Politics
Dozens injured in AL-BNP clash in Keraniganj
Clashes between the activists of BNP and Awami League on Friday left dozens of people injured with the two groups blaming each other for the violence.
The local BNP leaders said at least 15 of the party’s leaders and activists including Nipun Roy Chowdhury were injured in the clash with Awami League men during the opposition party’s rally in Keraniganj of Dhaka.
Also read: BNP factional clash leaves 20 injured in N’ganj
The programme was organized to press home the party’s 10-point demand, including the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government before the next general election.
A group of 25 to 30 people, led by Awami League leader Azhar Bangali attacked the BNP office in Zinjira area of Keraniganj on Friday afternoon, while the rally was going on, claimed Nipun, a member of the BNP’s Executive Committee.
Among the injured are Sazzad Hossain, president of Keraniganj Jubo Dal, Zahirul Islam Mamun, south Keraniganj Swechasebak Dal joint secretary, Mojazzed Hossain, Dhaka district BNP organizing secretary.
Also read: Police, BNP clash in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi; One vehicle torched
Azhar Bangali claimed that while he was passing the area BNP men attacked him.
Local AL leaders also accused BNP activists of vandalising the AL office in South Keraniganj, leaving at least 25 people injured. Some of the injured were taken to hospital, they said.
According to eyewitnesses, men from both parties attacked each other with bamboo sticks.
Barisal city polls: 7 mayoral candidates get symbols
Symbols have been allocated among the seven mayoral candidates in Barishal City Corporation election.
Returning Officer Humayun Kabir distributed the symbols at the regional election officer's office at Nathullabad in the city on Friday morning.
The mayoral candidates have started campaigning with their allocated symbols.
Thel candidates and their symbols are: Awami League's Abul Khair Abdullah (boat), Jatiya Party's Iqbal Hossain Taposh (plough), Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Mufti Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim (hand fan), Zaker Party's Mizanur Rahman Bachchu (rose flower), independent candidate Kamrul Ahsan (clock), Asaduzzaman (elephant) and Ali Hossain (deer).
In the case of councillor candidates, symbols were allotted through lottery.
Another JCD man injured in Narsingdi factional clash dies
Another Chhatra Dal activist who was shot and injured during a factional clash between two groups in Narsingdi’s Sadar upazila , has died while undergoing treatment in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
The deceased was identified as Ashraful Islam, 22. Doctors declared him dead at 9:30 a.m. Friday, said police.
Also read: 1 JCD man dies, another hurt after rivals open fire in Narsingdi
Earlier, Sadekur Rahman Sadek, 32, the former joint convenor of district unit JCD, died after he suffered injuries in his forehead on Thursday.
Confirming the matter, Inspector Md Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH Police Outpost, said the bodies of the deceased have been kept at DMCH morgue for autopsy. The matter has been reported to the local police station.
A 71-member committee of the JCD district unit was announced around four months back. Several clashes occurred between the office bearers of the newly formed committee and those who were deprived in the committee.
The deprived JCD men brought out a procession, in favour of a district BNP programme scheduled to be held on May 27 near the house of the BNP’s Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokan in Chinishpur area of Sadar upazila around 3:45pm on Thursday.
Suddenly, a group of the JCD opened fire on the procession, said Mayeen Uddin, a former joint convenor and post-deprived member in the new committee.
Sadek suffered bullet injuries in his forehead while Ashraful in his thigh, he said, adding that they were first rushed to Sadar Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital due to critical condition.
US visa policy reflects people’s long-standing demand for restoration of voting rights: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the new visa policy of the USA targeting Bangladesh’s next election has reflected the people’s long-standing demand for restoration of voting rights.
In a statement in the early hours of Friday, he also said the main theme of the US visa policy is to ensure all the process for arranging the upcoming parliamentary elections in Bangladesh in a free, fair, participatory and acceptable manner.
At the same time, the BNP leader said the stance taken by the US government against any move to rig votes, intimidate voters, violently suppress the people's freedom of peaceful assembly and exercise of their rights is a clear echo of the long-standing demand of the people of Bangladesh for a free and fair election.
“BNP thinks the changed US policy has clearly reflected the long-standing demand of the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh, including BNP, for ensuring people's right to franchise,” he observed.
The BNP leader said they clearly observed that not only the law enforcement agencies, including the police, are brought under the new US visa policy but also the judiciary, administration, security-related government employees, former and current government officials and political leaders who, directly or indirectly, can disrupt the electoral system. “Their family members are also brought under the preview of the of the visa policy.”
Fakhrul said BNP believes that free and fair elections will not be possible under the current fascist government.
“That is possible only under a non-partisan and impartial caretaker government. For that reason, BNP along with all the democratic parties and forces of the country is carrying out systematic and peaceful political programmes to realise the demand for a non-partisan and neutral polls-time caretaker government,” he said.
The BNP leader demanded the current “unelected fascist” government resign immediately dissolving the parliament.
“Arranging a free and fair election by establishing a polls-time non-partisan neutral government is the demand and expectation of the country’s people and international community. This is the only way to get rid of the ongoing political, economic, social and national crisis,” he said.
Fakhrul also called upon the people of the country to remain firm and determined in realising the demand.
Earlier on Wednesday, the United States announced a new visa policy specific to Bangladesh, with a view to promoting free and fair elections.
"Under this policy, we can impose visa restrictions on individuals and their immediate family members if they are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Jahangir's mother Zayeda Khatun wins GCC polls
Zayeda Khatun, an independent mayoral candidate and mother of former mayor Jahangir Alam, has won the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections with 238,934 votes, according to unofficial results.
Her nearest rival, Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Azmat Ullah Khan got 222,737 votes, Md Faridul Islam, returning officer of the election, declared unofficially early Friday.
Faridul Islam announced the unofficial results after counting of votes ended at all 480 polling centres.
Meanwhile, the unofficial results of other contestants of the GCC elections are: Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Gazi Ataur Rahman bagged 45,352 votes, independent candidate Sarker Shahnur Islam got 23,265 votes, Gono Front's Atiqul Islam 16,974 votes, Jatiya Party's MM Niazuddin 16,362 votes, Zaker Party's Md Raju Ahmed 7,206 votes and another independent candidate Md Harun or Rashid 2,426 votes.
Read: Gazipur City Corporation election: Voting ends with no reports of violence
Earlier, voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election began on Thursday using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner.
The voting began around 8 am and continued till 4 pm without any break.
Eight candidates contested for mayoral posts in the election and there are 248 councillors and 79 female councilor candidates.
A total of 11,79,476 voters were eligible to vote and of them, 5,92,762 were men and 5,86,696 were women, and the number of transgender people was 18.
Meanwhile, 13,000 law enforcers were deployed to maintain law and order during the election, said Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Molla Nazrul Islam on Wednesday.
Twenty platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members had also been deployed alongside 30 teams of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Ansar members, said Returning Officer Faridul Islam.
1 JCD man dies, another hurt after rivals open fire in Narsingdi
A Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader died after suffering from bullet injuries while another was also shot in a factional clash between two groups over a procession in Sadar upazila of Narsingdi on Thursday afternoon.
Sadekur Rahman Sadek, 32, former joint convenor of district unit JCD, died after he suffered injuries in his forehead, said Bacchu Mia, a police official at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Doctors at the DMCH declared Sadek dead after he was brought there for treatment, he said.
JCD activist Ashraful Islam, 22, was also shot in his thigh and was being treated at the DMCH.
A 71-member committee of the JCD district unit was announced around four months back. Several clashes occurred between the office bearers of the newly formed committee and those who were deprived in the committee.
The deprived JCD men brought out a procession, in favour of a district BNP programme scheduled to be held on May 27 near the house of the BNP’s Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokan in Chinishpur area of Sadar upazila around 3:45pm.
Suddenly, a group of the JCD opened fire on the procession, said Mayeen Uddin, a former joint convenor and post-deprived member in the new committee.
Sadek suffered bullet injuries in his forehead while Ashraful in his thigh, he said, adding that they were first rushed to Sadar Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital due to critical condition.
Abul Kashem, officer-in-charge of Sadar police station, said the situation is now under their control and an additional number of law enforces were deployed to ward off any unexpected incident further.
Legal actions will be taken once complaints are lodged in this connection, he added.
US Visa Policy: BNP hopes it can play supporting role in ensuring credible polls
Welcoming the new visa policy of the USA targeting the next national election in Bangladesh, BNP on Thursday hoped that it would play a supporting role in ensuring fair elections.
Talking to reporters in front of the party chairperson’s Gulshan office, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru also said there is no reason for their party to be worried about the USA move since it is involved in vote rigging.
“We welcome this decision of the USA as it was made considering the concern of the people of Bangladesh over the (next general) election. I think this step will help at least play a supporting role in holding the next polls in a fair and credible manner,” he said.
Khasru, also the chairman of BNP’s foreign affairs committee, said the US move has sent out a message that the people of Bangladesh cannot exercise their right to franchise and their constitutional rights have been taken away while their lives are at a risk.
Stating that vote rigging is going on continuously in Bangladesh, he also said the US new visa policy is a big message to stop election manipulation in the days to come.
Khasru said the ruling party should be worried about their future if they again indulge in vote rigging instead of restoring people’s voting and democratic rights.
He also said the US has taken the move as a reflection of the people of Bangladesh’s worries over the upcoming national election. “There’s no discussion about the election of other countries, including our neighbouring ones. The US visa policy was announced specifically for Bangladesh and its specific organisations and individuals.”
The United States on Wednesday announced a new visa policy specific to Bangladesh, with a view to promoting free and fair elections.
"Under this policy, we can impose visa restrictions on individuals and their immediate family members if they are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday.
Khasru said vote rigging is taking place every day in Bangladesh. “It won’t happen only on the election day...so, we welcome their (US’) move to stop it.”
He said the US has comprehensively talked about its action against all those who try to disrupt the election, steal votes and occupy the polling stations.
"They've talked about the judiciary, journalists, law enforcers and government officials...the United States will apply the policy to anyone who are directly or indirectly involved in vote stealing,” the BNP leader observed.
Asked whether the US policy is a success for BNP, Khasru said, it’s not a matter of success." Success will come the day the people of Bangladesh will be able elect their representatives and their government with their votes. This (visa policy) is perhaps the best move from this point of view.”
He also said the country’s people welcomed the US visa policy as it is a clear message against the election fraud.
Replying to another question whether the US step will lead to fair elections in the country, the BNP leader said, the people of Bangladesh have to ensure fair elections, restore democracy and safeguard human rights and the rule of law by themselves.
He said many more measures have to be taken so that Awami League cannot rig votes and usurp power once again.
The BNP leader also said filing ‘false’ cases against the opposition leaders and activists, arresting, attacking and killing them are also a process of vote rigging. “The USA has taken the decision keeping all these things in mind.”
Referring to Gazipur city polls, he said there was no democratic environment and level- playing field there and the government did not allow their party’s ex-mayor Zahangir Alam to contest the election. “So, people have no confidence in the elections.”
He also said vote rigging will not be stopped and people’s confidence in the polls will not be restored unless a caretaker government is formed removing the current regime.
Govt to resist if any attempt is made to obstruct national polls: Quader
Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said that the government wants to make the upcoming national election free and fair and it will resist if anyone attempts to impede the next election.The Minister said this after paying homage to national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on his 124th birth anniversary at his graveyards at Dhaka University this morning.Quader assured that the government will extend all possible cooperation to the Election Commission to hold a free and fair election.
Read more: Peaceful voting underway; Law and order situation good: ZayedaReplying to a question, Quader, the Awami League general secretary, said those who set fire to buses, vandalise those in the name of movement ahead of the election are engaged in political violence.About the non-communal spirit of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, the minister said, “We want to be inspired by the non-communal humanist spirit of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.”Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, SM Kamal Hossain, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua and other central leaders were present on the occasion.
Voting underway in Gazipur City Corporation election
Voting in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Election is underway with good voter turnout in the first few hours on Thursday.
The voting began at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break.
Long queues of voters were seen in all polling stations. Peaceful casting of votes have been reported.
No untoward incident was reported till the filling of this report around 12:30 pm.
Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Azmat Ullah Khan cast his ballot in the GCC election saying he will accept whatever the result comes.
“I always respect the people’s opinion and whoever gets elected today, I will accept the results,” he said while talking to reporters after casting his vote at Tongi Darus Salam Madrasha Centre around 9 am.
Voters were seen going to the polling stations spontaneously and the long queues of voters suggested a participatory election is being held in Gazipur.
“I am a political worker and my party Bangladesh Awami League is a democratic political party and you (people) have seen that when I went out for campaigning, I was always with the people as a political activist,” he said.
Early voting has been peaceful and the law and order situation is also good, said Zayeda Khatun, an independent mayoral candidate in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections.
She made the remark while talking to reporters after casting her vote at Kanaia Government Primary School polling station around 10 am.
There has been no complaint so far against the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said adding “I am hopeful about my victory in the election.’
She also urged the voters to cast their votes at the respective polling stations.
Eight candidates are contesting for mayoral posts in the election and there are 248 councillors and 79 female councilor candidates.
A total of 11,79,476 voters are eligible to vote and of them, 5,92,762 are men and 5,86,696 are women, and the number of transgender people is 18.
A total of 13,000 law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order during the election, said Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Molla Nazrul Islam on Wednesday.
BNP leader’s death threat to PM: Academics, senior journalists criticize Fakhrul’s ‘justification’
Academics and senior journalists have criticized Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s latest statement that they view as “approval and justification” of a Rajshahi party leader publicly making a death threat against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Calling the threat, issued last week, as a “slip of tongue”, Fakhrul instead pulled up the government for “wholesale slapping of cases against BNP leaders.”
The statement came amid a countrywide uproar after a top leader of BNP’s Rajshahi unit publicly instructed a large gathering of party activists to “send Sheikh Hasina to her grave.”
Senior columnist and researcher Ajoy Das Gupta said, “With no apology and rather asserting excuses like slip of tongue clearly shows Fakhrul and his party embrace those who issue such threats. It clearly undermines all ambits of a responsible democratic party ”
Pranab Kumar Pandey, a Rajshahi University teacher, said, “Such brazen defence only exposes the violent face of the BNP-Jamaat alliance.”
Pranab, who also writes for international publications, recounted at least 19 assassination attempts on the premier, including the heinous grenade attack in 2004 on an Awami League rally, in which around 24 leaders and activists were killed. BNP’s acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman was convicted for his involvement in planning the grenade attack.
Last year, a BNP volunteer front – Swechchhasebok Dal – leader’s similar “threat” to the PM also sparked anger on social media. In a speech, video of which went viral soon after, Abdul Qader Bhuiyan was heard publicly calling to restage “another 1975”, referring to the brutal massacre of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members by a group of disgruntled army officers. Calling it a “very clear death threat,” Bangladesh Muktijuddho Mancha demanded immediate arrest of the BNP leader at the time.