Khulna, Oct 27 (UNB) - Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Saturday said Election Voting Machine (EVM) will be used on a limited scale in the next national election to check vote rigging as well as protect the interest and dignity of voters.

The CEC came up with the remark while inaugurating the EVM Fair at Public Hall in the city.

Although EVM will not be imposed by force, the Election Commission has a plan to use this machine on a smaller scale in the next general election considering the law and opinion of others, he said.

The EVM system has been launched to ensure transparency and a rigging-free voting to secure the interest of voters, he said.

In the current system, irregularities can occur in handling the ballot papers but EVM can eliminate such irregularities, Nurul Huda said.

Chaired by Deputy Commissioner Md Helal Hossain, the programme, was attended, among others, by Divisional Commissioner Lokman Hossain Mia, Deputy Inspector General of Police Md Didar Ahmad, KMP Commissioner Humayun Kabir and Police Super SM Shafiullah.

Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) - Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Saturday said there is no uncertainty about the national election now and his party is absolutely ready for it.
 
The former president came up with the remark while talking to reporters after inaugurating Jatiya Party’s digital campaign programme for the 11th parliamentary elections at his Banani office, said a press release.
 
Jatiya Party is now a much stronger political party, he said adding that the party is prepared to compete the election from all the 300 constituencies if BNP does not participate in it.  “And if BNP joins the election, we’ll have a different plan,” he added.
 
Replying to a journalist’s query, Ershad said, “We’re marching forward. Every day, we’ll send out our messages to thousands of people by using digital devices.”
 
Jatiya Party has reached out to all the voters with its previous development activities and will inform them about its future advancement plans, he added.
  
Ershad’s information technology and political adviser  Shafiullah Al Munir, JP secretary general Ruhul Amin Hawlader and presidium members Sunil Suvho Roy and SM Foysal Chisty were, among others,  present at the programme.
 
Jatiya Party’s activities will be projected before four crores of people every day through the digital platform campaign where around 40 IT experts will be working in three shifts round the clock.

Chattogram, Oct 27 (UNB) – Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Saturday warned the government that it will face trial in the future if it does not accept their seven-point demand for holding the next election in a fair and credible manner.

 “People gave their verdict in favour of the seven-point demand by raising their hands today. A mass verdict was also given in Sylhet in this regard. We would like to tell the government to accept the demands before time runs out. Or else, you’ll have to face trial,” he said.

Speaking at a rally arranged by Oikyafront in front of BNP office at Kazir Dewri in the port city, Dr Kamal further said, “If you violate or ignore peoples’ decision, you can’t even imagine the punishment that you will get for it.”
 
He accused the government of regularly violating the constitution and warned that it has to be accountable to people for it one day.

“The constitution is being violated every day... it was told in 2014 that the election was held for a temporary period to face crisis and another election would be held later…five years have gone without any election. This is a serious offence as per the constitution. We must hold them accountable for it,” Oikyafront chief said.

He said people will turn out to be victorious this time by forcing the government to accept their demands for holding a fair election through their united efforts. ”There’s nothing impossible to achieve when people get united as we had proved it in the past, including during the Liberation War.”

Dr Kamal, also the president of Gono forum, criticised the government for not releasing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail. “Khaleda Zia’s release is not a matter of demand as it should happen normally.”
  
Speaking at the rally, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said people have got united to restore their voting rights and democracy by defeating the current ‘autocratic regime’.

“We’ll return home only after realising our seven-point demand and restoring people’s voting rights. We won’t bow down to injustice and won’t get defeated,” he told the rally.

The BNP leader alleged that the government is filing ‘false’ cases against its opponents to hang onto power by suppressing them. “I would like to say there’s no point of resorting to such acts as people have started waking up. Let’s take the movement forward together, and our victory is certain.”

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president ASM Abdur Rob urged the government to engage in talks with political parties before announce the election schedule if it wants a credible election. “If the election schedule is announced without meeting our seven points and consultation with us, we’ll’ understand you want to foil the election.”

He also called upon the government to free Khaleda Zia from jail for holding an inclusive election.

Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna urged the government to take steps for holding a fair and neutral election quitting power. “Or else, we’ll ensure your fall with our united efforts paving the path for holding fair polls.”

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said there is no alternative to waging a movement to oust the current fascist regime to restore the spirit of the Liberation War and ensure an acceptable election in the country.

Another BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said national unity is a vital weapon to remove an autocratic regime. “We’ll restore democracy and force the government to engage in talks through this unity.”

BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gono Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, executive president Subrata Chowdhury, JSD vice president Tania Rob, Oikya Prokriya member secretary Mostafa Amin, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Kalyan Party’s Syed Mohammad Ibrahim and LDP’s Redwan Ahmed, among others, spoke at the rally. 

The rally activities started around 1:30pm on Saturday with recitation from the holy Quran and holy Gita. Chattogram city unit BNP president Dr Shahdat Hossain presided over the rally.

This was the second rally of the newly formed alliance as it held its maiden one in Sylhet on October 24.

Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP holding placards, banners and portraits of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the rally. 

They chanted various slogans demanding Khaleda’s immediate release from jail.

Huge law enforcers were deployed around the rally venue to maintain law and order.

The Oikyafront’s seven-point demand includes installation of a neutral interim government, dissolution of parliament, reconstitution the Election Commission, release of all the political prisoners, deployment of army and cancellation of the move to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMS) for holding the next polls in fair and acceptable manner.

On October 13, BNP together with Dr Kama Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, JSD and Nagorik Oikya launched the Jatiy Oikyafront to press for their seven-point demand.
 

Dhaka, Oct 27 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday ruled out the possibility of closing down the old airport at Tejgaon in the city saying that it belongs to the Air Force and it must remain under their possession.

“This airport will never be closed down…it belongs to the Air Force and it must remain theirs," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the newly constructed VVIP Complex of the Tejgaon airport.

She, however, asked the Air Force to remain alert so that this airport must not be grabbed by others.

Sheikh Hasina assured that no one will be able to take away this airport from the Air Force as long as she is there in power.

The Prime Minister asked all to shun the thinking of constructing high-rises beside the first airport of the country. "I want to warn you many people have their greedy eyes on it, the Air Force should use it…it must not be grabbed by others." 

She went on saying, "But when I will be not be there in  power, many may come to grab this airport, I don't want to see this airport getting ruined as Dhaka city badly needs another airport…. we have another one, why should we destroy it." 

Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on the use of the airport and said flights should be operated from there so that all can understand about its use.

The Prime Minister firmly mentioned that the airport land will not be allotted from the Air Force to anyone else as long as Awami League remains in power.

In this context, she said, the Air Force needs more land as the government is further increasing its operational activities and its size.

Hasina went round different sections of the newly constructed VVIP complex of the airport.

Chattogram, Oct 27 (UNB) – Jatiya Oikyafront, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, has taken necessary preparations to hold its rally in front of BNP office at Kazir Dewri in the port city.

The rally will start at 2pm today.

Dr Kamal Hossain, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, A S M Abdur Rouf, Mahmudur Rahman Manna and other Oikyafront leaders already reached the city.

After offering Ziarat at the mazar of Hazrat Shah Amanat(R ) they will attend the rally.

Oikyafront got permission to hold its today’s rally in front of BNP office at KazirDewri instead of LaldighiMaidan in the port city on Friday with some conditions.

On October 13, BNP together with Dr Kama Hossain-led JatiyaOikyaProkriya, JSD and NagorikOikya launched the JatiyOikyafront to press for their seven-point demand, including holding the next election under a non-party administration.