Politics
By holding peaceful polls we want to show we keep words: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said that holding a free, fair and credible election is their goal and by arranging a peaceful election they want to prove that they keep commitment.
BNP expels Khaleda Zia's adviser Ekramuzzaman, Abu Zafar over collecting nomination papers
He said this while replying to a question from journalists at Awami League president’s office in Dhanmondi area in the city.
Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said many people are making various types of comments ahead of the upcoming national election and many are speculating a lot.
The minister said all these will be resolved through a fair election. “After that, a lot of criticism will end.”
Responding to a question on seat sharing among the allies, the minister said, “December 17 is the last date of nomination withdrawal. We will observe, make adjustments in the meantime. Everything will be finalized by December 17.”
Asked whether contesting the polls by Awami League leaders as independent candidates will cause any chaos, the Awami League general secretary said, “We are observing who want it. We have a strategic decision.”
“We have time till December 17. We can make changes or corrections within the time,” Quader added.
AL candidates collect nomination letters for January 7 polls amid festive mood
Replying to a query about BNP’s participation in the election, Quader said, “We have no objection if they participate. We welcome them. Some of them might take part in the election. Some have already collected the nomination papers.”
BNP expels Khaleda Zia's adviser Ekramuzzaman, Abu Zafar over collecting nomination papers
BNP has expelled its chairperson’s adviser, Syed AK Ekramuzzaman, and National Executive Committee member Shah Md Abu Zafar as they are going to take part in Bangladesh's 12th parliamentary election.
A press release signed by party's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Tuesday (November 28, 2023) that the action was taken against the duo for their involvement in "anti-party activities."
“On the basis of clear allegations of involvement in activities that go against the party's discipline, BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Syed AK Ekramuzzaman and National Executive Committee member Shah Md Abu Zafar have been expelled from all posts at all levels of the party, including primary membership," the press release says.
Read: 12th Parliamentary elections: BNP chairperson's adviser collects nomination paper for Brahmanbaria-1 seat
Ekramuzzaman collected nomination paper on Monday to contest the national election from Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency.
BNP has already rejected the schedule for the 12th parliamentary election. It considers collecting nomination papers a "violation of party's discipline."
Ekramuzzaman contested the national election as an independent candidate in the 2001 election, and in the 2008 and 2018 elections as a BNP candidate, but he was never elected.
Meanwhile, BNP's National Executive Committee member Abu Zafar joined the newly registered party BNM (Bangladesh Nationalist Movement) on November 21 to take part in the upcoming election.
Read: BNP to enforce blockade Wednesday, hartal Thursday
12th Parliamentary elections: BNP chairperson's adviser collects nomination paper for Brahmanbaria-1 seat
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's adviser Syed AK Ekramuzzaman has collected nomination papers as an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency for the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections.
The nomination paper was collected on behalf of him from Brahmanbaria Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner's Office on Monday.
Meanwhile, Ekramuzzaman appeared before Brahmanbaria Judicial Magistrate's Court-3 around 12:00 pm on Monday and applied for bail in an explosive case filed by the police. The court granted his bail plea.
Also read: 12th national election: JP lists candidates for 289 constituencies
Regarding the collection of nomination paper, Ekramuzzaman said, "I have got bail. I am going to Dhaka. There is nothing to say at the moment about the election. I don't want to talk about it right now.”
Confirming the matter, Md. Kausar Ahmed, administrative officer of the Deputy Commissioner's office, said a person named Md Bakul Mia collected the nomination paper from the returning officer and the Deputy Commissioner's office for Syed AK Ekramuzzaman as an independent candidate for Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) seat.
Syed AK Ekramuzzaman was an accused in a case filed on November 2 against him and 38 others by Sub-inspector (SI) Rupan Nath of Nasirnagar Police Station under the Explosive Act.
Also read: AL candidates collect nomination letters for January 7 polls amid festive mood
Ekramuzzaman was made the fourth accused in the case on charges of obstructing government work,using explosives with the intent to kill and injure a policeman. Crude bombs and country-made weapons were recovered from the spot.
Around 15-20 lawyers, led by lawyer Ali Azam, took part in the hearing on his behalf.
Ekram’s lawyer Advocate Ali Azam said, "The date of the incident was mentioned on November 2 in the case filed against Ekramuzzaman under the Explosives Act in Brahmanbaria. But Ekramuzzaman was not present in Brahmanbaria at the time of the incident.“
“On November 2, he appeared before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka in a case and appealed for bail. After the hearing, the Dhaka court granted him bail. All the evidences related to this have been presented at the Brahmanbaria court. The court considered everything and granted his bail application in the explosives act case," said Ekramuzzaman’s lawyer.
AL candidates collect nomination letters for January 7 polls amid festive mood
The ruling Awami League on Monday started distribution of nomination letters among party's candidates for the parliamentary elections scheduled for January 7.
The letter distribution programme was launched from the party president's political office in Dhanmondi.
On Sunday the party unveiled the names of its 298 candidates for the counyry's 12th parliament. Candidates for two other seats Kushtia-2 and Narayanganj-5 are yet to be announced.
On behalf of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, party general secretary Obaidul Quader inaugurated this programme.
Quader collected his nomination letter as the second person.
Then Awami League presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud, AFM Bahauddin Nashim, organizing secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, Afzal Hossain, agriculture and cooperative affairs secretary Faridur Nahar Laili and most of the candidates of the central committee collected nomination letters.
After receiving the letter, Bahauddin Nashim said, 'We are working to continue the democratic process of Bangladesh. I will try to fulfill people's expectations. I am honoured to be nominated.'
Afzal Hossain, who was nominated for Patuakhali-1 constituency, said, 'I have been nominated again in the 12th parliamentary elections. I express my gratitude to Bangabandhu's daughter. I will work for the people."
Nomination letters have been collected for national team cricketer Shakib Al Hasan. Besides, Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, former Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak have collected party nomination letters.
Party insiders said that the nomination letters of most of the party's candidates have been collected by 2 pm.
On the occasion of the distribution of nomination letters of Awami League, the party's MP candidates gathered in front of the Dhanmondi office with a large number of workers and supporters from Monday morning.
Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) has 300 elected seats. It has 50 other seats reserved exclusively for women who are chosen by the members elected through popular vote.
BNP to enforce blockade Wednesday, hartal Thursday
The BNP is going to enforce a 24-hour fresh road-rail-waterway blockade across the country starting from Wednesday morning and a daylong hartal on Thursday to protest the schedule for the next national election announced by the Election Commission (EC).
Party Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a virtual press briefing on Monday.
He said the blockade will begin at 6am on Wednesday and end at 6m on Thursday while the hartal will be enforced from 6am to 6pm on Thursday.
310 vandalism, 376 arson attacks reported during BNP-Jamat's blockade, hartal since Oct 29: Police HQ
Rizvi said the programmes are also meant for mounting pressure on the government to quit, hold the next election under a non-party neutral government and release party leaders and activists, including its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He said other opposition parties, who have long been carrying out the simultaneous movement with BNP, will also observe similar programmes.
Economy bears brunt of ongoing blockades and hartals ahead of polls: Dr Atiur Rahman
The fresh programmes were announced 14 hours before the end of the opposition’s ongoing 48-hour blockade which will end at 6m on Tuesday.
Rizvi thanked the country’s people and the opposition leaders and activists for making their blockade programme a success.
BNP and like-minded parties enforced a 48-hour countrywide shutdown from November 19 and then announced a 48-hour blockade from November 22 and another phase of a 48-hour blockade from November 26 which will end at 6m on Tuesday.
The opposition parties have so far observed blockades in seven phases to mount pressure on the Awami League government to quit power and hold the next election under a non-partisan administration.
48-hour hartal: 17 arson attacks reported till Monday evening
They also observed a nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal on October 29 in protest against the attacks on BNP’s grand rally at Nayapaltan that ended amid the incidents of torching vehicles and clashes, leaving three people dead.
Half an hour into the start of BNP's much-talked-about grand rally at Nayapaltan on October 28, BNP leaders and workers locked in a clash with the ruling party activists and police at Kakrail. The violent clashes soon spread around Nayapaltan, foiling the rally midway.
Following Sheikh Hasina’s guideline, no bar to fielding dummy candidates: Quader
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (November 27, 2023) said that permission for party leaders to run as independent candidates in the upcoming national election is a “strategic decision”.
“Awami League is moving forward, changing strategy as per the need of the hour. There is no bar to dummy candidates following the guideline of the party chief (Sheikh Hasina),” he said.
Obaidul Quader came up with the remarks after paying homage to Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon marking Shaheed Dr Milon Day on Dhaka University premises.
Read: 71 AL MPs fail to get party tickets to run election
He said that Awami League doesn’t need companions, as people are its strength. BNP needs accomplices for their misdeeds, said the AL leader.
People of the country have been eagerly waiting for the election along with party leaders and activists as election season has already started in the country, he said.
Read: AL nominates 9 new faces in Dhaka constituencies
Quader, also road, transport and bridges minister, said that the upcoming election has generated a massive tide of public support that can’t be foiled by sporadic bombings and arson attacks.
The Awami League general secretary also alleged that BNP is now hatching a conspiracy to foil the election after its movement failed.
Read more: AL picks actor Ferdous for Dhaka-10
AL brings 3 changes for 6 constituencies in Sirajganj
The ruling Awami League has brought three changes in the party's candidacies for six parliamentary seats in Sirajganj to contest the 12th parliamentary election slated for January 7.According to the list of candidates announced by the Awami League today, engineer Tanvir Shakil Joy got the ticket for Sirajganj-1 constituency (part of Kazipur-Sadar), which is the same as before.
In Sirajganj-2 (part of Sadar and Kamarkhanda) however, district Awami League joint general secretary Dr Jannat Ara Talukder Henry got the nod ahead of running MP Dr Habib e Millat Munna.
Dr Abdul Aziz for Sirajganj-3 (Raiganj-Tarash) remains unchanged.
Read: 71 AL MPs fail to get party tickets to run election
In Sirajganj-4 (Ullapara), freedom fighter Shafiqul Islam Shafi will contest the election with the boat symbol instead of MP Tanvir Imam.
Abdul Momin Mondol for Sirajganj-5 constituency (Belkuchi and Chauhali) retained his candidacy.
Finally, the current MP of Sirajganj-6 (Shahjadpur) Professor Marina Jahan Kabita has been replaced by her younger brother, former MP and upazila Awami League president, Chayan Islam.
Read: Now CEC says election can be rescheduled if BNP decides to joinThe ruling Awami League has sold a total of 3362 nomination forms for the boat symbol (Awami League's electoral symbol) among the nomination seekers of the national elections.
Earlier, on November 15, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced that the 12th parliamentary election of the country will be held on January 7.According to the constitution, the tenure of the current government will end on January 29, 2024.
3 state ministers dropped from AL nominations list
Three state ministers have not received nominations from the ruling Awami League for the upcoming 12th parliamentary election slated for January 7 next.
They are State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, State Minister of Labour Begum Mannujan Sufian and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain.
Read: 69 AL MPs fail to get party tickets to run election
Awami League picked Md Biplab Hasan instead of Zakir Hossain for Kurigram-4.
In Mymensingh-5 (Muktagacha) constituency, Md. Abdul Hai Akond got the party nomination instead of KM Khalid while SM Kamal Hossain has been nominated for the Khulna-3 seat which is currently held by Begum Mannujan Sufian.
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader announced the names of AL candidates for 298 constituencies out of 300 on Sunday afternoon.
Read: Mashrafe, Shakib, get Awami League nominations for 12th National Parliament Election
The ruling party didn’t declare any contenders for the Kushtia-2 and Narayanganj-5 seats. The Kushtia-2 seat is currently held by Hasanul Haq Inu of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Narayanganj-5 is held by Salim Osman of the Jatiya Party (Ershad).
JaPa hopes EC will keep its word on holding a participatory election
Jatiya Party Secretary General Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu on Sunday said that they are optimistic about having a free and fair election and hope that the Election Commission will keep their word on making the election participatory.
“The Election Commission must take required steps to hold a free and fair election. The people of the country become very ardent to express their electoral rights,” he said.
Read: 12th parliamentary election: AL reveals list of candidates for 298 constituencies
The JaPa leader said this while exchanging views with reporters at Jatiya Party chairman’s Banani office this morning.
Mujibul Haque said that those who support the party have taken nomination forms for the party and their interviews are being taken. From them, the nomination board will decide who will get the tickets.
Read: Now CEC says election can be rescheduled if BNP decides to join
Expressing optimism about announcing the list of candidates tomorrow afternoon, Mujib said JaPa sold nomination forms for around 300 constituencies.
The candidates for Chattogram, Mymensingh and Dhaka divisions have been interviewed from 11 am today.
Presided over by Jatiya Party Chairman Golam Muhammad Quader, the interview meeting was also attended by Jatiya Party Senior Co-Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Secretary General Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Co-Chairman ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, Kazi Firoz Rashid and many others.
AL nominates 9 new faces in Dhaka constituencies
The ruling Awami League has introduced new candidates for nine out of 20 constituencies in Dhaka for the 12th national election.
The party's general secretary, Obaidul Quader, announced the names of the candidates for 298 constituencies out of 300 at a press conference held at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Sunday afternoon. Quader said that the list of candidates for Kushtia-2 and Narayanganj-5 constituencies will be announced later.
69 AL MPs fail to get party tickets to run election
The new candidates include Sanjida Khanam for Dhaka-4, Harunur Rashid Munna for Dhaka-5, Sayeed Khokon for Dhaka-6, Solaiman Salim for Dhaka-7, AFM Bahauddin Nasim for Dhaka-8, Ferdous Ahmed for Dhaka-10, Md. Wakil Uddin for Dhaka-11, Jahangir Kabir Nanak for Dhaka-13, and Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil for Dhaka-14.
Several injured in AL infighting in Khulna after announcement of AL candidates
The other candidates for Dhaka constituencies are: Salman F Rahman (Dhaka-1), Kamrul Islam (Dhaka-2), Nasrul Hamid (Dhaka-3), Saber Hossain Chowdhury (Dhaka-9), Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal (Dhaka-12), Kamal Ahmed Majumdar (Dhaka-15), Elias Uddin Mollah (Dhaka-16), Mohammad A Arafat (Dhaka-17), Habib Hasan (Dhaka-18), Dr Enamur Rahman (Dhaka-19), and Benzir Ahmed (Dhaka-20).
Lopsided polls will send AL into exile: Manna tells rally ending speculations