United News of Bangladesh

Expatriate voters showed little interest in exercising their franchise in the recent elections as only four expatriates voted in Bogura-6 by-polls and Sherpur-3 election, with only four ballots received from abroad. Only three expatriates voted in Bogura-6 by-election, while one expatriate in Sherpur-3 election, both held on April 9 -- two months after the 13th general election. “The Bogura-6 by-polls returning officer received three ballots from the expatriates, while the Sherpur-3 election returning officer received one ballots from them,” said Brigadier General Saleem Ahmad Khan, team lead of EC’s Out of Country Voting (OCV) System Development and Implementation initiative on Sunday. Besides, 1,065 domestic voters voted in Bogura-6, while 2,018 other domestic voters in Sherpur-3 under the In-Country Postal Voting (ICPV). A total of 7,309 voters -- 5,645 in-country ones and 1,664 expatriates -- earlier registered to vote through postal ballots in these two constituencies. Postal voting in these two constituencies began on March 30 and ended at 4.30pm on April 9. The current Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, introduced an IT-supported hybrid postal voting system -- in combination of online registration and manual postal ballot papers – in the 13th general election held on February 12 last. A total of 15,28,131 voters --767,233 expatriates and 760,898 government officials, election officials, Ansar and VDP members and prisoners—registered to vote through the postal ballots under OCV and ICPV programmes in the 13th national election. Of them, the returning officers finally received 11,65,593 returned postal ballots – 498,205 from abroad and 667,388 from in-country – in the election held in 299 out of 300 constituencies (except Sherpur-3) throughout the country.

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam on Sunday urged allies and supporters to prepare for a fresh mass movement saying that the current government will never voluntarily implement reforms. Nahid made the remarks while presiding over an view-exchange meeting between July uprising martyrs' families and July fighters organised by the 11-party alliance at the Diploma Engineers Institution auditorium in the capital. “Two years after the mass uprising, we still stand united in the conviction that Bangladesh must be transformed through fundamental reforms. And the primary obstacle standing in the way of that transformation is the current government,” Nahid said. Expressing frustration over the failure of parliamentary processes, he said, “We had hoped that everything would be resolved in parliament. But parliament has been rendered ineffective. We must now prepare for a mass movement. Without it, the government will not implement reforms.” He, however, stressed that this time the movement must be strategic. “We do not want to fail again or settle for half-success. This time, we will take to the streets with a plan.” Asserting collective ownership of the reform agenda, the NCP chief said, “Reforms do not belong to any single party, they are a demand for the survival of Bangladesh.” He pledged that the alliance's leaders would stand at the frontline of any confrontation. “If bullets come, they will hit our chests first.” Nahid also accused the BNP government of exploiting the legacy of the July uprising for political legitimacy. “July martyrs and the wounded are the assets of this nation. We do not want to use them for politics. But the government invokes July fighters and even the spirit of 1971 to legitimise its actions while genuinely embodying neither.” He further alleged that Bangladesh has been moving backwards since the BNP assumed power. “The BNP reaped the fruits of the mass uprising of the 1990s but discarded the three-alliance roadmap once in power. Even now, they are rejecting the July Charter and the ordinance.” Senior leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh-led 11-party alliance were also present at the event.  

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday said there will be no compromise in the struggle to realise the rights of the people of Bangladesh. He alleged that the government has failed to fulfil its commitments to the people and warned that protests would continue both inside and outside parliament to ensure their rights. Shafiqur Rahman, also the opposition leader in parliament, made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting those injured in election violence in the Sherpur-3 by-election constituency (Sreebardi–Jhenaigati) at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. BNP eliciting political crisis through stance on reforms: Jamaat Secretary General Questioning the persistence of political violence, he said, “Why is there so much violence in politics even after so much bloodshed in July?” He also criticised the tone of parliamentary discourse, saying such behaviour is not expected in the House. "If individuals involved in violence go to parliament, what can be expected from them." Referring to the situation in Sherpur-3, he said many of the injured remain in serious condition, indicating the severity of the violence. The Jamaat Ameer also criticised the state of healthcare services, saying overcrowding and mismanagement at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital reflect neglect in the health sector. Local leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were present during his visit.

The April 9 by-elections in Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3 were generally peaceful and orderly while there were several procedural and administrative shortcomings, according to Alliance for Fair Election and Democracy (AFED), a platform of 30 civil society organisations supported by the European Union. “We observed a largely calm environment where voters were able to participate,” said AFED spokesperson Harun-Or-Rashid at a press conference. “At the same time, there are areas that require improvement to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process,” he said. While polling largely began on time and ballot secrecy was maintained, AFED reported that 32 percent of polling stations were not accessible to persons with disabilities. Observers also found inconsistencies in voter identification procedures in 12 percent of polling stations. Besides, indications of proxy voting were reported in 11 percent of observed centres. Voter turnout was significantly lower compared to the February 12 national elections, it said. AFED recorded moderate turnout in 64 percent of polling stations and low turnout in 31 percent. AFED’s observation of postal voting, including a pilot initiative for out-of-country voting (OCV), found the counting process to be transparent but participation to be low. In Bogura-6, only 1,068 of 3,736 issued postal ballots were returned, with many rejected due to procedural errors such as missing declaration forms. Observers recorded six notable incidents during polling. The most serious occurred at Shreebordi Islamia Kamil Madrasa centre in Sherpur-3, where clashes between rival supporters left five people injured. Based on reports from 53 observers deployed across 103 polling centres, AFED recommended strengthening training for polling officials to ensure strict adherence to procedures, ensuring full accessibility for voters with disabilities at all polling stations, enforcing campaign silence rules more strictly, expanding eligibility for postal voting to include observers, media personnel, and homebound voters Among those present at the press conference were Taleya Rehman, Chairperson of Democracywatch and AFED board member; Binoy Krishna Mollick, Executive Director of Right Jessore; AH M Nouman, Chairperson of DORP; and Md Harun-Or-Rashid, AFED Member Secretary.

The BNP on Friday started selling party nomination forms for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. The programme formally began around 11:00am at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, inaugurated by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Addressing aspiring candidates, Rizvi said the party’s parliamentary board will select nominees based on their political contributions, particularly their roles in movements over the past 16-17 years, along with leadership qualities and the ability to speak effectively in Parliament. He urged party leaders and activists to accept the board’s decisions, warning against creating internal divisions over nominations. “Everyone must respect the party’s decision,” Rizvi said, adding that leaders and activists have made significant sacrifices for the party. He also said nomination forms will be sold until April 12 and must be submitted within this stipulated time. Several hundred women leaders gathered at the party office to collect forms, each paying Tk 2,000, unfolding scenes of enthusiasm and emotion. Rizvi handed over the first nomination form to Jerin Delwar Hossain and the second one to Fatema Asad, wife of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal founding convener Kazi Asaduzzaman Asad. Earlier, the Election Commission announced the election schedule on Wednesday, setting May 12 as the voting date. The deadline for submission of nomination papers is April 21, while scrutiny will take place on April 22-23. The last date for filing appeals against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers by the returning officer is April 26, while appeals will be disposed of on April 27-28. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is April 29, and election symbols will be allocated on April 30. Voting by MPs will be held on May 12. The reserved seats are filled through an indirect election system based on the proportional representation of political parties in the 300 general seats. MPs are required to vote if there is more than one candidate for a seat. However, voting is usually not needed, as parties generally nominate candidates equal to their allocated seats. According to the EC, BNP and its allies will receive 36 seats, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its alliance partners 13 seats, and independent lawmakers one seat, making a total of 50. As per the law, the EC must hold elections for the reserved women’s seats within 90 days of the gazette notification of the general election results, which was issued on February 13, the day after the election.  

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar on Thursday accused the BNP of eliciting a political crisis in the country, by what he described as "refusing to accept the verdict of 70 percent of the people" in the referendum. Speaking at the inauguration of a nationwide mass communication programme in the capital’s Shahbagh, Parwar said BNP is breaking its promise to the people and deceiving them. He questioned why BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, who supported a “yes” vote in the referendum, is now ignoring the verdict. “Out of the 84 reform proposals, the notes of dissent given by BNP were cancelled as soon as the referendum was won. That is why BNP is in a state of confusion. They want to return to fascism through deceit,” he alleged. Parwar urged the Prime Minister to publicly confirm his vote in the referendum, saying that canceling it would amount to denying his own vote. He warned that if the government does not implement the July Charter in parliament, the issue could be taken to the streets. The BNP has insisted they are not against the July Charter, but rather the July Charter Implementation Order, which they say the president had no authority to issue. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Maulana Jalal Uddin said BNP is showing double standards by calling one election legitimate and another illegal. NCP Joint Member Secretary Joynal Abedin Shishir added that BNP, elected with 51 percent of votes, is not accepting the referendum verdict supported by 70 percent of the people. AB Party Joint Secretary General Advocate Abdullah Al Mamun Rana warned that those attempting to impose fascism by ignoring the referendum could face a worse fate than the Awami League. National Democratic Party (JAGPA) vice-president Engineer Rashed Prodhan said ignoring the 70 percent referendum verdict may force the public to prepare for another August 5-style movement. A mass mobilisation campaign will run nationwide from April 9 to 15 under the 11-party alliance, demanding implementation of the referendum verdict and convening of the Constitutional Reform Council to address the energy crisis.

BNP candidates have won by landslide in the Bogura-6 by-election and Sherpur-3 election held on Thursday. In the Bogura-6 by-election, occasioned by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's abdication in favour of his other seat at Dhaka-17, BNP’s Md. Rezaul Karim Badsha, contesting under the “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol, secured 1,33,931 votes, while his nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Md. Abidur Rahman Darpala, received 57,159 votes. Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) candidate Al Amin Talukder got 526 votes. Out of 4,54,043 registered voters, 1,93,326 cast their ballots, marking a turnout of 42.58 percent. Returning Officer Md. Fazlul Karim announced the result at around 9pm Thursday. BNP leaders congratulated Badsha and presented him with floral tributes. While, Jamaat-e-Islami raised allegations of irregularities, including assault on polling agents, center occupation, ballot manipulation, and attempts to falsify results. In Sherpur-3, BNP’s Md. Mahmudul Haque Rubel, also contesting under the “Sheaf of Paddy,” won with 1,66,117 votes. His nearest competitor, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Md. Masudur Rahman contesting with the Dari Palla symbol, received 47,051 votes, while BASAD’s Md. Mizanur Rahman polled 480 votes. Returning Officer and District Election Officer Md. Jahangir Alam announced the unofficial result at around the same time from the district control room. Earlier, polling in both parliamentary seats started at 7:30 am and continued until 4:30 pm without any break. On February 24 last, the EC announced the election schedule for the two constituencies. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman contested the February-12 general election from two parliamentary constituencies – Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 and he was elected from both seats. But Tarique Rahman vacated Bogura-6 and kept Dhaka-17. Besides, the EC on February 4 last cancelled the election to Sherpur-3 constituency, following the death of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nuruzzaman Badal.

The BNP will start selling nomination forms for the reserved women’s seats of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on Friday. The forms will be available at the party’s central office in Nayapaltan from 11am on April 10 and will continue to be sold until April 12, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Thursday. He said aspirants will be able to both collect and submit nomination forms during this period, with April 12 set as the final day for both purchase and submission. The development came after the Election Commission (EC) had announced the election schedule for the 50 reserved women’s seats. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed announced the schedule on Wednesday at a press briefing, setting May 12 as the date for the voting. According to the schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is April 21, which must be submitted to the EC Secretariat. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 22 and 23. The last date for filing appeals against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers by the returning officer is April 26, while disposal of appeals will take place on April 27 and 28. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is April 29, and election symbols will be allocated on April 30. The voting by MPs will be held on May 12. The reserved seats are filled through an indirect election system based on proportional representation of political parties in the 300 general seats. MPs are required to cast votes if there is more than one candidate for a seat. However, voting is usually unnecessary as parties generally nominate candidates equal to their allocated seats. According to the EC, BNP and its allies will receive 36 seats, Jamaat-e-Islami and its alliance partners 13 seats, and independent lawmakers one seat, making a total of 50. As per the law, the EC must hold elections for the reserved women’s seats within 90 days of the gazette notification of the general election results, which was issued on February 13, the day after the election.

The Election Commission (EC) has directed the returning officers of Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3 constituencies to submit reports after examining allegations raised by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami over irregularities in the by-elections to the two parliamentary seats. “We have started investigating. I have already asked for the report from our respective officers,” said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Thursday afternoon, while replying to a question from reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon area.  When asked about Jamaat’s decision to boycott the Sherpur-3 election, he said, “They have boycotted the election—why they did so is a question for them. We arranged the election; we did not ask anyone to boycott it,” he added. Referring to reports of the boycott over alleged fake voting shortly before the end of polling, the EC secretary said he heard that around 3:45 pm that they boycotted citing fake votes. “Voting went on throughout the day, and then 20 minutes before the end such allegation—this is their political matter,” he said, adding that he doesn’t have any comment on it. “However, I have asked my officials to submit reports. The results must also be announced without delay,” he added. Earlier in the day, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, at a press conference in the capital’s Moghbazar area, alleged serious irregularities during voting in the Bogura-6 and Sherpur-3 by-elections. He alleged that presiding officers collected signatures from agents on result sheets even before voting began in some polling stations, violating election rules. Meanwhile, Jamaat-nominated candidate Masudur Rahman announced a boycott of the Sherpur-3 (Sreebardi-Zhenaigati) election around 3:00 pm, alleging that a fair election was not possible. Earlier in the morning, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said the EC was committed to ensuring elections of international standards. “We want to demonstrate what is understood globally as a standard election. We are using everything from drones to scientific monitoring systems,” he said after overseeing the voting virtually from the EC’s law and order coordination cell in the Nirbachan Bhaban. The CEC said extensive measures had been taken to ensure smooth and peaceful balloting, similar to the recently held 13th parliamentary election. On February 24 last, the EC announced the election schedule for the two parliamentary seats. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman contested the February-12 general election from two parliamentary constituencies – Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 and he was elected from the two seats. But Tarique Rahman has left Bogura-6 seat for by-election and took oath as a member of parliament from Dhaka-17 constituency. Besides, the EC on February 04 last cancelled the election to Sherpur-3 constituency, following the death of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nuruzzaman Badal. The elections to 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies (except Sherpur-3) were held on February 12. The EC published a gazette of 297 elected MP candidates on February 12, keeping the election result of Chattogram-2 and 4 constituencies withheld in line with the court’s decisions. On Tuesday, 296 newly elected MPs took oath as Tarique Rahman who was elected from two constituencies left Bogura-6 for by-election to remain the member of parliament from Dhaka-17. The 296 newly MPs include 208 BNP ones, 68 Jamaat MPs, seven independent MPs and six NCP MPs, two Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis MPs, one MP each of Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Ganaodhikar Parishad, Ganasamhati Andolan, Khelafat Majlish and Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

National Citizen Party (NCP) MP Hasnat Abdullah on Wednesday warned that any attempt to exert undue control over judges will ultimately harm the country, stressing that safeguarding judicial independence is essential for maintaining the rule of law. In a Facebook post on his verified page, he said 28 judges have been served show-cause notices for expressing opinions within their internal groups. “This is the most worrying area. If judges cannot have constructive discussions among themselves in a safe space, then where does the independence of the judiciary actually stand?” Hasnat Abdullah wrote. NCP announces mayoral candidates for five city corporations Taking action against judges based on screenshots, he added, is a clear attempt to intimidate in the judiciary. “The message is very clear: ‘Keep quiet, otherwise you will get into trouble.’” Referring to the period after August 5, the NCP lawmaker said there was a time when judges seemed able to think and write with some courage, but that atmosphere is now slowly giving way to fear. “If such pressure continues on the judiciary, the place where the common people can seek justice also weakens.” He emphasised that this is not an issue of individuals but of the system as a whole. “If the voice of judges is controlled in this way, the entire country will ultimately have to pay the price. This decision needs to be at least reconsidered.” “The judiciary cannot be strengthened through intimidation; it can only be weakened,” Hasnat said.