not witnessed in recent times in this country. Just at a time when the prime minister was addressing a political meeting in Barisal, a former prime minister was being escorted to jail to start her 5-year prison sentence. The comparison of the two situations may appear irrelevant to some, but the…

report in Prothom Alo, Feb 10, 2018 The country’s main opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia landed in jail on Thursday after a makeshift court sentenced her to five years in jail in a graft case filed during the military-controlled regime in 2008. The three-time former prime minister has been sent to jail barely ten months before the country’s next crucial general elections, casting deep uncertainty over the next polls being an inclusive…

With the BNP not waging any noticeable street agitations following Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence on Thursday, the Awami League camp appears to feel greatly relieved. The ruling party top brass believe their political archival will also not be able to launch any movement ahead of the upcoming national election, according to insiders. AL leaders had thought the BNP would take to the streets if Khaleda was convicted. But the party could not “capitalise” on the…

Report in The Daily Star, Feb 9, 2018 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has lashed out at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for “instigating violence” in 2013-2015. “Where is she [Khaleda] today? The Throne of Almighty Allah gets shaken when one carries out repression against people. Those who burnt people to death face such consequences. And that justice is being done,” she said. Hasina was addressing a public rally at Bangabandhu Udyan in the city yesterday, hours…

Khaleda’s son Tarique Rahman, also senior vice chairman of BNP, is supposed to run the party in her absence. But he has been in London since 2008 facing multiple charges of corruption. Nevertheless, BNP leaders hope that Tarique will run the party as it is not necessary to remain physically present to do that in the era of technology. “He [Tarique] can run the party from anywhere,” Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP standing committee member, told…

BNP leaders in Dhaka and adjoining districts, who had drawn a lot of flak from within the party over their failure to mobilize activists during their previous anti-government movements, have expressed their firm determination to take to the streets to protest any “negative” verdict in a graft case against their party chief, Khaleda Zia. During a 90-day countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance against the government in 2015, BNP leaders, particularly those of…

report in The Dhaka Tribune, Feb 6, 2018 at 11.20 pm Bangladesh Chhatra League will take position at important points of Dhaka on February 8, to help law enforcers in case miscreants try to create unrest centering on BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. “Chhatra League will not announce any pre-scheduled programs as we have full respect and faith in our honorable court. But we won’t allow anyone to…

report on bdnews24.com, Feb 6, 2018 at 19:23:20.0 BdST On Tuesday, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police issued a ‘special notice’, where it said any kind of gathering will be prohibited from 4am that day until further notice. Carrying any kind of sticks, knives or any other sharp weapon and explosives or inflammable materials in the capital have been barred, according to the notice issued by Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia. It also said any kind of demonstration or…