Dhaka, Dec 27 (UNB) - Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, who returned home from Singapore only three days before the election, on Thursday announced to step aside from the election race in Dhaka-17 constituency.

He also said the Grand Alliance’s decision will be the final about the candidates of his party who are contesting the election independently.

The Jatiya Party chief said the party’s open candidates will support the Grand Alliance contenders in their respective seats. “However, those who have possibilities to win the election will remain in the race.”

As many as 29 Jatiya Party contenders are participating in the election under the Grand Alliance and the party also fielded some 145 candidates to run independently.

“All will have to work together to make the Grand Alliance victorious,” Ershad said, adding that they had fielded the independent candidates to resist Sheaf of Paddy.

He also said, “My condition is not good. I‘ve returned home for my sister Sheikh Hasina and stepped aside from the Dhaka-17 constituency. I’ve lent my support to Awami League candidate actor Farooque.”
 
Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque is running with ‘Boat’ symbol in the parliamentary seat.

Describing the Grand Alliance government as the role model of development, the Jatiya Party chief predicted that it will win the next election, too as the history of BNP’s past is not good.

Expressing his satisfaction over the existing election atmosphere, he said there will be a free and fair election in the country on December 30.
 

Noakhali, Dec 27 (UNB) – Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said Awami-League-led grand alliance will form then next government by winning the upcoming election with two-third majority.

He came up with the remark while addressing an election rally at Bashirhat High School field in Noakhali-5 constituency (Companiganj-Kabirhat).

“A mass wave has been created across the country in favour of ‘Boat’. We’ve to win defeating the evil and communal forces. Local leaders are hearts of Awami League,” said Quader urging the party activists to protect the polling stations on the voting day.

He also urged them to get united to resist the evil forces so that no evil power can defeat the power of people. “People are the sources of power. AL always comes to power through election not through any terrorist way or showing arms,” said the AL leader.

He urged all to cast vote in favour of ‘Boat’ to keep up the pace of development. 

Pointing at Jatiya Oikyafront candidate Moudud Ahmed, he said, “Don’t spread any lie. You were in powerful position for 22 years but there was no development works. Have you come again to seek vote? The 2001-like election will never be held. “

Quader urged voters to vote for honest candidates and those who will work for people.

He also urged the party leaders and activists to remain alert so that voters can go to polling stations to exercise their voting right without fear.

Dhaka, Dec 27 (UNB) - Calling upon all to stage a vote revolution, Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Thursday said December 30 will be another victory day of the nation after December 16 as Oikyafront will win the election.

“We won in the past; we’ll achieve victory this time, too. December 30 will be another victory day after December 16,” he said at a press conference at Oikyafront’s Purana Paltan office after a meeting of senior leaders of the alliance.

Dr Kamal said people want a change in the government through a peaceful voting. “I believe you (people) will stage a vote revolution on December 30. We all will create the revolution, and will achieve victory as we did on December 16 (1971).”

He said Oikyafront’s win will not be the victory of any particular party of the alliance as it will be the victory of all sections of people.

“There’s nothing to fear. [We] fought against autocrats throughout the life; we won, not the autocrats. There would have been no 71 and no Bangladesh had the autocrats won,” Dr Kamal observed.

Mentioning that the people of Bangladesh never bowed down to arms, money and power, he hoped that people will not be defeated this time either.  “I hope you’ll be there in the field with this spirit.”

The Oikyafront chief urged people to vote for “Sheaf of Paddy’ for their welfare and independence. “You’ll be able to enjoy the freedom if you cast your vote for the Sheaf of Paddy as it’s a symbol of people and unity, not that of any particular party.”

He said people will turn out to be successful if they vote for the Sheaf of Paddy. “You’ll surely win if you get united and cast your vote for this symbol. I’m sensing the victory now. As per the information I’m receiving from across the country, people have started believing that they’ve already turned out to be victorious, even two days before the balloting.”

Kamal said Oikyafront candidates are getting overwhelming response from voters while people have now become fearless to cast their votes.

He urged the voters to go to polling stations early in the morning in groups and stay there after casting their ballots. “Agents must be present during the vote counting. You’ll leave the voting centres after having the result sheets with the signature (of presiding officers). We must win the polls.”

The Oikyafront chief said 16 crore people are going to exercise their right to franchise against those who are arrogant and consider themselves as the owner of the country. “I would like to unequivocally say that they (AL) are not the country’s owner as 16 it belongs to 16 crore people.”

He said the administration will work for the country’s people instead of protecting any party’s interests if Jatiya Oikyafront is voted to power. “I can assure you that Oikyafront’s government won’t ask the administration to work in favour of any individual.”

Kamal, also a Gano Forum president, said their alliance is against politicisation. “We’re trying to go to power to free the country from politicisation. I urge all government officials not to be the victims of politicisation.”

Earlier, senior leaders of the alliance held a meeting at its office with Dr Kamal in the chair.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Krishak Sramik Janata League president Abdul Kader Siddiqui, Gonoshasthya Kendra  founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Gano Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury,  general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu and Nagorik Oikya leader Shahidullah Kaiser were, among others, present.

At the meeting, they discussed the prevailing election atmosphere in the country and worked out their some strategies to ensure the presence of voters on December 30.

Dhaka, Dec 27 (UNB) - BNP on Thursday claimed that 12,588 opposition leaders and activists were injured in around 2,716 incidents of attack across the country during electioneering over the last 22 days.

Besides, eight leaders and activists of BNP and its alliance partners were killed in polls violence, while over 9,200 ones were arrested by police as of Wednesday since the announcement of schedule for the 11th parliamentary elections.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the statistics at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

He said around 806 ‘false and fictitious’ cases were also filed against thousands of opposition leaders and activists.

The BNP leader said the ruling party men kept attacking and repressing their leaders and activists while police harassing and arresting them. “Our around 350-500 leaders and activists have been arrested over the last few days.”

Rizvi said even the wife and daughter of their secretary general Mirza Fakhrul came under attack in Thakurgaon while carrying out election campaign on Wednesday.

He alleged that several hundred houses of leaders and activists of BNP, Oikyafront and the 20-pary alliance were torched by the ruling party ‘cadres’. “Their activities and repression have outshined the brutalities of the Pakistani occupation force.”

The BNP leader criticised the Election Commission for what he said not taking any effective step to create an election atmosphere and stop attacks on opposition candidates and their supporters.

Dhaka, Dec 27 (UNB) - Speakers at a discussion meeting said that the Election Commission must play a pro-active role in resisting any violence centering the general election scheduled for December 30.

They said the Election Commission’s role has been vital in creating a conducive environment for a peaceful election. 

They expressed the opinion at the discussion organised by Democracy International (DI) titled “Ways Forward to a Peaceful Election” at Sheraton Hotel in the city. 

DI senior director Dr Abdul Alom, Fair Election Monitoring Alliance president Munira Khan, Awami League central committee member Reazul Kabir Kawsar, Daily Samakal acting editor Mustafiz Shafi and Independent TV head of news Ashish Saikat addressed the function while DI official Aminul Ehsan conducted the event. 

Munira Khan said both the Election Commission and the government have to play very responsible so that all political parties can participate and launch their campaign in a free manner.      

The speakers said the political parties should allow each other to launch election campaign freely so that people feel encouraged to cast their votes.