Politics
Independent candidate Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan boycotts Dhaka-17 by-polls
Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan, an independent candidate contesting the Dhaka-17 by-polls, boycotted the election this morning amid allegations of irregularities.
Tariqul made the announcement after voting began around 8 am this morning (July 17, 2023).
“A fair election is not possible under the current government,” Tariqul told media at Dhaka’s Banani Model School polling centre.
Read: EC monitoring Dhaka-17 by-polls, elections of 2 municipalities through CCTV cameras
He said that he withdrew from the polls as his polling agents were “obstructed” from entering polling stations.
“None of my agents were allowed to enter polling stations. Awami League leaders and activists have created a hostile situation outside the centres; even police are obstructing my people from entering the polling centres," he claimed.
Voting in Dhaka-17 constituency started at 8 am, and it will continue till 4 pm without any break.
Read: Voting for Dhaka-17 by-polls, election in 7 municipalities underway
EC monitoring Dhaka-17 by-polls, elections of 2 municipalities through CCTV cameras
The Election Commission (EC) is observing the Dhaka-17 by-polls and elections of Pirojpur Bhandaria and Jashore's Benapole municipalities through CCTV cameras today (July 17, 2023) from the control room in Dhaka.
The Election Commission has set up 1,058 CCTV cameras, including 853 for Dhaka-17 constituency, to monitor the elections, said EC sources.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibur Awal; Election Commissioners Brigadier General (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan, Rasheda Sultana, Md Anisur Rahman; Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath; NID Director General AKM Humayun Kabir; and IDEA-2 Project Director Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Sayem have been monitoring the polls since this morning.
Read more: Voting for Dhaka-17 by-polls, election in 7 municipalities underway
Election monitoring is being done by installing two CCTV cameras in each polling station.
Voting for Dhaka-17 by-polls, election in 7 municipalities underway
Voting for the by-election in Dhaka-17 constituency and election in seven municipalities of seven districts are underway today (July 17, 2023).
Voting started at 8 am, and it will continue till 4 pm without any break.
Voting will be held with the use of traditional ballot papers in the parliamentary by-election, unlike the recent city corporation polls where electronic voting machines were used.
Tight security measures have been taken to ensure peaceful voting, authorities said.
Read more: EC monitoring Dhaka-17 by-polls, elections of 2 municipalities through CCTV cameras
In the Dhaka-17 constituency, eight candidates are running in the race to be elected member of the parliament. The seat comprising Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and part of Dhaka Cantonment fell vacant after the death of popular actor and freedom fighter Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque on May 14 this year.
The contestants are Mohammad Ali Arafat of Bangladesh Awami League (with boat symbol), Sikder Anisur Rahman of Jatiya Party (plough), independent candidate Ashraful Hossain Alam widely known as "Hero Alam" (monochord), Kazi Rashidul Hasan of Zaker Party (rose), Akter Hossain of Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote (cane), independent candidate Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan (truck), Rezaul Karim Swapan of Bangladesh Congress (green coconut) and Sheikh Habibur Rahman of Trinamul BNP (golden fibre).
The number of voters is 325,205 under 125 polling stations in the Dhaka-17 constituency, which comprises wards 15,18,19 and 20 of Dhaka North City Corporation as well as Dhaka cantonment area.
On June 1, the Election Commission announced the by-election schedule for Dhaka-17 which fell vacant following the death of ruling Awami League MP Akbar Hossain Pathan alias Farooque.
Read more: Dhaka-17 parliamentary seat set to go to polls on Monday
AL intimidation tactics no longer work, people will establish their rights: Fakhrul
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the intimidation tactics of the government no longer work, and so the people of the country will forcibly remove the Awami League to establish their rights.
“Still there is time and you (AL) should resign, There is no point in showing guns and issuing threats. You have committed a lot of crimes. If you do not step down, people will remove you to establish their rights,” he said.
Fakhrul was addressing a public rally in front of the BNP office in Chattogram.
Read: Fakhrul to govt: ‘Time’s up, resign’
Issuing a warning note to Awami League, Fakhrul said “The time of AL ended now and I clearly told them to step down and dissolve the parliament.”
“You (AL) were involved in judicial killing, some 40 lakh BNP men were accused in 1.24 lakh cases. No one can cling to power permanently. Authoritarians like Namrud, Feraun and Ershad failed to cling to power and Sheikh Hasina you also can’t cling to power as the throne of power is not permanent for anyone. So step down,” he said.
Awami League will starve if there is a caretaker, neutral, or non-partisan government to oversee the next election, he added.
“Awami League is like Heron as Heron remained standby on the pond water and water body to catch fish and like Heron they (AL) also search for a scope to cling to the power,” said the BNP leader.
“The Election Commission is like Thutho Jagonnath (disabled) as they have no power. Whatever AL says, they just implement it,” he said.
Read: Fakhrul announces ‘one-point’ demand to oust govt
Pointing finger at Sheikh Hasina, BNP senior leader said “In 2021, Sheikh Hasina told us that there will be fair elections and everyone can cast their votes. But what we see is that the vote was cast on the eve of Election Day.”
As long as this government stays, people's suffering will increase, he said.
The BNP leader also alleged that “Khaleda Zia has been imprisoned for eight years on a false case. She fought uncompromisingly for democracy. We have unveiled a 31-point outline aimed at "reforming" the constitution and state system.”
Read more: Fakhrul sets up big expectations from next Wednesday's BNP rally
BNP’s ‘Tarunner Samabesh’ in Khulna on Monday
A youth rally titled ‘Tarunner Samabesh’ will be organized by BNP’s associate bodies Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on Sonali Bank premises in Khulna city on Monday.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will be the chief guest at the rally.
DMP has no such objection to BNP’s marches in capital on July 18, 19: Anee
Addressing a press conference at Khulna Press Club on Sunday afternoon, Jubo Dal president Sultana Salauddin Tuku alleged that the ruling party and the administration are obstructing the youth from joining the Khulna youth rally and threatening the leaders and activists for going back to their homes.
EU Election Exploratory Mission holds meeting with BNP
However, he hoped that the rally would be successful in Khulna like the those in other four divisions, leaving all obstacles behind.
Not possible to go to polls under AL: BNP tells EU delegation
No foreign pressure for election dialogue: Hasan Mahmud
None of the foreign powers have exerted any pressure for a dialogue among political parties before the national election, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud.
“The dialogue statements were made by individuals like beneficiaries of the 1/11 and others. BNP itself has not expressed a desire for dialogue,” he said, while speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the Secretariat on Sunday.
When asked about the BNP's program, Mahmud emphasized that they have an additional responsibility as a government party.
BNP's caretaker demand fails to gain traction: Hasan Mahmud
“Our role is to ensure peace and order in the country and prevent any disruption by extremists. If anyone attempts to create chaos under the guise of a political program, it becomes our duty to stand with the people and maintain stability,” he said.
Addressing the desires of the business community, the minister said that it is natural for businessmen to want peace and stability in the country.
“They recognize the government's role in upholding these conditions and believe that if the government remains in power, peace and stability will continue to prevail, leading to further progress. Consequently, influential businessmen have expressed their strong desire to see Sheikh Hasina serve as Prime Minister once again,” he said.
No chance of dialogue on caretaker government: Hasan Mahmud
He mentioned that on this day in 2007, Sheikh Hasina, the current Prime Minister and then opposition leader of the Awami League, was unlawfully arrested without a warrant. “Her residence was also vandalized, and her late husband, renowned nuclear scientist Wazed Mia, faced mistreatment.”
The Information Minister further commented on the caretaker government that came into power after 1/11, highlighting their initial promise to combat corruption and misrule.
“However, the caretaker government itself became involved in corruption and misrule. They didn’t take action against the BNP-Jamaat coalition government, which had engaged in widespread corruption and mismanagement,” he went on.
“Sheikh Hasina’s arrest sparked widespread protests. The Awami League's leaders and activists and the general public joined the movement advocating for her release. Eventually, due to the strong public sentiment, Sheikh Hasina was released after eleven months,” he added.
BNP’s demand for dissolving Parliament is threat to democracy: Info Minister
Mahmud attributed the subsequent release of Khaleda Zia to the pressure created by the Awami League's movement, stating that the people of Bangladesh do not want to see a caretaker government of that nature again.
Expressing concern over recent developments, the AL leader noted the resurgence of the beneficiaries from the 1/11 era. He observed that they have become active once again, engaging in open and secret meetings in various locations and staging protests at different embassies.
Dhaka-17 parliamentary seat set to go to polls on Monday
The parliamentary by-polls to Dhaka-17 constituency and election to seven municipalities of seven districts are set to be held on Monday.
The balloting will open at 8:00am and continue till 4:00pm without any recess.
Tight security measures have been taken to ensure peaceful voting, authorities said.
Read: New political party Humanity Revolution, Bangladesh registered by EC
In the Dhaka-17 constituency, eight candidates are running in the race to be elected a member of parliament. The seat comprising Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and part of Dhaka Cantonment fell vacant after the death of popular actor and freedom fighter Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque MP on 14 May this year.
The contestants are Mohammad Ali Arafat of Bangladesh Awami League (with Boat symbol), Sikder Anisur Rahman of Jatiya Party (Plough), independent Ashraful Hossain Alam (Monochord), Kazi Rashidul Hasan of Jaker Party (Rose), Akter Hossain of Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote (Cane), independent Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan (Truck), Rezaul Karim Swapan of Bangladesh Congress (Green coconut) and Sheikh Habibur Rahman of Trinamul BNP (Golden fiber).
Read: Sylhet city polls: Candidacy of a councillor cancelled
The number of voters is 325,205 under 125 polling stations in the Dhaka-17 constituency which comprises ward no: 15,18,19 and 20 of Dhaka North City Corporation as well as Dhaka cantonment area.
On June 01, the Election Commission announced the by-election schedule for Dhaka-17 which fell vacant following the death of ruling Awami League MP Akbar Hossain Pathan alias Farooque.
Seven municipalities going to polls on Monday are Bhandaria of Pirojpur, Debidwar of Cumilla, Chengarchar of Chandpur, Benapole of Jashore, Dohazari of Chattorgram, Gosairhat of Shariatpur and Tarash of Sirajganj.
Among the municipalities, the number of voters is 22,415 in Bhandaria, 33,336 in Chengarchar, 44,509 in Debidwar, 30,385 in Benapole, 33,586 in Dohazari, 18,032 in Gosairhat and 19,287 in Tarash.
Read: AL-backed mayoral candidate Abul Khair Abdullah wins Barishal City Corporation election
A total of 33 mayoral candidates are running for seven posts, while 102 female contestants for 21 reserve seats and 364 contenders for 63 general councillor posts in the seven municipalities.
The voting will be held with the use of traditional ballot papers in the parliamentary by-election unlike the municipal polls where electronic voting machines will be used.
Besides, the by-polls to the vacant posts of a number of local bodies – Union Parishads, municipalities, Upazila Parishads, and Zila Parishad-- will be held on Monday.
Jamaat seeks police permission to hold rally in Chattogram on July 22
Jamaat-e-Islami has called for a public rally on July 22 at the historic Laldighi ground in Chattogram.
The party has sought permission from the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner to hold the rally.
Thirteen lawyers of Jamaat-e-Islami went to the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) commissioner's office on Saturday (July 15) for permission to hold the rally.
Also read: Jamaat announces mass rally in Sylhet on July 21
Later, the commissioner's office allowed two members of the Jamaat delegation to enter the office.
Former Joint Secretary of Chattogram District Bar Advocate Kabir Hossain and Advocate Shamsul Alam went to the CMP Commissioner's office and submitted the application.
Coming out of the CMP office, Advocate Shamsul Alam told the media that Jamaat has organized a rally at Laldighi Maidan on July 22 to press for a 10-point demand including the establishment of a caretaker government, the release of Jamaat's Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Nayeb-e-Ameer ANM Shamsul Islam, Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and former MP Shahjahan Chowdhury among others.
Also read: Family members of victims of BNP-Jamaat rule demand justice at Dhaka rally
“Jamaat wants to implement this rally in an orderly and peaceful manner. We went to the police commissioner on behalf of Jamaat for permission for the rally. Our letter has been accepted. The permission for the rally will be announced later, according to the CMP commissioner’s office,” he said.
Spina Rani Pramanik, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of CMP Media and Public Relations Department, said, "I have heard that Jamaat has submitted an application to the CMP Commissioner seeking permission to hold a rally in Chattogram on July 22. We can't give details of the application as of yet.”
Also read: AL has no connection with Jamaat: Info Minister
No compromise with govt over next election: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their party will not make any compromise with the government over the next election and force it to resign through their ongoing one-point movement.
Speaking at a discussion, he called upon the professionals to take to the streets for the restoration of democracy by holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government.
Read: Jamaat announces mass rally in Sylhet on July 21
“No compromise with it (govt) and no election under it…I don't want to repeat the words that no path (except movement) is opened for us,” the BNP leader said.
He said their party is not giving focus on the new US visa policy since they want to go ahead with their one-point movement by uniting people from all walks of life.
“We have made it very clear that we are on the movement with the power of our own people to save the country and free people from misrule,” the BNP leader said.
Read: Free, fair, credible election unlikely under incumbent govt: AB Party tells EU Mission
He said people have woken up and they are spontaneously participating in the different programmers of the opposition.
"Now you (professionals) have to wake up and lead people in the movement. It's now the expectation of the nation. I request you all to come out of your houses and come out of your work. Take to the streets and inspire the people to involve with the movement. We’ll defeat them (govt) on the streets with the power of people and force them to hold the election under a neutral government,” Fakhrul said.
Sammalita Peshajibi Parishad arranged the programme at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh demanding the resignation of the government and elections under a non-partisan government.
Read: EU wants free, fair and peaceful election—also a commitment of AL: Quader
After the discussion, the professionals took part in a 'silent' march toward the Jatiya Press Club from the programme venue.
Fakhrul called upon the different professional bodies, including the bodies of lawyers, physicians, engineers and teachers to form separate fronts and take all-out preparations for making the one-point movement a success.
He said the government has destroyed all the state machinery and institutions through politicisation to cling to power by force.
The BNP leader alleged that the government has usurped power illegally by violating the constitution and using the state apparatus. “All institutions of the state have been destroyed consciously…Awami League is a prime example of how people can be fooled and snatched their all rights.”
Read: Not possible to go to polls under AL: BNP tells EU delegation
"We feel most helpless with that judicial system and we feel most helpless when we go to court. We are the biggest victims of the existing judicial system. The most popular democratic leader of this country, Begum Khaleda Zia was unjustly convicted in a completely false case,” he said.
The BNP leader alleged that the government has been regulating the media and it is giving the newspapers and the media outlets various directions in publishing reports on BNP’s programmes.
Jamaat announces mass rally in Sylhet on July 21
Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a public rally at the Registry Ground in Sylhet city on July 21.
Sylhet Metropolitan Jamaat Ameer Muhammad Fakhrul Islam announced the programme at a press conference in the city on Saturday afternoon.
Also read: Awami League's policy unchanged despite allowing Jamaat rally: Home Minister
He said Sylhet Metropolitan Jamaat was scheduled to hold the rally at Sylhet Registry Ground today(July 15) with its 10-point demand but it could not be arranged as they did not get permission from the police.
Also read: Rights activists slam US report’s claims about Jamaat
Jamaat’s Sylhet District South Ameer Professor Abdul Hannan, District North Ameer Hafiz Anwar Hossain Khan, and Metropolitan Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Sohel Ahmed, among others ,were present at the press conference.
Also read: Jamaat holds first rally after a decade, demands polls under caretaker govt