Politics
EC names 12 political parties for registration pending further scrutiny
The Election Commission (EC) announced the names of a dozen political parties out of the 93 parties that had applied for registration with the Commission in the preliminary selection process.
EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam made the announcement at the Nirbachon Bhaban in the city's Agargaon on Tuesday.
He said the commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, initiated the selection process at the field level while the registration for these parties will be finalised by next June.
Read more: Next national election to be held using ballot papers, not EVMs: EC secretary
He also said a committee headed by the joint secretary scrutinised these applications who applied for fresh registration.
The 12 parties emerging after the primary selection are: AB Party (Amar Bangladesh Party), Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), Bangladesh Humanist Party (BHP), Gono Odhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Sanatan Party (BSP), Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP), Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party (BMJP), Bangladesh People's Party (BPP), Democratic Party and Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP).
Jahangir said that in the first stage, the concerned committee recommended the cancellation of the applications of 14 out of 93 parties, while two parties withdrew their applications. Later, the remaining 77 parties were given 15 days to provide additional documents. From that group, the Election Commission selected the 12 parties.
Read more: No outside pressure on Election Commission: CEC
The commission decided to collect information at the field level about these 12 parties. The commission will reach a final decision after verification at the field level, he added.
According to the commission-announced roadmap, the finalization process will be completed by June.
The Representation of the People Order (RPO) in Bangladesh requires political parties to register with the commission to contest elections. Without registration, parties can take part in different political and social activities but are not allowed to take part in elections.
To register, a party has to deposit Tk 5,000 as a fee, and is required to meet at least one condition out of the following three with supporting documentation-
-A new party needs to have an active central office, a central committee, offices in at least one-third of the administrative districts, and a memorandum of endorsement from a minimum of 200 voters as its members in each Upazila/metropolitan area.
- Having at least one member of the party who had won in a previous general election took place after the independence of Bangladesh.
-Securing at least five percent of total votes cast in the constituencies in which its candidates took part in any of the post-independence general elections.
At present, the number of registered parties with the EC stands at 39.
The newly formed commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, is contemplating scheduling the 12th parliamentary general elections between Dec 2023 and Jan 2024.
Govt out to ‘usurp’ power again by creating climate of fear with DSA: BNP
BNP on Tuesday accused the government of trying to create a climate of fear by using the Digital Security Act (DSA) to muzzle the voice of people ahead of the next national election to ‘usurp’ power again.
Speaking at a seminar, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged the government to repeal the DSA as it has now become a demand of mass people.
“The government has enacted such laws to hang onto power by force. The national election is nearing. They have made these laws so that no one can put up a resistance against them and register protest against their wrongdoings ahead of the election,” he said
The BNP leader said the citizens of the country are being prevented from speaking up and lodging their complaints while the journalists are being obstructed from writing by abusing the DSA.
He said the government also wants to cross the election hurdle by keeping their opponents completely out of the race using the DSA and other ‘black’ laws.
“All the black laws must be abolished. First of all, the Digital Security Act should be repealed. It’s now the demand of the country and its mass people,” Fakhrul observed.
Read: BNP slams govt for arresting DW interviewee Nafiz Mohammad Alam
BNP arranged the seminar titled “Digital Security Act, Democracy & Constitutional Scheme” at a city hotel. Advocate Asaduzzaman, the human rights affairs secretary of BNP, presented the keynote paper at the programme.”
Some people who were reported to be the victims of the DSA and ICT Act also spoke about their ordeal at the programme.
Fakhrul said the government has enacted the DSA and many other laws so that the citizens of the country are afraid to speak up.
He said there is a film titled 1984 depicting how authoritarian rule was established in North Korea by intimidating its citizens and creating a climate of fear to enslave that nation. “Its reflection has now started in Bangladesh through the arrest and jailing of Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzaman and the filing of cases under the DSA against him and many other journalist brothers.”
The BNP leader said many journalists and cyber activists were jailed and tortured and made disappeared by the government.
He also slammed the government for arresting Nafiz Mohammad Alam who was interviewed in a Deutsche Welle documentary on RAB.
Read: BNP to avoid govt's trap set up for five city polls: Fakhrul
Fakhrul said Nafiz was arrested with liquor in cases filed under the Pornography Act “This is their (govt’s) old practice. It’s also their weapon. They have many such weapons and they are using those weapons one after another with a goal to muzzle the voice of the citizens and snatch the rights of the citizens and thus they’re establishing a monarchy in their own way.”
He said it has become now a matter of luck to get justice in the judiciary while the administration has been fully politicisied and the education and health sectors have been destroyed.
The BNP leader said the current Awami government is an unelected, illegal, and usurper regime. “It has been working completely as an occupation regime and taking the country to dire consequences. It is destroying the basic characteristics of Bangladesh and pushing a democracy-loving nation toward conflict.”
He said the most grievous crime the Awami League government has committed by destroying the country’s democratic soul in a deliberate and planned way to stay in power.
Fakhrul said Awami League’s main goal is to establish a one-party fascist rule under cover of democracy. “There’s no alternative to ousting the incumbent regime to get rid of the current situation of the country and establish a pro-people government and parliament.”
BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the DSA must be revoked as it contrary to the country’s constitution, democracy, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights-1948.
In the keynote paper, Asaduzzaman said the DSA is undoubtedly a controversial law that is being used to suppress the dissenting voices and political opponents of the government. “The application of this law affects and touches not only the fundamental rights of the citizens but also the democratic fabric of the country which is the basic structure of our Constitution.”
He urged the global community to be vocal demanding that the DSA should be repealed immediately not only to protect the citizens, and their fundamental rights, but also to ensure democracy and restore voting rights.
BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Bangladesh Gono Odhikar Parishad Convenor, Dr Reza Kibria, Biplobi Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque, Jatiya Party ( Zafar) chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider, National People's Party (NPP) chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad and Dhaka University teacher Prof Lutfor Rahman, among others, spoke at the seminar.
BNP slams govt for arresting DW interviewee Nafiz Mohammad Alam
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday castigated the government for arresting Nafiz Mohammad Alam who was interviewed in a Deutsche Welle documentary on RAB, saying it’s a move to stop those who want to talk about 'unconstitutional' activities of the elite force.
“The arrest of Nafiz Mohammad Alam has proved that RAB is involved in unconstitutional activities. They (govt) are trying to silence the people who are talking (about it) here,” he said.
The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to reporters at Delta Care Hospital in the city’s Rampura area.
Fakhrul went to the hospital to visit Natore Sadar Upazila BNP general secretary Abul Hossain who was critically injured in Natore’s Alaipur area by the ruling party activists while observing the party’s sit-in programme on Saturday last.
The BNP leader said the government is in fact responsible for the ‘unlawful’ activities carried out by the RAB.
As a state institution, he said RAB is subservient to the government and force is working as per the government’s instructions.
“They (govt) are using the RAB. So, the main responsibility falls on the government (for the force’s activities). That is why we demanded the resignation of this government,” Fakhrul said.
He also demanded the formation of an impartial commission to investigate the wrongdoings by the RAB.
The BNP leader said the biggest weakness of the Awami League government is that it was not elected by the people.
He said the Awami League government has become completely isolated from the country’s people. “They (govt) are not accountable to the people. “That’s why they want to hang onto power by resorting to terrorism, ‘false’ cases and using the state machinery to foil the opposition’s democratic programme.”
Police on Sunday night arrested Nafiz from his home in the Bashundhara residential area of Dhaka.
Nafiz was interviewed and quoted in a Deutsche Welle-Netra News documentary on elite force Rapid Action Battalion that aired on April 3 last.
Jatiya Party is gearing up for next general elections: Raushan Ershad
Leader of the opposition Raushan Ershad on Monday confirmed her party’s participation in the upcoming 12th national election stating that election is the only way to come to power or bring change.
“Election is the only way to come to power or bring change. The next national parliament election will be held according to the constitution, and the Jatiya party will participate in that election,” she said.
She mentioned that Jatiya Party has never boycotted elections and will not boycott in the future.
She also expressed hope that the next national election will be held in a free, fair and acceptable environment by preserving the continuity of the constitution.
The opposition leader came up with the observations in her closing speech in the discussion on a proposal on the golden jubilee of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday placed the proposal in the House on the 50th anniversary of Parliament.
Raushan Ershad said that Jatiya Party always believes in constructive politics.
"We never believed in destructive politics. From its political standpoint, the Jatiya Party is determined to maintain democracy and constitutional government in the country.”
She mentioned that as the main opposition party it is playing a constructive and effective role in and outside Parliament.
Describing the recent fire incident, the opposition leader said that the country has been experiencing terrible fire incidents for a few days.
“Unfortunately, fires are becoming a daily issue. The fire incidents have exposed our carelessness, mismanagement and negligence of duty in various areas,” she said.
She said because of such repeated incidents the image of Bangladesh is being damaged abroad while irreparable damage is being done to the country's economy.
She called upon the government to conduct proper investigation and appropriate remedial measures in every fire incident.
Referring to the Parliament as the centre of parliamentary democracy, she said that the Parliament is enriched by the presence of the government party and the opposition party as well as their mutual discussion and criticism.
“It also reflects the fulfilment of the people's expectations and hopes. This trend is continuing. Parliament's job is to act on behalf of the people. Participating in discussions on issues of public interest and playing a role in legislation. These activities are being completed well in Parliament. As the opposition, we are doing our duty properly,” she said.
She said that Parliament is the main focus of democratic institutionalisation.
Consisting of people's representatives, this supreme institution symbolises the hopes and aspirations of the people and captures public opinion and expectations, she said.
“People expect Parliament to play an effective role in solving urgent and public issues of civic life. The nation Parliament has to coordinate the demands and interests of the citizens of all levels of the society, various groups, parties, organisations in a democratic manner.”
She said that there might be political differences and differences of ideologies. But there can be no difference in making Parliament the focal point of democracy and development, she said.
“Therefore, the Jatiya Party as an opposition party is trying earnestly to make Parliament effective.”
BNP to avoid govt's trap set up for five city polls: Fakhrul
Describing the Election Commission’s plan to hold elections to five city corporations by June this year as a trap of the government, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said their party will not be lured into the plot.
“This time people and BNP won’t step into any trap of the government…we’ll overturn their trap,” he said while talking to reporters at a hospital in the city’s Rampura area.
The BNP leader also said their party has been on a movement with a clear stance that no parliamentary elections can be held under the current government and no election will be held without a caretaker government."
Fakhrul also said BNP has not been participating in local body elections under the Awami League government for a long time.
He, however, parried journalists’ question about what action their party will take if its leaders take part in the city polls as independent candidates.
The Election Commission at a recent meeting decided to hold elections to five city corporations -- Barishal, Gazipur, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet -- between May 23 and June 29.
Fakhrul went to Delta Care Hospital to visit Natore Sadar Upazila BNP general secretary Abul Hossain who was critically injured in Natore’s Alaipur area by the ruling party activists while observing the party’s sit-in programme on Saturday last.
He said the Awami League government has become completely isolated from the country’s people. “If a fair election is held now under a neutral government, then you will see that Awami League won’t get even thirty seats. This is the reality.”
The BNP leader alleged that Awami League wants to hang onto power by resorting to terrorism, ‘false’ cases and using the state machinery to foil the opposition’s democratic programme.
He warned that there will be no national election in the country until the current regime steps down by handing over power to a non-party caretaker government.
Fakhrul said the ruling party ‘cadres’ swopped on Abul Hossain in Natore while observing BNP’s sit-in programme and brutally stabbed him in a bid to kill him. “In fact, he could have been killed if the police had not rescued him. They (AL cadres) tried to kill him.”
He said such terror attacks have repeatedly taken place in Natore. “They’ve created a reign of terror not only in Natore but also in Khulna, Habiganj, Jashore and across the country.”
The BNP leader said the ruling party ‘cadres’ with the help of police also attacked their party’s sit-in programme in different parts of the country, including in Dhaka, on Saturday.
“Awami League is basically a terrorist party and the current government has turned into completely a terrorist regime. The country’s people will give it a befitting reply through the movement,” he observed.
BNP’s sit-in: 22 leaders, activists sued under Explosives Act in Khulna
A case has been filed against 22 leaders and activists of BNP including its Fultola upazila unit convener under the Explosives Act.
Sub-inspector Rafiqul Islam of Khulna Sadar Police Station filed the case on Saturday naming 17 and 4/5 unnamed people for obstructing government work.
BNP called a sit-in programme in cities, thanas and upazilas across the country on Saturday.
As part of the programme, BNP men gathered on Jamira Road at 11:30 am under the leadership of upazila unit onvener Prof Gazi Abdul Haque.
At that time, police stopped them as they did not have permission to hold the programme, police said.
Meanwhile, nine BNP leaders and activists including Khulna Metropolitan BNP Joint Convener Kazi Md Rashed have been released from jail on bail in various cases filed by the police.
They were released from prison on Sunday afternoon.
Govt out to create confrontational situation in country: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday accused the government of trying to create a confrontational situation in the country in a planned way by attacking the peaceful programmes of the opposition.
"We’re clearly observing that this government is taking the country towards conflict in a planned way. They want to create a confrontational situation by attacking and obstructing the programmes of the opposition parties without any provocation,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said their party has so far been observing all the programmes of their ongoing movement in a peaceful and democratic manner braving all obstacles and repressive acts.
Stating that Awami League always talks about abiding by the constitution, Fakhrul said the opposition’s rights to speak and protest have been enshrined in the national charter.
Read: Govt provoking BNP to indulge in violence by obstructing peaceful programmes: Fakhrul
“Why can't we say anything against the government? Is the government the state or the God? The government is not the God (that we can’t criticise it),” he said.
The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party does not believe in democracy and freedom of expression. “To them (those in power), they alone will speak up and all must follow their words like their slaves. But the people of Bangladesh won’t let that happen.”
Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal arranged the discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) protesting the killing of Sultana Jasmine, a union land office employee in Naogaon, in Rab custody last month.
Fakhrul said Sultana Jasmine was picked up by the law enforcers illegally from the street. “This can’t happen in any civilised and democratic country. It’s a gross violation of law and the constitution.”
He also said there is no reason to downplay the murder incident of Jasmine. “This killing has manifested that the current usurper Awami League government wants to cling to power by killing and torturing people and filing false cases against them.”
Read: Accept our demands to avoid chaos before national polls: Fakhrul
The BNP leader alleged that the members of elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been indulging in repression and killing of people at the behest of the government high-ups
He said the government has been increasingly using the Digital Security Act (DSA) to suppress those who talk about its corruption and injustice and raise voices against it.
“We have long been protesting against this law alongside the journalist brothers and the editors. But they (govt) won’t do it (repeal or amend it),” Fakhrul said.
He said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the government to reform the DSA and repeal its two sections, but the law minister turned down it.
The BNP leader said the government is against annulling the DSA as it wants to completely snatch people’s right to speak and the right to protest using the repressive law.
He expressed concern as he said many journalists have been arrested and jailed in cases filed under the DSA for publishing the truth.
Mozammel for fresh law to check anti-liberation remarks
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq on Sunday stressed the need for enactment of a fresh law to take actions against anti-liberation remarks.
“When they (anti-liberation forces) get chances, they make these remarks to make our Liberation War controversial. This is why, I think a fresh law like holocaust general act should be passed here,” he told Parliament.
The Minister said this while participating in the discussion on a motion placed by Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the 50 years (golden jubilee) of the Bangladesh National Parliament.
A law is needed so that actions can be taken from the state against those who would talk against the Independence, the Liberation War or the spirit of the Liberation War, said the Minister.
He said the law commission has proposed such a law before the Law Ministry, which can be passed in the Parliament.
Pointing at BNP and Jamaat, the Minister said they tried to make the last two general elections questionable in order to make the parliament ineffective. They indulged in arson violence to thwart the 2014 election, and they joined the 2018 election but they didn’t contest it in true sense.
He said they (BNP-Jamaat) don’t believe this parliament--the center of the state power. Since they don’t have confidence in parliament, they hatch conspiracy whenever they get a chance to make not only this parliament but also Bangladesh as a futile and failed state, he added.
Mozammel said a fresh law should be adopted in this parliament to check such falsehood and distortion of history.
“Since the Prime Minister has been able to try the war criminals and the killing of Bangabandhu and the jail killing, it is possible for her (Sheikh Hasina) to make a safeguard for the nation by enacting a law against those who’re opposing the independence and liberation war,” he added.
Noting that an effort was made to make Bangladesh as mini-Pakistan by killing Bangabandhu in the past, Mozammel said they still remark that Pakistan was better. “The Pakistani ghost has not gone from their hearts yet,” he added.
Govt provoking BNP to indulge in violence by obstructing peaceful programmes: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that the government is instigating BNP to resort to violence by obstructing its peaceful democratic programmes.
“We had a sit-in programme at 550 thanas and upazilas today (Saturday) and it was obstructed by police almost everywhere. In Dhaka city, the programme was not allowed to be held at almost all the designated places,” he said.
Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP leader said their party has long been carrying out a movement for the restoration of democracy and people’s voting and other rights in a peaceful manner without responding to the provocation for violence.
"It’s now proved that the government is unleashing violence. I think Awami League wants to take us on another path by giving us provocation,” he observed.
The Association of Engineers, Bangladesh arranged the iftar at the Ladies Club in the city’s Eskaton area.
As part of the ongoing movement, the BNP and its associate bodies were scheduled to observe a two-hour sit-in programme from 3pm to 5pm at all upazilas and thanas across the country today (Saturday) to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government, and for registering the party’s protest against the rise in the prices of power, gas and essential items and the Awami League government’s “all-pervading corruption.”
Fakhrul claimed that their party’s around 50 leaders and activists were arrested while observing the programme amid obstructions.
“The government is attacking our programmes as it is not elected by the people. It’s a coward regime which is afraid of people. So, they don’t allow people to hold any rallies. They can’t tolerate criticism by the people,” he said.
The BNP leader said their party’s 17 leaders and activists were gunned down by police while several thousand others were arrested and jailed as they took to the streets for the restoration of democracy.
Fakhrul said the time has come for professionals and intellectuals to raise their voices in favour of people and their rights.
“Nobody is now saying that Bangladesh is very good, Bangladesh is moving in the right direction. The President elected by them (AL) in his farewell speech in parliament yesterday (Friday) uttered some truths. The first thing he said was development without democracy can never be universal. This is what we have repeatedly been saying," the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul also appreciated President Abdul Hamid for his remarks on the importance of politeness and tolerance in politics. “He (President) also urged (the political parties) to reach a consensus forgetting conflict. But the party from which he was elected the President has depleted the country’s resources through looting in the name of development without democracy”
He also said the ruling Awami League lacks political etiquette and tolerance towards public opinion.
BNP Chairperson’s adviser Adbul Muktadir released after arrest
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's advisor Khandaker Abdul Muktadir was released three hours after his arrest in front of Osmani International Airport in Sylhet this afternoon.
Police released him from Kotwali Police Station after Muktadir's lawyers showed police the court's arrest warrant recall order, said Sudip Das, additional deputy commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police.
Earlier, the BNP leader was arrested in an old sabotage case after landing at the Sylhet airport from Dhaka in the afternoon, he added.
BNP insiders said he came to Sylhet from Dhaka to participate in a sit-in programme of BNP and to attend an Iftar Mahfil of BNP's Sylhet district unit.
He contested from Sylhet-1 constituency as a Jatiya Oikya Front candidate led by BNP in the 2018 election.