DHAKA, Jan 22, 2025 (BSS)- BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan has said like-minded parties agreed with BNP on the demand for elections within this year. “There is no disagreement among the political parties to hold next election by 2025. Everyone wants election by this year. BNP has wanted elections in July-August and Khilafat Majlis has also wanted election by this year,” he said. Narul Islam Khan said this at press briefing after a meeting between the BNP and Khelafat Majlis liaison committee at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan political office here today. Khelafat Majlis leaders participated in the meeting with BNP with the aim to strengthen relations between the political parties. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir chaired the meeting. Khilafat Majlis delegation members included its Amir Maulana Abdul Basit Azad, Secretary General Dr. Ahmed Abdul Quader, Nayeb-e-Amir Maulana Sakhawat Hossain, Nayeb-e-Amir Professor Abdullah Farid, Joint Secretary General Advocate Jahangir Hossain, Joint Secretary General Muhammad Muntasir Ali, Joint Secretary General ABM Sirajul Mamun, Joint Secretary General Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Faisal and Joint Secretary General Professor Abdul Jalil. Narzul Islam Khan said although one phase of the anti-fascist movement has been successful, the fight to restore democracy is still going on.  Expressing optimism that relations with the new US administration will remain as before, Nazrul Islam Khan said whoever is elected president in the US, it will not have much impact on Bangladesh.  The relations between Bangladesh and the US will remain as before, he said adding the relations between the two countries will be stronger in future. Regarding the meeting between Jamaat and Islamic Movement Bangladesh, he said that BNP will do politics with those parties which share the same views. “BNP is not worried. All the parties that were united against fascism are with BNP. All the political parties that are against fascism are united and will remain united,” he said.

RANGPUR, Jan 22, 2025 (BSS) - The sweeping mild cold wave coupled with chilly winds and dense layers of fog and clouds deteriorated the weather, affecting public life and forcing many people to stay indoors in the northern region today. Local residents said the sun remained covered by thick layers of clouds and fog throughout the day, also partially affecting traffic movement and forcing the drivers to put headlights on to avert accidents. Elderly people, women and babies are the worst sufferers, especially in rural and riverine char areas, due to bone-chilling cold in the sub-Himalayan northern region. The local Met Office sources said the minimum temperatures marked a slight rise by one to two degrees Celsius while the maximum temperatures marked a sharp fall by two to four degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours, ending at 4 pm in the region. As a result, the gap between the maximum and minimum temperature reduced to only five to six degrees Celsius in most places, causing a chilling cold in the region. "The mild cold wave may continue till January 24 with a possibility of improvement of the situation from January 25 in the region," Rangpur Meteorological Office Chief Md Mostafizur Rahman told BSS this afternoon. The county's lowest temperature today dropped to 11.5 degrees Celsius at Tentulia. Besides, the minimum temperatures recorded today were 13 degrees Celsius at Rangpur, 12.8 degrees at Dinajpur, 12 degrees at Saidpur, 12.6 degrees at Dimla and 12.3 degrees Celsius at Rajarhat monitoring points in the region. Meanwhile, the maximum temperatures ranged between 17 and 20 degrees Celsius today against 21 degrees and 25.2 degrees Celsius yesterday in the region. Officials at hospitals, upazila health complexes and community clinics said the number of patients with cough, fever, asthma and other cold-related diseases continued increasing today forcing the doctors to remain busy. Rangpur Civil Surgeon Dr Mostafa Zaman Chowdhury said physicians are providing health services to cold-related patients in hospitals and other health service facilities. "We have adequate stocks of essential medicines and have taken necessary steps to provide proper treatments to cold-related patients at all health service providing facilities in the district," he added. Meanwhile, the district and upazila administrations, NGOs, voluntary and socio-cultural organisations are continuing distribution of warm clothes among cold-stricken people. Rangpur District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Md Motahar Hossain said distribution of 33,372 pieces of blankets allocated by the government this season continues among cold-stricken people of the district. Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension for Rangpur region Md Obaidur Rahman Mondal said steps have been taken to assist farmers in taking care of Robi crop plants and Boro rice seedlings amid cold and foggy weather. Similar reports of disruption of normal life were received here today from different areas of Kurigram, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Rangpur and Nilphamari districts.