Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that there is no tension on the India-Bangladesh border now. The situation is now fairly normal, they are no longer building barbed wire fences. It can be said that it is largely in a stable state.

He said these things in response to questions from journalists after exchanging views with officials of the Mymensingh Division's law enforcement and agriculture departments at the Shahabuddin Auditorium of the City Corporation on Tuesday (January 14) afternoon.

Jahangir Alam said that in order to restore peace, discussions will be held at the DG level of BGB and BSF next month. Since we have made some unequal agreements, they will be discussed there. Before that, a letter will be sent to them from the ministry on how to resolve the problems that are unequal.

Stating that there is no fertilizer crisis, the Home Affairs Adviser said, and if anyone tries to create an artificial fertilizer crisis, action will be taken against them. If any dealer is involved in these, their dealership will be closed from next month. They will not be given any concessions. Farmers are the lifeblood of the country, they will definitely get fertilizer at a fair price.

The adviser also said that the police force is gradually accelerating its activities after overcoming the crisis.

Divisional Commissioner Moktar Ahmed, Range DIG Dr. Ashrafur Rahman and others were also present at the time.

Due to the increase in VAT, the price of 12 kg LPG at the consumer level has been increased by Tk. 4 to Tk. 1459. On January 2, the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) had fixed the price of 12 kg LPG at the consumer level at Tk. 1455.

On Tuesday (January 14), BERC announced the new price of LP gas by adjusting the VAT. In the order, the price of LP gas per kg has been fixed at Tk. 121.56, which was Tk. 121.19 before the VAT increase. At the same time, the price of auto gas has been increased from Tk. 66.78 to Tk. 67.27 per liter.

Although the price of the product decreased in the international market in January, BERC initially kept the price unchanged due to the increase in the dollar rate. Compared to December, the average price of propane and butane per ton has decreased by 13.33 dollars. Accordingly, the price was supposed to decrease.

When the first price announcement for import-dependent LPG was made on April 12, 2021, it was said that the base price would fluctuate if the Saudi price fluctuated. Other commissions will remain unchanged. Since the announcement, BERC has been announcing the price of LPG every month. However, there are allegations that LP gas is never available in the market at the price fixed by BERC.

Student movement convener Hasnat Abdullah said, the first thing that will come up when it comes to the Awami League question is that the Awami League must be tried first. Therefore, the talk- show hosts, media houses, university teachers, and intellectuals who have been vocal about the human rights of the Awami League have been sponsoring this fascism until now. We will break those pens that write in favor of fascism again.

He said these things at a wayside meeting and mass mobilization demanding the July Revolution Declaration at Chashara Shaheed Minar in Narayanganj city on Tuesday (January 14) afternoon. He then held road meetings and mass mobilization in Chattagram Road in Siddhirganj and Kanchpur in Sonargaon Upazila.

Hasnat Abdullah said, our stance will continue against the media that speaks in favor of fascism. We will have a strong stand against the thoughts of those who will again develop their thoughts in favor of fascism. We are saying again and again, if you fail to understand the young generation, then whoever comes to the policy-making stage later will also have the same fate as the Awami League.

He said, today the young generation has had to come out on the streets. We have had to give blood. We have had to overcome our fear because the culture of politics of corruption and the culture of politics of revenge have disappointed us. We have not been able to make a welfare state. We have not been able to become citizens within the state. The political structure that we have in the past has deprived us of civil rights at historical levels. The young generation has been deprived. From the anger of this deprivation, we have built a fascism-free Bangladesh with the fire of hatred. The next Bangladesh will be built by combining the experience of those who have been in politics for so many years and the fearless attitude of the young generation.

Addressing the interim government, he said, we had an ultimatum until January 15. After today's public meeting, we have given the government until tomorrow. This interim government has given us a commitment to prepare a declaration based on political consensus. But the most regrettable thing is that we have not seen any visible steps so far. 

BNP leader and former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar has been acquitted in another case involving the much-discussed seizure of 10 trucks of arms in Chattagram. His lawyers said there are no more obstacles to his release from prison.

The verdict began on Tuesday (January 14) afternoon after hearing the death references (approval of the death penalty) and appeals of the accused in the case of smuggling 10 trucks of arms in Chattagram. The verdict acquitted the then State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar and several others.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Nasreen Akhter delivered the verdict. Earlier, the hearing on the death references and appeals of this much-discussed case began on November 6.

The state presented its arguments after presenting the necessary documents. Then the accused presented their arguments. The High Court is delivering the verdict today after hearing both sides.

In the two cases related to the seizure of ten trucks of arms, the court of Judge SM Mujibur Rahman of Chattagram Special Tribunal-1 sentenced 14 accused, including former Industries Minister and Jamaat Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfuzzaman Babar, and Paresh Barua, military commander of the Indian separatist organization ULFA, to death on January 30, 2014 in the smuggling case (under the Special Powers Act).

The same accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in the other case filed under the Arms Act. In addition, the judge sentenced them to seven years in prison in another section of the arms seizure case. Each of the convicted accused was also fined Tk. 5 lakh.