Politics
BNP’s Sylhet divisional rally on Nov 19 instead of 20
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has brought forward the date for their anti-government rally in Sylhet by a day to November 19.
The opposition party made the decision to ensure the event doesn’t clash with ongoing Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams as the venue was fixed at city’s Alia Madrasah field, one of the examination centers, said Khondokar Al Muktadir, BNP Chairperson’s Adviser, when he talked to reporters after a meeting on Sunday.
Earlier, Sylhet Metropolitan Police (CMP) issued a notification banning all kinds of rallies and gatherings near Alia Madrasah area.
Also read: BNP divisional rally begins at packed Barishal venue
The notice raised confusion among the party activists about the rally venue, so BNP refixed the rally schedule as there is no HSC exam on November 19.
The organisers said the rally is meant to denounce the price hike of daily essentials and fuel, to ensure the freedom of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and demanding removal of politically motivated cases filed against the opposition activists and leaders.
Sylhet rally will be the sixth by the BNP at the divisional level. The first one was held in Chattogram, the second one in Mymensingh, the third and fourth in Khulna and Rangpur, and the fifth one in Barishal.
BNP has already sought permission from madrasa authorities and Sylhet City Corporation to hold the rally, and also sent a letter to the police for ensuring security, said Khondokar Al Muktadir.
“We are expecting the presence of at least 4.5 lakh people in the Sylhet rally,” he said.
Replying to a question, Sylhet BNP President Abdul Kayum Chowdhury said he is hopeful that Sylhet transport workers will not embark on a strike ahead of the rally like other divisions as BNP’s movement is for people.
Also read: Barishal transport strike ahead of BNP rally hits commuters hard
70 BNP activists including Ishraque sued over vandalisation at Barishal AL office
A case was filed against 70 BNP activists including the member of its foreign affairs committee Ishraque Hossain on Saturday, on allegations of vandalising the local AL office of Gouranadi upazila in Barishal.
Ishraque was made the prime accused while 50 to 60 more anonymous people were accused in the complaint received from Rasel Rari, president of Mahilara Union Jubo League, following which a case was filed in the evening, said Md Helaluddin, Inspector of Gouranadi model police station.
The case was filed under penal code and the Explosive Substance Act, he said.
Read: JCD behind the attack on ex-Judge Manik: Information Minister
Shahid Sardar, president of Mahilara Bazar Traders Association, said around 6am Saturday a motorcade of around 70 vehicles parked on the highway in front of the market.
BNP activists from the motorcade of Ishraque Hossain then vandalised the AL office at the market and also tried to set fire to seven motorcycles after vandalising, he claimed.
He said at least three people were injured during the attack, including Bilash Kabiraj, Joint General Secretary of union Jubo League and Sangeet Shikder, upazila BCL leader.
Read: Arrest warrants won't help govt: Khandaker Mosharraf
Earlier in the day, Ishraque Hossain claimed nine people were injured when his motorcade was attacked on the way to the party’s divisional rally venue in Barishal.
Ishraque, also BNP’s Dhaka South City unit leader, was unhurt and reached the venue around 9 am. A number of vehicles were also vandalised during the attack, BNP activists said.
Ishraque said a group of miscreants attacked their motorcade when they reached Mahilara Bazar in Gouranadi upazila in the morning.
Nine activists and leaders of BNP, including Shahidul Haque, general secretary of No 38 Ward of Dhaka South City unit of BNP, and Mamun Bhuiya were injured in the attack, he said.
Sajeda Chowdhury’s son wins by-election prompted by her passing
Awami League nominated candidate Shahadab Akbar Labu Chowdhury, son of the late AL leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, has won the Faridpur-2 by-election, according to the returning officer.
Faridpur-2 constituency fell vacant following the death of the senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.
A primary result issued by Md Humayun Kabir, Khulna regional election officer and Faridpur-2 returning officer, said Akbar won the election securing 68,721 votes.
Also read: Voting underway for Faridpur-2 by-election
Meanwhile his closest contending candidate, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan-backed Joynal Abedin Bakul Mia secured 14,889.
A total of 83,610 votes were cast in 123 polling centers through Electronic Voting Machines (EVM ) though the number of voters were 3,18,585 – a turnout of just 26 percent.
The voting for Faridpur-2 by-polls began at 8am on Saturday and continued till 4pm without any untoward incident reported.
The UNB correspondent found poor turnout of voters and agents of opposition candidates visiting at least 10 centers of Saltha and Nagarkanda upazilas.
Also read: Faridpur-2 by-election voting ends peacefully
Advocate Jaynul Abedin Mia said his polling agents were appointed at almost all centers except a few.
He claimed his polling agents were ousted from the centers but the presiding officers of different centers said they have no idea about such incidents.
BNP hiring people to attend their rallies: Quader
Failing to connect with the people, BNP is trying to gather people to attend their rallies by offering them money, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
Quader said this in the first triennial conference of the Cumilla city unit of Awami League at Cumilla Town Hall on Saturday.
"Barishal has turned into a city of money because BNP hired people giving them money," Quader said. "But they hold a grudge when we talked about the money of Mirza Fakhrul."
Read more: AL trying to snatch votes again, just like they did in 2014 and 2018: Fakhrul
The ruling party leader said that BNP always talks about the disastrous state of the country. “I think BNP itself is a big disaster,” he retorted.
The minister also said that Sheikh Hasina must return to power to save Bangladesh. “If Sheikh Hasina survives, Bangladesh will survive,” he added.
Quader also commented that people laugh when BNP talks big about load-shedding because people experienced 17-18 hours of load-shedding during BNP regime.
He said that BNP’s dream of toppling the government on December 10 and returning to power would not succeed.
Mentioning that AL will play with BNP, Quader said, “Game is on against vote thieves, corruption and misrule. The game is on against the killers of 15 August.”
AKM Bahauddin Bahar, lawmaker of Cumilla-6 constituency and a central leader of the ruling Awami League, presided over the meeting while presidium member of the party Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim spoke as the chief guest.
Read more: Triennial conference of Cumilla city AL begins
Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of Awami League, and Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, organizing secretary of the party, among others, joined the council.
Our Barishal rally is a success, what did the govt gain by blocking everything?’
Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) standing committee member and one of the main speakers of the party’s divisional rally in Barishal said on Saturday that the presence of thousands of people at Bangabandhu Udyan amid all the obstacles proved how much these people loved the country and the party.
“I couldn’t talk to anyone on phone after coming to Barishal. The live telecast of our programme was disrupted due to an absence of internet services. Yet, the entire Barishal had become a city of meetings and processions. Our rally was successfully conducted after winning against all the odds. Now my question is, what did the government gain through blocking everything?” Abbas said.
Read more: AL trying to snatch votes again, just like they did in 2014 and 2018: Fakhrul
The BNP leader added that the incumbent government will completely ruin the country, unless they are removed from power through a free and fair election.
“We’ll never accept an election under the current government. Neither will we let anyone hold an election through electronic voting machines (EVM). The upcoming general election has to be held under a non-partisan caretaker government and through ballot papers, not other way around,” Abbas added.
Read more: Barishal's Bangabandhu Park already a sea of BNP leaders, activists
AL trying to snatch votes again, just like they did in 2014 and 2018: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their stance is clear that no election will be held under Sheikh Hasina; she has to resign and dissolve parliament.
“She has to hand over power to a caretaker government. That neutral government will hold a free and fair election,” he said while addressing the crowds at Bangabandhu Udyan during BNP’s Barishal Divisional rally.
He said that Awami League is trying to snatch votes again, like they did in the elections of 2014 and 2018.
“They are trying to show that the new Chief Election Commissioner is neutral who said the election will be held using electronic voting machines. But we have strongly opposed it,” he added.
Also read: BNP divisional rally begins at packed Barishal venue
He said the government keeps saying that Bangladesh is self-sufficient in food production and there is development everywhere.
“But the reality is 42 percent people in Bangladesh are still living under the poverty line,” said Fakhrul.
He said the ongoing movement of BNP is not only to save its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman or any leaders but also for saving the people of Bangladesh.
He acknowledged and praised party activists and leaders who started arriving to the venue from Thursday, defying all obstacles amid no vehicular movement.
Tens of thousands of BNP activists and leaders joined the divisional rally in Barishal city, demanding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and national election under a non-party neutral government.
Also read: Ishraque says motorcade attacked on the way to BNP’s Barishal rally
The rally began around 11 am at the city’s Bangabandhu Udyan. The crowd spilled out onto the surrounding roads.
Saturday’s rally is be the fifth by the BNP at the divisional level. The first one was held in Chattogram, the second one in Mymensingh, and the third and fourth in Khulna and Rangpur, respectively.
Faridpur-2 by-election voting ends peacefully
Voting in the by-polls to Faridpur-2 constituency ended on Saturday afternoon without any untoward incident.
The voting began at 8am and continued till 4pm.
The UNB correspondent found poor turnout of voters and agents of opposition candidates visiting at least 10 centers of Saltha and Nagarkanda upazilas.
Around 1:30 pm at Bautipara Government Primary School at ward-14 of Nagarkanda upazila no queue of voters was seen and only 396 voters cast votes among 2,312 ones, said presiding officer Shamsul Haque.
Read: Triennial conference of Cumilla city AL begins
However, no polling agent was found in that center for the candidate competing with ‘Bot Gach’ symbol nominated by Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan.
Same thing was reported at Nagarkanda Government Primary School, Saltha Model Government Primary School and several and some other polling centers.
Advocate Jaynul Abedin Mia, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan nominated candidate for the constituency, said polling agents were appointed at almost all centers except a few.
Triennial conference of Cumilla city AL begins
The triennial conference of Cumilla city unit of Awami League (AL) began at the city’s Town Hall ground on Saturday.
The event was inaugurated by AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister.
Presidium member of the party Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim spoke as the chief guest while another presidium member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya was present as special guest.
Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of AL, and Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, organizing secretary of the party, among others, joined the council.
Read more: Dhaka AL Council: Benzir named president, Poniruzzaman GS
The committee of Cumilla city AL was announced for the first time on July 22, 2017, six years after the formation of Cumilla City Corporation (CCC).
The Committee consisted of 71 members. AKM Bahauddin Bahar, Member of Parliament (MP) from Cumilla Sadar constituency and Arfanul haque Rifat, current Mayor of CCC, were made President and General Secretary of the committee.
Voting underway for Faridpur-2 by-election
Voting in the by-polls to Faridpur-2 constituency began on Saturday morning.
The voting began at 8am and will continue till 4pm.
No untoward incident was reported till filling of this report, at 11:30am.
Voting is undergoing at 123 centres in Nagarkanda, Saltha and Sadarpur upazilas of the constituency using Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), said senior district election officer Habibur Rahman.
A total of 3,18,472 people are expected to cast their votes.
As many as 1,052 CCTV cameras have been installed at polling centres ahead of the by-polls.
Read: Voting at Cumilla City polls underway peacefully
Rab, police, Ansar and BGB members have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation.
Faridpur-2 constituency fell vacant following the death of senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.
Sajeda Chowdhury’s son Akbar Chowdhury Labu and Advocate Joynal Abedin Bakul Mia are vying for the seat.
Faridpur-2 by-polls on Saturday
By-elections to the Faridpur-2 constituency that fell vacant following the death of senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury will be held on Saturday (5 November).
The voting will start at 8am and will continue till 4pm.
Read: Rangpur city election on December 27
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other election commissioners will monitor the election from Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka.
As many as 1,052 CCTV cameras have been installed at polling centres ahead of the by-polls.
The constituency has 3,18,479 voters. The election will be held in 123 voting centers.
Read: CEC appreciates environment of local govt polls
Awami League-backed candidate Shahadab Akbar Labu Chowdhury and Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan candidate Md Zainul Abedin Bakul Mia are contesting in the by-election.
As per constitutional obligation, the EC is required to hold elections within 90 days of a seat being declared vacant.