#Awami League Accusations

[warningsine]

Bangladesh’s top court has scaled back the quotas on government jobs that led to widespread student-led protests and violent clashes that killed more than 100 people.

On Sunday afternoon the supreme court overturned a ruling that had reintroduced quotas for all civil service jobs, meaning that 30% were reserved for veterans and relatives of those who fought in the Bangladesh war of independence in 1971.

The supreme court ruling, which was brought forward in light of the protests, stipulated that only 5% of jobs would now be reserved for descendants of freedom fighters and another 2% for those from ethnic minorities or with disabilities, with the rest open to candidates based on merit.

The return of the quotas, which had been scrapped in 2018, sparked anger among students, who argued they were unjust at a time of economic decline and unfairly benefited those in the ruling Awami League party, which was founded by those who fought in the independence war.

Peaceful demonstrations initially broke out on university campuses across the country as students mobilised through social media to demand an end to the quotas. However, the unrest turned violent last week as pro-government groups were accused of attacking the protesters with weapons and riot police used rubber bullets and teargas to break up protests.

Protesters hit back at police with bricks and stones in clashes across the country and stormed the headquarters of the state broadcaster in Dhaka, setting it alight. In another city, protesters broke into a prison and released hundreds of inmates.

The clashes between pro-government forces and protesters have left thousands injured and killed about 150, though the government has refused to release official data on the death toll. Witnesses have alleged that police violence is responsible for a large number of the fatalities.

The government has also imposed a communications blackout, with the internet shut down and phone lines widely jammed. At least 70 leaders of the political opposition and several student leaders and activists have also been arrested, accused of stirring up unrest.

As the court ruling was given on Sunday, the country remained under a strict indefinite curfew, with people banned from leaving their homes and gathering in any capacity. Police were granted “shoot on sight” orders for those who violated the curfew and the capital, Dhaka, resembled a war zone, with military personnel and tanks patrolling the streets and army helicopters flying low over the city. While the roads were largely deserted, protests continued in some quarters of the capital.

Student organisers said the supreme court ruling did not mean the end of the protests, which have escalated into the greatest challenge in years to the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, with many calling for her resignation. Hasina, who has been in office since 2009, has been accused of authoritarianism and rampant corruption and her re-election in January was widely documented as rigged.

Mahfuzul Hasan, a protest coordinator from Jahangirnagar University, said they still had several demands that the government must meet before they would call off the demonstrations.

“Now we want justice for the lives lost of our brothers. The prime minister has to apologise and those who are guilty have to be tried,” he said. Hasan said student groups were also calling for the removal of vice-chancellors of universities where protesters faced violence, and politicians who spread inflammatory remarks about the protesters.

He said he was among many student protest leaders who now feared for their safety and were concerned about being “abducted” by law enforcement agencies, as has often happened to critics of Hasina’s government.

Hasib Al-Islam, a Dhaka university student and protest coordinator, said he saw the supreme court verdict as positive but said students were waiting to see how Hasina’s government responded and were demanding that a quota reform bill be passed through parliament.

Islam said: “Our protest against the quota system is already under way, and it will continue until the government issues a executive order in line with our reform demands.”

Among those calling for justice was the family of Abu Sayeed, a final year English student who killed in the protests on Thursday, allegedly by the police. A video of Sayeed being fired at by police during a protest at a university in the city of Rangpur had gone viral on social media before the government shut down the internet. Hospital sources said Sayeed had rubber bullet wounds on his body when he was brought in dead.

Sayeed’s brother Abu Hossain said Sayeed had been the only one in the family to make it to university. “The entire family was so proud of him; we had such high hopes for him,” said Hossain. “My parents are in shock; our only hope is lost.”

Hossain said his family stood behind the protesting students and wanted justice for his murder. “My brother died for demanding fair rights for every student,” he said. “He died a martyr. I hope he’ll be remembered for it and his death was not in vain.”

[zvaigzdelasas]

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won an overwhelming majority in Bangladesh's parliamentary election[...]

At least 18 arson attacks preceded the vote but the election day passed in relative calm.[...]

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former premier Khaleda Zia refused to accept the election outcome[...]

Authorities blamed much of the violence on the BNP, accusing it of seeking to sabotage the election. On Saturday, detectives arrested seven men belonging to the BNP and its youth wing for their alleged involvement in the train attack. The party denied any role in the incident. On Sunday, a supporter of an Awami League candidate was stabbed to death in Munshiganj district near the capital, Dhaka, officials said.

7 Jan 24

[beardedmrbean]

A Labour minister has been named in an investigation into claims her family embezzled up to £3.9bn (Tk 590 billion) from infrastructure projects in Bangladesh.

Tulip Siddiq, 42, who as the Treasury's Economic Secretary is responsible for tackling corruption in UK financial markets, is alleged to have brokered a deal with Russia in 2013 that overinflated the price of a new nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.

The allegation is part of a wider investigation by Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into Siddiq's aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed as prime minister of the country in August.

A source close to Siddiq said these were "trumped up charges".

The source also said the allegations were "completely politically motivated" and designed to damage her aunt.

Conservative shadow home office minister Matt Vickers said: "The fact Labour's anti-corruption minister is reportedly embroiled in a corruption case is the latest stain on Keir Starmer's judgement.

"It is high time she came clean. The British public deserve a government that is focused on their priorities, not distracted by yet another scandal."

Downing Street said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had confidence in Siddiq, and she will continue her responsibility as the minister overseeing anti-corruption efforts.

Siddiq has "denied any involvement in the claims" accusing her of involvement in embezzlement, according to the prime minister's official spokesman.

But she has recused herself - or stepped back - from any political decisions involving Bangladesh, the spokesman added.

The investigation is based on a series of allegations made by Bobby Hajjaj, a senior political opponent of Hasina.

The BBC understands that Siddiq has not had any contact with the ACC as part of the investigation.

The ACC is also investigating several of Hasina's family members, including Siddiq's mother Sheikh Rehana Siddiq, and senior officials from her government.

Hasina, who was in charge of Bangladesh for more than 20 years, was seen as an autocrat whose government ruthlessly clamped down on dissent.

Since fleeing the country Hasina has been accused of multiple crimes by the new Bangladeshi government.

Hasina is wanted by Bangladesh's International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) for her alleged involvements in "crimes against humanity" that took place during the demonstrations, in which hundreds were killed.

Arrest warrants have also been issued for 45 others, including former government ministers who also fled the country.

Syed Faruk, who runs the UK branch of Hasina's Awami League party, said the claims were "fabricated".

Siddiq was elected MP for Hampstead and Highgate in 2015, the north London constituency neighbouring Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's seat of Holborn and St Pancras.

Corruption allegations and convictions against top leaders of ousted governments are not new in Bangladesh.

Hasina's main predecessor as prime minister, Khaleda Zia faced similar charges, which she also dismissed as politically motivated. As did ex-president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who seized power as head of the army during a bloodless coup in 1982.

The Bangladeshi judiciary's independence has long been questioned.

Government changes often bring judicial reshuffles, with ruling parties regularly accused of targeting political opponents.

Court documents seen by the BBC show Hajjaj has accused Siddiq of mediating and coordinating meetings for the Bangladeshi officials with the Russian government to build the £10bn Rooppur Power Plant Project.

It is claimed that the deal inflated the price of the plant by £1bn, according to the documents - 30% of which was allegedly distributed to Siddiq and other family members via a complex network of banks and overseas companies.

In total, Hajjaj alleges £3.9bn was siphoned out of the project by Hasina's family and minister.

Footage from 2013 appears toshow Siddiq attended the deal's signing by Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, recorded by the Associated Press.

[metamatar]

[From 15 Dec 2023]

me when im against fascism:

Its predecessor, the party (Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan), strongly opposed the independence of Bangladesh and break-up of Pakistan. In 1971, paramilitary forces associated with the party collaborated with the Pakistan Army in mass killings of Bangladeshi nationalists and pro-intellectuals.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Upon the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the new government banned Jamaat-e-Islami from political participation since the government was secular and some of its leaders went into exile in Pakistan. Following the assassination of the first president and the military coup in 1975, the ban on the Jamaat was lifted and the new party Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh was formed. Exiled leaders were allowed to return. Abbas Ali Khan was the acting Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. The Jamaat agenda is the creation of an "Islamic state" with the Sha'ria legal system, and outlawing "un-Islamic" practices and laws. For this reason, it interpretes their central political concept "Iqamat-e-Deen" as establishing Islamic state by possession of state power

Upon the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the new government banned Jamaat-e-Islami from political participation since the government was secular and some of its leaders went into exile in Pakistan. Following the assassination of the first president and the military coup in 1975, the ban on the Jamaat was lifted and the new party Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh was formed.

[...] In 2010 the government, led by the Awami League, began prosecution of war crimes committed during the 1971 war under the International Crimes Tribunal. By 2012, two leaders of the BNP, one leader from Jatiyo Party and eight of Jamaat had been charged with war crimes, and by March 2013, three Jamaat leaders had been convicted of crimes. In response, the Jamaat held major strikes and protests across the country, which led to more than 60 deaths (mostly by security forces.)

The former leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, was sentenced to 90 years in jail for crimes against humanity on 15 July 2013. [...]

In 1973, the government cancelled his citizenship for allegedly co-operating with Pakistani forces during the independence war.

Azam lived as an exile in Pakistan and the UK but returned to Bangladesh in 1978 when the country was led by Gen Ziaur Rahman - the assassinated husband of the country's current opposition leader [of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party] Khaleda Zia.

Minority community leaders, rights activists and liberal personalities have raised concerns over the call by acting chief of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Tarique Rahman, who stands convicted in a number of cases, for party men to mobilise on the streets for "regime change" on 28 October [2023].

[...] Rana Dasgupta said, considering the violent attacks orchestrated by BNP in the past, "this latest threat by Tarique is deeply concerning for the minorities in Bangladesh".

"Any political party that complies with the basic tenets of democracy should refrain from issuing such threats publicly," Dasgupta, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, added.

In the run-up to the 2014 national election, violence on the streets coupled with targeted attacks on minorities across the country still traumatise the victims, he observed

[jobaaj]

🚨𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡!🚨 𝐵𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚!!? 🚨 What’s going on?

Hundreds of students are protesting in universities and cities all over Bangladesh!

Things have gotten serious: 6 people have died and over 400 are hurt!

The government is shutting down all universities indefinitely!

🧐 Why?

Unfair job reservations.

Bangladesh brought back a 30% job quota for descendants of 1971 war freedom fighters.

Now, 56% of government jobs are reserved: 30% for freedom fighters' descendants, 10% for districts, 10% for women, 5% for ethnic minorities, and 1% for the physically disabled!

😲𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲: - The students are not against the reservation for women, minorities, and so on, but are against the unjustified 30% quota for freedom fighters’ descendants! - They claim that it lowers the chances of the average Bangladeshi while simultaneously increasing discrimination. - PM Hasina’s Awami League has defended the reservation, stating that it was necessary to honour the sacrifices of the fighters. - Moreover, the party has accused the protesters of being ‘Razakars’, people who collaborated with Pakistan in 1971!!! ❓𝙸̲𝚜̲ ̲𝚜̲𝚞̲𝚌̲𝚑̲ ̲𝚊̲ ̲𝚛̲𝚎̲𝚜̲𝚎̲𝚛̲𝚟̲𝚊̲𝚝̲𝚒̲𝚘̲𝚗̲ ̲𝚛̲𝚎̲𝚊̲𝚕̲𝚕̲𝚢̲ ̲𝚗̲𝚎̲𝚌̲𝚎̲𝚜̲𝚜̲𝚊̲𝚛̲𝚢̲?? Follow Jobaaj Stories (the media arm of Jobaaj.com Group for more)

[sharunchowdhury]

Sharun Chowdhury: Victim of False News by Daily Sun and Banglanews

In a recent development, media outlets, including the Daily Sun and Banglanews24, have come under scrutiny for allegedly disseminating false and fabricated news targeting Sharun Chowdhury and his family. This controversy has arisen amidst claims of a personal rivalry between Nazmul Karim Sharun Chowdhury and Sayem Sobhan Anvir, the owner of the media conglomerate Bashundhara Group.

The media houses under question, including Daily Sun, Daily Kaler Kantho, Banglanews24, Kaler Kantho, and TV Channel News24, have been accused of consistently publishing baseless stories against Sharun Chowdhury and his family. Sharun and his father, Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury MP, who holds the position of Whip of the National Parliament, have now taken legal action by filing a $50 million defamation case against Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, the owner of Bashundhara Group, and Sayem Sobhan Anvir.

The dispute reportedly stems from a personal clash between Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Sharun, who is also a director of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and a prominent member of the Bangladesh Awami League, and Sayem Sobhan Anvir. Sharun claimed in various media outlets that this rivalry began due to allegations of an extramarital affair between Sayem Sobhan Anvir and Sharun’s ex-wife, Saifa Rahman Mims.

Sharun stated, “After our divorce, my ex-wife had nothing to do with me, but I don’t understand why Anvir and Saifa Mims ganged up to defame me and my family using their news media. It’s a shameless and unethical effort to use a media house against personal enmity. I have integrity, and the people know about me and my family. My father has been elected three times as a parliament member and is one of the most popular politicians in Chittagong. This low-class effort by Bashundhara-owned media cannot harm our reputation, as people know who we are. In fact, people have started boycotting them and their media.”

In a remarkable display of solidarity, more than 10,000 individuals from various corners of Chittagong gathered in front of the Chittagong Press Club to express their anger and support for Sharun Chowdhury and his family. The gathering was a response to the allegations of fake news being spread about them by media outlets owned by Bashundhara Group, including the Daily Sun and Banglanews24.

Fueled by outrage over what they perceive as a deliberate attempt to tarnish Sharun Chowdhury’s reputation, the protesters made their voices heard loud and clear. They came together to denounce the alleged false reporting and manipulative news coverage targeting Sharun and his family.

In a symbolic act of condemnation, the demonstrators set effigies of Sayem Sobhan Anvir and his father, Shah Alam, ablaze. These actions underscore the intensity of public sentiment against what they view as malicious activities by the media outlets associated with the Bashundhara Group.

This massive gathering not only highlights the deep-rooted anger within the community but also serves as a testament to the widespread support that Sharun Chowdhury enjoys in Chittagong. As this controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how these developments will impact the ongoing dispute between Sharun Chowdhury and the Bashundhara Group-owned media outlets.

This ongoing feud has not only drawn significant attention within political and media circles but has also raised questions about the role of media houses in personal conflicts. As the legal battle unfolds, the public awaits further developments in this high-profile case.

[boome11]

Sir Keir Starmer met a senior member of Bangladesh’s ousted ruling party last month, despite the Awami League facing accusations of embezzlement and of allowing its security forces to kill protesters. The UK prime minister met Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, the ousted mayor of the city of Sylhet and a key party figure, at a dinner held by Labour in Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza Hotel in December. The pair were photographed talking at the black-tie event held for Labour party backers. The meeting was the culmination of decades of bridge-building between the Awami League and Labour that have helped the UK party win key parliamentary seats and make inroads with Britain’s Bangladeshi community. However, corruption allegations levied against certain members of the former Bangladeshi ruling family have drawn in Starmer’s under-pressure City minister, Tulip Siddiq, and raised questions about the wisdom of the long-forged relationship between the two parties.The Awami League — led by Siddiq’s aunt Sheikh Hasina — ruled the south Asian country for 16 years before being toppled in a student-led protest last summer. Hundreds of people in Bangladesh were killed over the summer as police and supporters of Sheikh Hasina clashed with protesters. Forces tied to the regime were accused of using disproportionate force against civilians, including firing live rounds. UK Bangladeshis hold a demonstration outside Downing Street to protest against Sheikh Hasina in 2015 © Paul Davey/AlamySiddiq was named in a probe last month by the Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh amid allegations that her family siphoned off $5bn from a nuclear power plant project. The family denies all allegations of wrongdoing. Earlier this week Siddiq also referred herself to the government’s ethics watchdog after the Financial Times revealed that she had been gifted a £195,000 property in London’s King’s Cross by a person linked to the Awami League. Social media posts reveal that Labour has grown closely enmeshed with the Awami League over the years, including accepting endorsements from elected Bangladeshi politicians. Starmer has been pictured accepting a donation cheque on behalf of Labour from a person with links to the Awami League, while both he and Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, have been photographed meeting key figures, including Chowdhury. Khan posted on Facebook it was a “real honour” to meet Chowdhury last May, after he received an endorsement from him ahead of the capital’s mayoral elections. During the meeting, Chowdhury said he had been campaigning for Khan for more than a decade. Chowdhury did not respond to a request for comment.Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer holds a meeting with Sheikh Hasina at London’s Claridge’s Hotel in 2022 © BSSThe relationship has also helped Labour reach into Britain’s Bangladeshi community ahead of general elections. FT analysis of electoral data suggests that there were at least 17 parliamentary seats where the voting-age Bangladeshi population was larger than Labour’s winning majority last July.Starmer’s own seat of Holborn and St Pancras — which he won with a majority of around 11,000 last summer — has more than 6,000 voting-age residents of Bangladeshi origin. Awami League supporters campaigned across the country for Labour in last year’s general election, appearing at events in Lancashire and Greater Manchester and accompanying Siddiq on campaigning trips, according to social media posts and people with knowledge of the events.One Labour official told the FT that “inroads” into the community had been partly driven by the association between Siddiq and her once-ruling family in Bangladesh.Her grandfather, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, helped lead the country to independence from Pakistan in 1971 before being assassinated four years later alongside many of her family. Only Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, and her aunt survived. “Siddiq’s family are the Kennedys of Bangladeshi politics,” the official said.Sheikh Hasina, who secured her fourth term in office in 2023 amid allegations of vote rigging, had long been seen as a secular force against the region’s Islamist politics. But the regime was accused of siphoning funds from the country’s banks, and using detention without charge to silence dissidents.Tulip Siddiq, left, with her aunt Sheikh Hasina on a visit to the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013 © Mikhail Metzel/AFP via Getty ImagesBangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal on Monday issued arrest warrants for Sheikh Hasina and 11 of her top officials for their alleged role in enforced disappearances. Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollster Savanta, said Labour was more reliant on the diaspora vote than were its political rivals — forcing it to forge alliances to reach certain communities. “It might not be front of mind in the Westminster bubble, but it will be front of mind for these communities and rightly or wrongly Labour will become guilty by association,” Hopkins added. A grassroots organisation Labour Friends of Bangladesh — which was founded in 2005 but has become evermore closely linked to the Awami League — has also played a prominent role in co-ordinating Labour campaigning efforts. “In the past few years [Labour Friends of Bangladesh] was heavily used for promoting Awami League,” said Ohid Ahmed, a former member of the League’s main political rivals the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, who founded the grassroots group but left Labour in 2010. “I don’t think anyone from the other side or who believed in other political parties . . . was even able to attend their meetings.” Ohid Ahmed photographed in 2014 © London News Pictures/ShutterstockHoward Dawber, chair of Labour Friends of Bangladesh since 2010 and London’s deputy mayor, said the organisation has supporters of all parties and “worked very hard not to get dragged into Bangladeshi politics”. He added: “It’s a hard tightrope to walk.” Now, Labour’s use of the Awami League party as a conduit to reach out to a minority community may be forced to change.“Labour historically understood the Awami League was a good vehicle to get votes, but despite a lot having changed since it holds the misguided view that it still commands support in the community,” said Ashraf Hoque, an associate professor of social anthropology at University College London. As well as the diminished standing of the Awami League, treating British-Bangladeshi voters as a single bloc fed unhelpful narratives about the community, he added. “It’s a dysfunctional feature of Labour politics.”Labour said: “The UK and Bangladesh have long-standing ties on areas of mutual interest such as trade and security. It’s perfectly legitimate for politicians to meet others from across the globe, as MPs from all parties have. Again, this doesn’t amount to an endorsement of their policies.”Additional reporting by Oliver Hawkins https://www.ft.com/__origami/service/image/v2/images/raw/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F77cb5c17-3c61-44c5-b8f6-f0437948516a.jpg?source=next-article&fit=scale-down&quality=highest&width=700&dpr=1 2025-01-10 18:46:11

[masr356]

Keir Starmer met ousted Awami League figure last month | masr356.com

Sir Keir Starmer met a senior member of Bangladesh’s ousted ruling party last month, despite the Awami League facing accusations of embezzlement and of allowing its security forces to kill protesters. The UK prime minister met Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, the ousted mayor of the city of Sylhet and a key party figure, at a dinner held by Labour in Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza Hotel in December. The pair were…

[thesocialchronicles]

Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s gov’t is accused of killing hundreds of protesters last summer.Thousands of people have rallied in Bangladesh’s capital to demand the prosecution of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and those responsible for hundreds of deaths in a mass uprising against her government in July. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement organised what it called the March for Unity on Tuesday at the Central Shaheed Minar, a national monument in Dhaka. Protesters chanted slogans calling for Hasina’s trial and the banning of her Awami League party. Hasina fled to India on August 5 after weeks of violence in which authorities said hundreds of people were killed and thousands more injured on the orders of her government. The uprising ended the 15-year rule of the country’s longest-serving prime minister, who began a fourth consecutive term in January after elections boycotted by opposition parties. Last week, Bangladesh sent a formal request to India to extradite Hasina. She faces many court cases over the deaths of protesters, including some on charges of crimes against humanity. “Since August 5, we have no more enemies in Bangladesh. Our only enemy is the Awami League,” Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the student movement, said while addressing the crowd. Protesters also urged the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to issue a formal proclamation by January 15 representing the uprising. The student leaders want the proclamation to include two key demands: a new constitution after the abolishment of the current charter, which was enacted under Hasina’s father in 1972, and a ban on the Awami League. Hasina’s party had ruled Bangladesh since 2009. The Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal has already issued arrest warrants for Hasina and her close aides, and the government has sought help from the international police organisation Interpol in seeking her arrest. Speaking from the United States, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, has questioned the credibility of the tribunal and called charges against her a “political witch-hunt”. Meanwhile, the interim government has promised to try Hasina and others in her administration on charges involving the deaths of protesters and has invited the United Nations to help investigate the killings. Hasina has also called for an investigation, saying many deaths may have involved other parties aside from the security agencies. https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-12-31T121838Z_719704754_RC2A0CA0KR4T_RTRMADP_3_BANGLADESH-PROTESTS-1735672968.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440 2024-12-31 20:24:14

[warningsine]

“Inni, we are independent!” my 26-year-old cousin chanted from Shahbagh, a neighbourhood in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, as millions joined a major protest march on Monday to the country’s Parliament House.

Soon after, social media was flooded with news of “a new independence” – a free Bangladesh reborn after the autocratic leader of over 15 years, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, fled the country in the face of defiant public demand for her resignation.

It was the startling culmination of weeks of unrest that resulted in some 300 deaths and thousands of arrests.

Now, the young protesters who instigated the protests have a real opportunity to contribute to the political discourse in a previously discriminatory system of government. Will the interim government listen – and bring real change to the country?

What’s been happening in recent weeks?

The student protests erupted last month over a quota system that reserved 30% of government jobs for Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war veterans and their relatives. The students demanded a merit-based system, deeming the current one unfair and biased.

As the protests grew, Bangladesh’s faux democratic regime totally broke down. The government cut mobile internet, imposed a nationwide shoot-on-sight curfew, and deployed the army and police to the streets.

The government’s violent response quickly transformed the demonstrations into a full-fledged “people’s uprising” aimed at toppling Hasina and her Awami League party.

After days of intense clashes between student protesters, police and ruling party activists, the Supreme Court reduced the quota to just 5% of jobs for veterans and their relatives. Despite this concession, protesters continued to demand accountability for those killed in the weeks of unrest.

The government tried to deflect blame, claiming the demand for Hasina’s resignation had been orchestrated by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the now-banned Jamaat-e-Islami party.

The prime minister labelled the protesters as criminals to be dealt with harshly, leading to a severe erosion of political trust. When Hasina offered to meet with student leaders on Saturday, a coordinator fervently refused.

Sunday marked one of the deadliest days in Bangladesh’s history of civil unrest, with at least 98 people killed and hundreds injured.

Anti-government sentiment spread rapidly, fuelled by accusations the government was intimidating protesters, denying medical care to the injured and arresting thousands for exercising their democratic rights.

As the unrest grew, Hasina’s grip on power weakened until she was finally forced to flee.

Deep-seated inequality and anger

While the student protests initially targeted the quota system, broader public discontent quickly emerged. Bangladeshis were angry over the repressive political climate, the weakening economy and the government’s inability to tackle pressing issues, such as inequality, youth unemployment and high inflation.

This discontent has come despite the fact Bangladesh has achieved significant economic success since Hasina came back into office in 2009, largely fuelled by the garment industry.

Bangladesh has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the region. Per capita income has tripled in the last decade and over 25 million people have been lifted out of poverty in the past 20 years.

However, the economic fruits have been unevenly distributed, favouring the rich, who tend to support the Awami League. The wealthiest 10% of the population control 41% of the nation’s income, while the bottom 10% receive just 1.3%.

The country’s economic success failed to meet the aspirations of the younger generation, in particular. By 2023, 40% of those aged 15–29 were classified as “NEET” – which means “not in employment, education or training”. University graduates have faced higher unemployment rates than their less-educated peers.

Rising inflation, reaching nearly 10%, and increased living expenses have compounded these hardships. Utility costs soared as the government raised electricity and gas prices three times in a single year.

The root causes of the quota protests, therefore, ran deep. And this anger was especially pronounced for the disenchanted and politically marginalised youth. Their demands were clear: they wanted fair elections, government accountability and the restoration of democratic norms.

Bottom-up transition to democracy

In all senses, Bangladesh has not been a democracy since its 1971 independence war against Pakistan. The country has been plagued by corruption, the suppression of free speech and the press, and flagrant repression of the opposition. This has included politically motivated arrests, disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Elections have also not been free and fair. The highly controversial election in January that returned Hasina to power for a fourth consecutive term, for instance, was boycotted by her main opponents. Many of their leaders were jailed.

But the recent protests have offered hope of a bottom-up transition to democracy.

Young people have played a pivotal role in bringing down Hasina’s government through their sheer numbers, as well as their spirit, resilience, defiance and solidarity. They were tech-savvy, too, ingeniously navigating the internet and mobile data crackdowns to mobilise protesters, both at home and abroad.

However, a true democratic transition in Bangladesh now requires competitive elections and a new form of governance. While the army has promised an all-party inclusive interim government, it remains unclear if and how youth leaders will be invited to the decision-making table.

Despite being highly educated and committed to democracy, young Bangladeshis – especially young women – have been marginalised by traditional, hierarchical and patriarchal political structures. In 2022, for example, only 0.29% of parliamentarians were under 30, and 5.71% were under 40.

The current power vacuum presents a significant opportunity to politically empower the country’s youth. The underlying economic and social ills that led to the protests are largely youth issues. Without adequate political representation and participation, there is a risk of further marginalisation, increased distrust in the political process and potential democratic collapse.

While the road ahead is fraught with challenges, Bangladesh’s youth have demonstrated their readiness to fight for their rights and their future.

[head-post]

Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed accuses Yunus government of “political witch hunt”

Sajeeb Wazed, son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Tuesday accused the country’s Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of “using the weapon of judiciary” to conduct a “political witch hunt” against Awami League leaders.

Wazed said in a social media post:

“The judges and prosecutors appointed by unelected Yunus led regime to conduct farcical trial process through International Crimes Tribunal makes it a political witch hunt that forsakes justice and marks another ongoing onslaught to persecute Awami League leadership.”

His statement came a day after Bangladesh’s interim government said it had sent a note verbale, or unsigned diplomatic communiqué, to India formally demanding Hasina’s extradition.

Hasina was removed from power and forced to flee to India on August 5 amid widespread student protests against her Awami League-led government. She served as Bangladesh’s prime minister for 16 years. On August 8, the interim government of Bangladesh was led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus.

The Dhaka Tribune reported on August 15 that Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal is investigating Hasina on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in connection with violent anti-government protests between July 15 and August 5.

Nine other prominent leaders of Hasina’s Awami League party, including general secretary and former road transport minister Obaidul Quader and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, are also under investigation.

Read more HERE

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] In a significant development, Bangladesh’s interim government on Monday made an official plea to India, requesting the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August. Hasina, the long-time leader of the Awami League, was forced to leave Bangladesh following widespread protests that led to the collapse of her 16-year regime. Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs adviser to the interim government, confirmed that a diplomatic note had been dispatched to India, urging the Indian government to facilitate Hasina’s return for trial. “We have sent a note verbale (diplomatic message) to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process.,” Hossain stated. The Bangladesh government, which has been in power since Hasina’s departure, is pressing for her return to face charges brought by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka. The tribunal has issued arrest warrants for Hasina, along with several of her former ministers and officials, accusing them of “crimes against humanity and genocide” during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. In a separate statement, Jahangir Alam, the home adviser, revealed that the interim government had also sent a letter to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, officially requesting the initiation of the extradition process. Sheikh Hasina’s escape from Bangladesh was prompted by the intensifying protests and political instability that led to her government’s ouster. The country’s political landscape has since been in turmoil, with Hasina’s extradition becoming a critical issue for the interim authorities. Click here for Latest Fact Checked News On NewsMobile WhatsApp Channel For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] In a significant development, Bangladesh’s interim government on Monday made an official plea to India, requesting the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August. Hasina, the long-time leader of the Awami League, was forced to leave Bangladesh following widespread protests that led to the collapse of her 16-year regime. Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs adviser to the interim government, confirmed that a diplomatic note had been dispatched to India, urging the Indian government to facilitate Hasina’s return for trial. “We have sent a note verbale (diplomatic message) to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process.,” Hossain stated. The Bangladesh government, which has been in power since Hasina’s departure, is pressing for her return to face charges brought by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka. The tribunal has issued arrest warrants for Hasina, along with several of her former ministers and officials, accusing them of “crimes against humanity and genocide” during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. In a separate statement, Jahangir Alam, the home adviser, revealed that the interim government had also sent a letter to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, officially requesting the initiation of the extradition process. Sheikh Hasina’s escape from Bangladesh was prompted by the intensifying protests and political instability that led to her government’s ouster. The country’s political landscape has since been in turmoil, with Hasina’s extradition becoming a critical issue for the interim authorities. Click here for Latest Fact Checked News On NewsMobile WhatsApp Channel For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram [ad_2] Source link

[themajestyofmiracles]

Salman F. Rahman: Crimes Exposed (2024)

In a case involving fraud and money theft, Salman F. Rahman, a businessman and industrial advisor for the Awami League, was given bail.

In response to Salman’s writ of petition, the High Court bench of justices Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Judge Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury ruled against the Anticorruption Commission and the government, questioning why the case’s procedures had not been declared unconstitutional.

Together with four other people, the ACC filed a complaint against Salman F. Rahman, vice chairman of the Beximco Group, at the Motijheel Police Station on September 30. The chairman of the group is Sohel F. Rahman.

The complaint claims that the defendants used fraud and fictitious land documents to get bank loans totaling more than Tk 108 crore.

Attorney Rafiqul Haque defended Salman in the writ petition contesting the legality of the proceedings.

On October 9, a High Court vacation bench granted advance bail in the case of Mahmudur Rahman.

Salman was granted bail by the HC in connection with a corruption charge that the ACC filed on November 4.

On October 1, the Anticorruption Commission filed a case against Salman, claiming he faked documents for six pieces of property in Gazipur to reschedule a Tk 192 core loan from AB Bank, amassing Tk 182 core.

The Daily Star and Prothom Alo

Mr. Salman F. Rahman, vice chairman of the Beximco Group of Companies, declared that Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were the originators of the “Minus Two” concept under the emergency rule.

We categorically deny the charge and reject it as absurd.

Salman F. Rahman criticised Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in a number of other general and sweeping ways. He claimed that these two magazines had been involved in a brutal, continuing campaign against his company and had utilised unethical journalism to malign his industry in order to prevent his company’s ambitious expansion plans from coming to pass.

Information on the Beximco group of companies was always published with the relevant evidence, their versions, and our comments included.

The truth is that banks in Bangladesh have been forced to charge some of the highest interest rates in the world due to a long-standing culture of loan default, which has also discouraged numerous entrepreneurs from taking out loans and investing in their businesses.

The fundamental culture has been one of, if not the most important, obstacles to the growth of the private sector in the country.

Beximco, which ranks among the worst defaulters over the previous 20 years with defaults reaching thousands of crores of takas, is one of the biggest and oldest companies contributing to the ills of default culture.

Thus, it stands to reason that the Beximco Group of Companies would be worthy of and get an extremely thorough investigation by the nation’s responsible and independent media, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, among others.

The media recently focused on Bextex, a Z category company, when DSE investigated them and their volatile share trading right before their AGM and dividend announcement.

About Salman Rahman’s claim that our conclusions about the declaration of dividends and asset revaluation were untrue, we would like to clarify that the data we used in our reports came from the Dhaka Stock Exchange’s website, which is still up to date. The Daily Star and Prothom Alo have not reached a separate conclusion.

Salman F. Rahman and Beximco have never been accused of insider trading, as far as we know. We highlighted in our investigation the unusual trading activity that two banks were engaging in on that stock just before the dividend payout. We merely published these facts in our piece to inform the public as part of our journalistic duty to protect investors’ interests. In the study, we also found that while some saw it as a wise financial decision, others questioned if it constituted insider trading.

Regarding his assertion that he referred to Bextex shares as “junk,” we would like to make it clear that “junk shares” in Bangladesh are shares that fall into the Z-category or are underperforming. The Financial Express, the only financial newspaper in the country, calls shares in the Z category “junk shares.” The fact that international credit rating agencies refer to stocks or bonds that no longer meet investment-grade requirements as “junk” indicates that it is a widespread practice.

The raters in these ratings highlight low profitability as a potential reason for a company to delay dividend payments on securities. Fitch Ratings downgraded its ratings of UBS’s preferred stock to junk status in a research dated March 5, 2009, and also made a hint that it may downgrade it even worse. Fitch pointed up increased dangers on the shares of the European bank.

Transcom Group and Latifur Rahman, the company’s owner, were mentioned by Salman F. Rahman in his written declaration. The Daily Star and Prothom Alo are managed by experienced editors, and the proprietors do not influence the paper’s editorial substance, as is well known to the general public. Because of this, the audience support that these two journals currently enjoy is well-deserved. 

We strongly reject Salman F. Rahman’s claim that The Daily Star and Prothom Alo were the creators of the “Minus Two” idea and view it as his last-ditch effort to deflect attention from the actions of his businesses. 

For instance, a DSE website entry on July 13 states that the SEC has established an investigation team to look into certain odd trading of Bextex Ltd. shares on the stock market.

We restate our commitment to protecting investors’ and the economy’s interests, as well as the “public’s right to know”.

Remember that the owners of Beximco were directors of the aforementioned banks in question at one point in time, and they were in charge of millions of Taka being taken out of more than a hundred bogus accounts in the 1990s before the Bangladesh Bank found out. Salman and Sohel F. Rahman were consequently obliged to resign from their posts on the bank boards. Our interest in this company’s stock trading was also sparked by Beximco’s previous performance, which was linked by the Securities and Exchange Commission to the 1996 share fraud along with other businesses. Beximco continues to be charged with a share fraud scheme.

Salman F. Rahman enters into an agreement with RR Holdings Ltd. and Beximco to extend its LPG operations in Bangladesh; India Oil Corp.

However, a few years ago, Beximco LPG also shipped a cargo of LPG cylinders to the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for delivery to the landlocked northeastern districts of India.

Despite the concerns surrounding COVID-19, both countries have been able to maintain an adequate supply of LPG to meet the growing needs for energy. However, it is anticipated that the new JVC, which would operate by first purchasing Beximco’s present LPG assets, would significantly improve the current energy infrastructure.

Speakers at the event were Nasrul Hamid, MP, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, and Salman F. Rahman, the other co-founder of the Beximco Group and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s investment and private industry advisor.

[odnewsin]

Bangladesh court bans publication of speeches by ousted PM Hasina

Dhaka: A special tribunal in Bangladesh Thursday banned the publication of any speeches by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is in exile in India after being ousted in August following mass protests. The decision came a day after Hasina made her first public speech in a virtual address to supporters of her Awami League party in New York. In the speech, she accused Bangladesh’s interim…