Politics
Envoys of India, China, Russia and four other countries congratulate Hasina on her big election victory
The envoys of India, Russia, China, Bhutan, Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka paid a courtesy call on Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban on Monday (January 08, 2024) morning.
Besides, the delegation of Aga Khan Diplomatic Representatives also met her.
Read more: Visiting foreign observers describe National Election 2024 in Bangladesh as ‘free, fair and safe’
On behalf of their respective countries and organisation, they congratulated Hasina on her party’s absolute victory in Sunday's 12th National Parliamentary Election, according to a release from PM’s press wing.
The delegates expressed their firm commitment to continue cooperation with Bangladesh, it said.
The prime minister thanked them and sought their cooperation in the development and advancement of Bangladesh.
Read more: India congratulates PM Hasina on election victory, hopes for ‘even stronger momentum’ in ties
History will mark 7th January as black day: Jamaat
Acting Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Prof. Mujibur Rahman congratulated the people for rejecting the election and said people of the country and the world witnessed yet another mockery of an election without voters.
He said that the people of Bangladesh and the world witnessed yet another farcical dummy election and history will mark the 7th of January as a black day, a press release said.
Kader Siddique defeated by AL candidate Anupam Joy in Tangail-8
Jamaat Ameer said that almost all political parties, civil society, intellectuals, and people of different classes and professions of Bangladesh have been agitating for fair, free, impartial, and participatory elections under a caretaker government.
The democratic world and Bangladesh's friendly countries have expressed hope for free and participatory elections in Bangladesh. The government held a mock election on January 7, ignoring public opinion.
Salman F Rahman wins again
He said that in order to make this farcical election participatory and acceptable, the government is trying to bring voters to the polling booths by standing their party people as independent, rebellious, and dummy candidates.
Awami League's party cadres and administration continue to intimidate voters into voting. Many are threatened with death.
People rejected vote strongly: AB Party
“The people did not go to the polling stations to cast their votes, failing all the tricks of the Awami League government. Voters had no interest in farcical elections from the beginning of the election scheduled,” said Jamaat Acting Ameer.
Salman F Rahman wins again
Awami League nominated candidate for Dhaka-1 Salman Fazlur Rahman has been elected unofficially in the 12th parliamentary elections again held on Sunday.
Rahman, also adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, bagged 1,49,971 votes while his nearest rival Salma Islam from Jatiya Party secured 34,746 votes.
The voting in the 12th parliamentary election began at 8:00 am and concluded at 4pm without any break amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Cricketer Shakib Al Hasan elected by 140,000 votes in Magura-1 constituency
Captain of the national cricket team and world famed all rounder Shakib Al Hasan was elected parliament member from Magura-1 constituency in the 12th national election held on Sunday .
Shakib earned a landslide victory in his first appearance in the just concluded National Election with "Boat symbol" as an Awami League candidate polling 185,388 votes. His nearest candidate Advocate Rezaul Hasan of Bangladesh Congress got 45,933 votes.
Shakib cast his vote at the Dorimagura School center of Magura in the morning along with his father Mashrur Reza and sister Bristy.
Saifuzzaman Shikor is the sitting Awami League MP from Magura -1 constituency, but he did not get party nomination this time and supported Shakib in the election.
Besides, Sirajus Sayefin Saif of Jatiya Party, Sanjoy Kumar Roy of Trinamool BNP, M Motasim Billah of Bangladesh Nationalists Front (BNF) party also competed against Shakib Al Hasan.
National Election: Palak wins 4th term
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, AL nominated candidate for Natore-3 constituency, has become a member of parliament for the 4th consecutive time defeating his rival by huge margins of 92,687 votes.
Palak bagged 1,35,706 votes while his nearest rival independent candidate with Eagle symbol got 43,019 votes, according to a press release.
According to the release, a total of 1,78,725 voters exercised their voting rights in the election held on Sunday.
The voting in the 12th parliamentary election began at 8:00 am and concluded at 4pm without any break amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal claimed that Sunday's national election has been free, fair and neutral thanks to the government's political will, sincerity and cooperation.
The CEC said the voter turnout might be some 40 percent in the 12th Parliamentary election.
Rajshahi-2: Independent candidate Shafiqur Rahman Badsha unofficially elected
Shafiqur Rahman Badsha, independent candidate of Rajshahi-2 (Sadar) constituency has unofficially been declared elected as he defeated his rival Bangladesh Workers' Party's general secretary and three-time lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha by 23,718 votes.
Shafiqur Rahman bagged 55,141 votes while Fazle Hossain Badsha polled 31,423 in all 112 centres in the polls held on Sunday.
The voting in the 12th parliamentary election began at 8:00 am and concluded at 4pm without any break amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal claimed that Sunday's national election has been free, fair and neutral thanks to the government's political will, sincerity and cooperation.
The CEC said the voter turnout might be some 40 percent in the 12th Parliamentary election.
Jatiya Party being used as sacrificial lamb in polls : GM Quader
Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman GM Quader on Sunday said a one-party rule will be established in the country by sacrificing JP candidates at the end.
He said his party is being used as a sacrificial lamb for this purpose.
"As we have joined the election, there is no scope of boycotting it right now. We have to announce programmes after getting the polls results," Quader said while replying to a query from reporters after overseeing polls in Rangpur-3 constituency.
Jatiya Party candidate for Lakshmipur-3 steps aside from election
He said, "I have received information that our agents are being driven away in various places including Jamalpur and Cumilla. Though the rulling party assured JP that voting would be free and fair, voting is not being held in a peaceful manner in most places except Rangpur areas,” said GM Quader.
National polls: 2 Jatiya Party candidates withdraw from Chuadanga
“I don't want to say anything in advance. We will discuss the overall situation with the party leaders and take a decision,” he said replying to another question.
Sylhet-5: Jatiya Party candidate Sabbir Ahmed withdraws from Jan-7 polls
Meherpur-1: 4 jailed for obstructing voters
Four supporters of Awami League candidate for Meherpur-1 constituency Farhad Hossain were jailed for different periods on charge of obstructing voters outside the polling station on Sunday.
A mobile court led by an executive magistrate sentenced three supporters of the boat candidate to seven days in jail for barring voters from going to Kalaidanga polling station under Baradi union of Sadar upazila.
Read: Voting at a polling centre under Narsingdi-3 constituency cancelled
Another court also jailed a boat supporter for one month for clashing with supporters of independent candidate Prof Abdul Mannan outside of Kathalpota centre in Mujibnagar upazila.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain and former lawmaker Prof Mannan are racing with boat and truck symbols respectively in the constituency.
Ballot boxes stuffed at night even in lopsided polls: Rizvi
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday alleged that the ballot boxes were stuffed at night even in the one-sided election.
“The lopsided election is being held today. There are no voters at the polling stations,” he said.
Speaking at a brief rally near Kurmitola Bus Stand area, he said people have rejected the dummy election.
Boycott Sunday's vote, spend time with families at home: Rizvi
“People are not going to polling stations. They (AL) stuffed the ballot boxes in this one-sided election late at night to show fake turnouts,” Rizvi said.
He said their ongoing movement will continue until the fall of illegal Awami League government.
The BNP leader urged the country’s people to peacefully observe the hartal and make it a success.
Later, Rizvi along with some leaders and activists brought out a procession in support of the hartal.
The voting of the 12th parliamentary election began at 8am today (Sunday) amid a boycott by major opposition parties.
BNP leader Rizvi to be brought to book soon: DB Chief
Meanwhile, BNP and like-minded opposition parties enforced a 48-hour hartal at 6am Saturday to protest the 12th parliamentary election. The hartal will end at 6 am on Monday.
The BNP along with nearly three dozen opposition political parties have been carrying out a simultaneous movement since December 10 last year to force the current government to quit and hold the 12th parliamentary election under a non-party neutral administration.
Many senior leaders, including BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, were arrested while many others went into hiding in the face of a crackdown by the law enforcers.
A neighbouring country meddling into Bangladesh national polls: Rizvi
However, BNP and like-minded parties enforced countrywide blockades for 23 days in 12 phases and hartals for five days since October 29 amid incidents of violence like setting fire to public vehicles and passenger trains.
Commonwealth secy gen’s statement did not reflect the ground reality of BD: BNP
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Saturday said that Commonwealth secretary general Patricia Scotland's Friday call missed many crucial issues surrounding the upcoming farcical 7 January election and did not reflect the ground reality in Bangladesh.
On Friday, The Commonwealth Secretary General (SG) in a press release called on all political and civic leaders in Bangladesh to contribute to a “conducive environment for citizens to peacefully exercise their right to vote” on 7 January.
BNP said that the SG’s call shocked the democracy loving people of Bangladesh who have been disenfranchised by the regime over more than a decade.
“We believe her statement contradicts the desires and aspirations of the pro democracy Bangladeshis who have been striving for a free, fair, inclusive and credible election for more than a decade,” the party said in a press release signed by its Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
BNP also said, “The SG Scotland must be aware of the fact that the upcoming election is being boycotted by all the major pro-democracy political parties in Bangladesh. Only the ruling party chosen dummy/independent candidates and fake oppositions with ruling party blessings are made to participate in the election. Since the election result is already pre-determined and the people have no real options to choose from among genuine contenders, there is no congenial environment and level playing field, the voters have also rejected the one-sided polls.”
It also claimed that more than 27000 opposition dissidents including BNP Secretary General and its top leaders languished in the prison upon fictitious charges. Scores of people have been killed, tortured and died in police custody.
“The people of Bangladesh acknowledge the Commonwealth’s commitment to democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. If the SG genuinely wants to echo the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh, as she mentioned in her statement, the people expect her to play a proactive role for realization of the people’s right to vote under a neutral government and administration,” the party said in the press release.
The press release also notes that the Secretary General’s statement tends to support renewal of the current autocratic regime through a highly fraudulent election that goes against the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh for restoration of democracy through a genuine inclusive and credible election.
“We expect that SG Scotland understands that the pro-democracy people, civil society, and political parties want the Commonwealth to side with the people of Bangladesh and not with the current autocratic regime. As the people of Bangladesh strive for restoration of their voting rights and fundamental liberties, the support of the Commonwealth will be highly appreciated,” it reads.