BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has said that although certain reasons have delayed his return to Bangladesh, the time has now come for him to do so. “I will return soon and be among the people during the election,” he said in an interview with BBC Bangla, published on Monday. Tarique Rahman said: “Physically, I may be in Britain, but mentally and emotionally, I have been in Bangladesh for the past 17 years.”

He added: “There will be a much-anticipated national election in the country, and how could I stay away at such a time? During the election, I will be with the people and among them.” The BNP acting chairman further said: “I do not see myself as the mastermind of the July uprising. No individual or party was its mastermind. The democracy-loving people of Bangladesh were, in fact, the true masterminds of the July uprising.”

“BNP has consistently maintained that the sooner the election is held, the sooner stability will return to the country,” he added.

Tarique Rahman also said: “BNP believes that if the national election had been held six months earlier, many crises could have been avoided. The government has, albeit belatedly, come to realize this.”

He further said: “We wanted the election to be held within December, but the interim government aims to hold it by February. We want to have faith that the government will take all necessary steps, step by step, to ensure the election is held.”

When asked whether BNP would contest the election individually or through seat-sharing within an alliance, Tarique Rahman said: “Around 64 political parties tried to resist the former autocratic regime from their respective positions. We have always tried to work collectively. The 31-point state reform agenda we presented was initially proposed by BNP alone in 2016 as part of our Vision 2020 plan. Later, it was developed further into 27 points and, after consultations with allied parties, finalized as 31 points.”

“Our aim has always been to rebuild the state inclusively, incorporating the opinions of all parties that stood with us in the movement,” he added.

Regarding Khaleda Zia’s possible role in the election, he said that if her physical condition allows, she will certainly play some part.

Asked whether Dhaka University Central Students’ Union) politics would influence national politics, he said: “From what we have seen, individuals like Manna Bhai, who was Ducsu VP twice and is far more experienced in politics than I am, have expressed their views clearly. Student politics should remain in its sphere, and national politics in its own.”

On Jamaat-e-Islami, Tarique Rahman said: “As long as any political party operates within the recognized laws and regulations of Bangladesh, it has the right to practice politics. BNP has always believed in multiparty democracy, and we wish to view the matter from that perspective.”

Speaking about the Awami League, he said: “If the party, as an organization, has committed any wrongdoing, it should face justice under the country’s laws. The law will determine the outcome.”

Explaining former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s presence in India and its impacts on bilateral relations, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday said this is a “judicial legal process” and it requires “engagement and consultations” between the two governments.

“We are examining these issues. We look forward to working together with Bangladesh authorities on these issues,” he said while responding to a question during an interaction with the members of Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

Beyond that, the Indian foreign secretary said, he does not think it would be constructive to say anything further at this point. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Joint Secretary (Bangladesh & Myanmar) B Shyam, DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Md Arifuzzaman Mamun were present.

Responding to a question, Foreign Secretary Misri said they should set aside the perception that they have a favourite or they are trying to engage with one set of people or ignore another set of people. He said they want the earliest possible expression of the mandate of people through which a democratically elected government will emerge.

Asked whether India is trying to reinstate Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh Awami League, the Indian foreign secretary said they are only in favour of an early election in Bangladesh for an opportunity for the people of Bangladesh to express their mandate to the popularly elected government.

“We will deal with the government. We are prepared to deal with the government. I don’t think there is anything else to say with regards to that,” said the foreign secretary.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain recently said Bangladesh is yet to receive any positive response from India regarding its request for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition to face trial at home.

“There is no new information on this. Bangladesh has asked India to return Sheikh Hasina to face trial. There has been no positive response from India yet,” he told reporters in Dhaka recently. Touhid Hossain said Bangladesh is waiting for a response from New Delhi.

Responding to a question on whether the government will seek international assistance to bring Sheikh Hasina back to the country, the foreign affairs adviser said the government can seek assistance if it deems it necessary, adding: “However, I do not see any need at the moment.”

The foreign adviser said the government would continue to pursue the extradition of former prime minister Hasina, currently reported to be in India since August 5 last year. Bangladesh sent a diplomatic note (note verbale) to India in December last year, along with a set of supporting documents, formally requesting Hasina’s extradition. He said they want to see a free, fair, inclusive and participatory election in Bangladesh at the earliest possible time.

The Indian foreign secretary said they are ready to work with the democratically elected government following the results of an inclusive and participatory election. During nearly an hour of interaction, the Indian foreign secretary responded to questions on bilateral issues, border issues, water sharing issues and issues related to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who is staying in India.

The foreign secretary acknowledged that there are some issues which are natural in any relationship. A 23-member delegation of the DCAB is currently visiting India at the invitation of the government of India.

London:  Five members of the British Parliament have expressed “deep concern” over what they described as a deteriorating human rights situation in Bangladesh. In an open letter published on Saturday in the Letters to the Editor section of the UK-based newspaper The Times, they urged the UK government, the United Nations, and the international community to take firm action on the issue.

The letter was signed by MPs Bob Blackman, Jas Athwal, Neil Coyle, Gurinder Singh, and Luke Akehurst. It was co-signed by Baroness Smith of Llanfaes, a member of the House of Lords, and Steven Powles, a criminal lawyer specializing in international crime, extradition, and human rights.

Under the headline “Rights of Bangladeshis,” the signatories expressed alarm at Bangladesh’s political and human rights environment more than a year after the formation of an interim government.

“We are deeply concerned by the worsening human rights situation in Bangladesh,” the letter stated.

“There are numerous credible reports of judicial failures, denial of bail, politically motivated arrests, the banning of certain parties from participating in upcoming elections, and growing violence against minority communities.”

The lawmakers called on the British government — particularly the Foreign Office — as well as the UN and international partners to pressure Bangladesh’s interim government to ensure justice, uphold civil liberties, and end impunity in accordance with international law.

They further urged the authorities to hold peaceful elections within a set timeframe and establish a stable civilian government, saying it was essential to restore trust and accountability in the country.

New York: Queens-based Bangladeshi business leader Fahad Solaiman has withdrawn his support for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, citing the lawmaker’s stance on decriminalizing prostitution. Solaiman, a resident near Roosevelt Avenue, told The Post that backing prostitution equates to supporting human trafficking. He urged his mosque community to instead support former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent candidate.

“After sunset, you can’t walk down Roosevelt Avenue without seeing prostitutes,” Solaiman said after Friday prayers at Darul Hidaya Mosque.

Once a Mamdani supporter for his views on Palestine, Solaiman said he now sees the assemblyman as “a hypocrite.”

Mamdani, who co-sponsored a state bill to decriminalize sex work among consenting adults, has recently avoided detailed comments on the issue. Local mosque leaders joined Solaiman in endorsing Cuomo, who trails Mamdani by about 20 points in recent polls.

“We’re proud to support Andrew Cuomo to unite our city,” said Imam Qazi Qayyoon.

Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday it would be an “insult” to the United States if he does not receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his self-proclaimed role in solving multiple wars. Trump, who has long sought the prize which will be unveiled on October 10, made the latest push for his case a day after he announced a peace plan to end the war in Gaza.

“Will you get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They’ll give it to some guy that didn’t do a damn thing,” Trump said during a speech before hundreds of top US military officers. “It’d be a big insult to our country, I will tell you that. I don’t want it, I want the country to get it,” he added.

“It should get it, because there’s never been anything like it.” Republican Trump has long been irked by the fact that Democrat Barack Obama won the prize in 2009. In his Tuesday speech Trump repeated his recent claim that he has solved seven wars since his return to office in January.

Trump said that if the Gaza plan he unveiled alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday works out, “we’ll have eight, eight in eight months. That’s pretty good.”

Hamas has yet to respond to the plan. But the chances of Trump winning the Nobel Peace Prize this year are regarded as close to zero in Oslo, where the prize is based.

“It’s completely unthinkable,” Oeivind Stenersen, a historian who has conducted research and cowritten a book on the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has also insisted it cannot be swayed by Trump’s campaigning for the prize.

“Of course, we do notice that there is a lot of media attention towards particular candidates,” the secretary of the committee, Kristian Berg Harpviken, told AFP recently. “But that really has no impact on the discussions that are going on in the committee.”

Trump’s administration recently listed the seven wars it said he has ended as being between Cambodia and Thailand; Kosovo and Serbia; the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda; Pakistan and India; Israel and Iran; Egypt and Ethiopia; and Armenia and Azerbaijan.

But while Trump has been quick to claim credit for some, for example announcing a ceasefire between nuclear-armed Delhi and Islamabad in May, many of the claims are partial or inaccurate.

Montreal: The first meeting of FOBANA’s newly elected Executive Committee was held virtually via Zoom. With the spontaneous participation of all members, the committee pledged to move forward with the organization’s future activities. The meeting was presided over by the newly elected Chairman Jahid Hossain Pintu and conducted by Executive Secretary Nehal Rahim.

Chairman Jahid Hossain stated that sub-committees will soon be formed to initiate all organizational activities. Executive Secretary Nehal Rahim called upon all newly elected members to play an active role in carrying out FOBANA’s programs.

Details regarding the upcoming 40th FOBANA Convention were presented on behalf of the organizing committee by Anwar Hossain Santu and Nazimul Ullah Liton. They announced that the convention will take place on September 4, 5, and 6, 2026, during the Labor Day weekend, in Orlando, Florida. The convention will be hosted by the Bangladesh Association of Central Florida.

In addition, 27 EC members present at the meeting actively took part in the agenda-based discussions and provided valuable opinions to ensure the success of FOBANA’s future initiatives.

Awami League supporters threw eggs at National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhter Hossen in New York, while he, along with the party’s Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara, was leaving John F Kennedy International Airport with BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders yesterday (22 September). A man has been detained by New York police over the incident, New York-based journalist Sanjiban Sarkar told the BBC Bangla. He said the detained person’s name is Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, who is reportedly an activist of the banned Awami Jubo League.

According to witnesses and videos shared on social media, Awami League supporters chanted slogans and harassed the leaders of the three political parties, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, until they boarded their vehicles. At the time, some of them hurled eggs at Akhter as he exited the terminal.

“The incident is not only an expression of political violence but also a glaring example of the government’s failure to uphold diplomatic dignity and ensure security during state visits,” the statement read.

The egging and assault incident at New York airport has once again shown that the Awami League feels no remorse for its misdeeds, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said today (23 September). “Everything the Awami League has done wrong will eventually be brought to justice in accordance with the law,” Fakhrul said in a Facebook post.

He also urged party leaders and activists to remain patient for the sake of the party and the country. Yesterday (22 September), eggs were thrown at NCP leader Akhter Hossen while he was leaving New York’s JFK Airport.

In the US as part of a Bangladesh delegation for the United Nations General Assembly, at the chief adviser’s invitation, NCP Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara, as well as leaders of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, were also there. Several eyewitnesses said the act had been carried out by leaders and activists of the Awami League, a party banned in Bangladesh. Later, New York police reportedly detained a man identified as Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury in connection with the incident. He is said to be an activist of the Awami League.

The NCP blamed the “mismanagement of the embassy” for the egg attack on Akhter.

BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said the party has not yet approved any candidate for the upcoming national election, as the final selection will be made by its Parliamentary Board. “No candidate in any constituency has been given any green signal. The party will nominate those whose performance in party activities is strong. BNP follows a clear constitutional process for nominations, not any informal signal,” he said. Speaking at an urgent press conference at BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan, Rizvi also said some recent media reports suggesting certain people have been chosen as candidates are misleading and baseless.

He said the responsibility for selecting candidates lies solely with the party’s Parliamentary Board, chaired by BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman. The BNP leader said this board, to be formed with members of the party’s standing committee, will take the final decision about candidates after the election schedule is announced. He urged party leaders and activists across the country not to be misled by speculative news reports. “We call on everyone to remain united and wait for the official announcement from the party high command.”

Rizvi said Tarique Rahman has been giving clear instructions to strengthen unity within the party and to work together in every constituency, instead of giving anyone a green signal.

“He is speaking to leaders virtually and giving clear directions to work in unity and support whoever the party nominates. Those seeking nomination must also follow this guideline,” the BNP leader said. He said no nominations have been given yet, despite reports in various newspapers suggesting that lists have been announced and certain people may be possible candidates.

Rizvi said Tarique Rahman is repeatedly stressing the importance of maintaining a strong bond with the people and avoiding activities that cause dissatisfaction or upset.

He said Tarique also advised party leaders and activists to go door to door, distribute leaflets on the party’s 31-point proposal, and explain to the public how this will bring about real change.

Rizvi said Tarique has asked nomination seekers to become more people-oriented. “He often says something we deeply believe that the people are the source of all political power for BNP. As long as the people are with us, no propaganda can separate them from the party, Insha’Allah.”

He said their acting chairman has called upon all BNP leaders, activists, and well-wishers across the country to stay connected with the people and continue to earn their trust and love.

Rizvi alleged that as the interim government moves forward to restore people’s voting rights, a vested group has begun spreading misinformation and planting the seeds of a deep conspiracy.

“They have crafted different stories and are carrying out a series of harmful activities to confuse the public. Those who falsely accuse BNP and try to label the party are the same ones using certain media outlets to spread or publish false news in BNP’s name,” he said.

The BNP leader also said the people of the country are witnessing an evil effort by a certain quarter to secretly rehabilitate the banned, fascist Awami League, which carried out mass killings during the uprising, just to gain political power and fulfil their ambitions.

He expressed concern that some newspapers, media outlets, and social media platforms have recently published so-called nomination lists of BNP candidates, which he said aim to create confusion, dissatisfaction, and disorder among party leaders and activists.

Rizvi alleged that certain media are deliberately spreading false propaganda with the harmful aim of creating division and conflict within BNP. He said BNP is fully preparing for the national election, and the party will nominate popular and qualified candidates through a careful and systematic process at the right time.

Claiming that they have a target of the Awami League, National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhtar Hossen on Monday vowed that the Awami League would not be able to make a comeback amid what he called “anti-fascist unity.” Soon after coming out from the John F Kennedy International Airport with BNP and Jamaat leaders, Akhter Hossen and NCP’s First Senior Joint Member Secretary Dr Tasnim Jara were confronted by a small group of Awami League supporters.

The protesters chanted slogans until the delegation entered their vehicles. At one point, eggs were thrown at Akhter Hossen. Speaking to reporters later at a hotel in New York, Akhter said Awami League activists were resorting to the same intimidation tactics abroad that they practised in Bangladesh.

“We are not afraid of this. The people of Bangladesh showed the highest level of courage against the Awami League and even sacrificed their lives. They will remain united and Awami League will not be able to return,” he said.

Dr Tasnim Jara, who faced verbal abuse during the incident, condemned the attack and linked it to a broader pattern of hostility towards women in politics.

“This is nothing new. We have seen how women – who were on the front during the movement and now getting involved in politics – were targeted and undermined by the Awami League in Bangladesh. Today, we saw a reflection of that again,” she said. Dr Tasnim stressed that such incidents would not deter them from their political mission.

“This cannot stop us. Many people are joining with us, and people rejected the Awami League,” she said. She said the attack was aimed not at Hossen as an individual, but at his political identity as a representative of an anti-fascist movement.

“This attack shows the fear and despair of the defeated forces. It will not weaken Akhter Hossen but only strengthen his determination,” Dr Tasnim said.

The NCP and BNP leaders are part of a delegation accompanying the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The delegation includes BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP leader Humayun Kabir, Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher, and NCP leaders Dr Tasnim Jara and Akhter Hossen. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mohammad Nakibur Rahman is joining the delegation from the US.