politics
Arrest warrants won't help govt: Khandaker Mosharraf
BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Wednesday said the government would not be able to suppress the ongoing movement for caretaker government by issuing arrest warrants.
“The government has got scared seeing the huge gathering of people in our rallies as our movement is gaining momentum across the country under the leadership of our acting chairman Tarique Rahman,” he said.
Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader said the warrants for the arrest of Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman were issued out of the government’s nervousness. “Can it suppress the movement? We’ll oust this regime through a street movement."
BNP's Dhaka south and north city units organised the rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in protest against the arrest warrants against Tarique and DR Zubaida.
On Tuesday, a Dhaka court issued warrants for the arrest of Tarique and Zubaida in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Read more: Attackers on BNP’s programmes are being marked: Mosharraf
Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said the government has been trying to obstruct BNP’s divisional rallies in various ways, including enforcing transport strikes, out of fear of losing power. “But it has been failing to prevent the mass wave towards our rallies. Our all rallies will turn successful defying all barriers.”
He also slammed the government for what he said indulging in widespread corruption and plundering in the name of mega projects.
“The country is facing a shortage of dollars because of siphoning off money abroad by the ruling party leaders. So, the country's economy is on the brink of collapse. This regime will be ousted by creating a mass uprising in the days to come,” the BNP leader said.
He said the country’s common people are going through serious miseries due to unusual price hikes of daily essentials.
Read more: BNP won’t join talks with current EC: Mosharraf
"The poor people are now starving while the middle class is struggling to survive. Those who stole votes will never save this economy. Human rights will not be protected by the government which violates human rights. It is not possible to repair the economy of the country by looters,” Mosharraf said.
Another BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said it is not possible to suppress people’s voices by resorting to false cases and repressive acts.
“This regime has become insane, and the country’s people won’t accept a crazy government,” he said.
Body of a man found at Matlab in Chandpur
Police with the help of local residents on Wednesday recovered the body of a local BNP leader from beside a road at Matlab Uttar upazila in Chandpur.
The victim-- Salimullah Lavlu--was a general secretary of Fatehpur Paschim union unit BNP. He was 50 and a resident of Mandartali village under the upazila.
The victim’s son Laviv and some relatives said that one schoolboy named Shipon hit the leg of Laviv after his school on Tuesday.
A brawl broke out between Lavlu and Shipon after the incident.
Later, Shipon along with his friends went to the house of Laviv and threatened them.
Van driver Jahangir Alam spotted the body lying beside the road when he was crossing the area at Mandartali village during early hours on Wednesday.
Read more: BNP rally: Juba Dal leader dies of ‘heart attack’ in Rangpur
Mohammad Mohiuddin Mia, officer-in-charge of Motlab Uttar police station, said they rushed to the spot after hearing the news and recovered the body.
The body was sent to Chandpur General Hospital for an autopsy, he said.
The OC said they would wait for the autopsy report to know the reason behind the murder.
No case was filed immediately, he said.
CEC appreciates environment of local govt polls
Chief Election Commissioner ( CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said election environment in hundreds of local government elections should be maintained in the future as the Commission has not seen violence, vote rigging or received any complaints.
"This is a good sign. If it can be maintained, it will work in the future. Now there is a voting environment. That is our purpose," he said.
He was talking during a briefing on the monitoring of local government polls in different areas from the Election Commission headquarters.
The CEC said that they have not seen violence, vote rigging or received any complaint while monitoring four municipalities from here.
CCTV cameras were used only in four municipalities for monitoring from the headquarters.
These are: Fatikcchari Municipality of Fatikcchari Upazila of Chattogram, Hazrabari Municipality of Hazrabari Upazila of Jamalpur, Parvatipur Municipality of Parvatipur Upazila of Dinajpur and Vishwanath Municipality of Vishwanath Upazila of Sylhet.
Read more: No decision taken yet over suspended Gaibandha -5 polls: CEC
He also said that many people stood in line and voted in an orderly manner.
“It seems to me that the voters have exercised their rights with restraint and patience,” he said.
He informed that the Commission will also monitor the Faridpur-2 seat polls to be held on November 5.
The Election Commission conducted polls on Wednesday in local government bodies to elect representatives in upazilas, municipalities and union parishads across the country.
Voting started at 8 am and continued till 4 pm.
EC also conducted voting in three upazilas - Karnaphuli of Chattogram, Jagannathpur of Sunamganj and Osmaninagar of Sylhet. Besides, by-election was being held for the posts of chairman of Netrakona Sadar, Roumari and Chilmari of Kurigram and Khoksa upazila of Kushtia.
The by-election to Khoksa Upazila Parishad of Kushtia started amid clashes between supporters of the rival candidates.
As soon as voting started at 8 am, fight broke out at Kadirpur Government Primary School voting centre between supporters of the Awami League-backed candidate Babul Akhter and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) leader Motahar Hossain Khokon.
Read more: Deal with any intimidation in next polls, CEC asks DCs, SPs
The EC took votes in many Union Parishads (UP). The UPs are Baratara and Tulsi Ganga in Khototal Upazila of Joypurhat; Ziarthi and Kanchanpur of Kushtia Sadar, Chithlia and Dhubail of Mirpur; Adra and Phulmocha of Melandah in Jamalpur Upazila; Raipara, Mahmudpur and Sutarpara of Dohar Upazila of Dhaka; Perli and Panchgram of Kalia Upazila of Narail; West Jaflong, Goainghat, East Jaflong and Madhya Jaflong of Goainghat Upazila of Sylhet; Kharera of Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria and Durlabpur of Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj.
The EC also conducted by-elections for a total of 60 member posts under 58 Union Parishads in 52 upazilas of 36 districts.
Law to decide Khaleda’s participation in next national polls: CEC
Chief Elecion Commission (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday said that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia must fit into the legal framework if she wants to participate in the next national election.
Awal made the comments in response to questions from journalists on whether Khaleda, who has been convicted of corruption, can take part in the next polls due either in December next year or in January 2024.
Read more: Govt won’t send Khaleda back to jail before election: Law Minister
When asked about the CEC's opinion on Khaleda Zia's participation in the election, he said, “We have some legal framework.”
"What will be the position from that side, we don't know yet. We do not want to comment on this," he added.
Asked what will happen if she submits the nomination papers, the CEC said that it will be verified according to the law.
She filed nomination papers in the 11th National election too but it was rejected. When the matter was brought up by the journalists, the CEC said, "We have said that we will check it legally. If it is at all necessary, we will conduct legal investigations."
Read more: Law to determine Khaleda Zia’s election eligibility: Law Minister
In 2018 general election Khaleda filed nomination papers to contest from Feni-1, Bogra-6 and 7 constituencies.
The returning officers rejected the nomination papers citing her conviction in graft cases.
Later, when an appeal was made against the decision of the returning officers, it was also rejected by the then KM Nurul Huda-led Commission.
No decision taken yet over suspended Gaibandha -5 polls: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said on Wednesday said that the Election Commission has not taken any decision yet about the suspended Gaibandha-5 by-election.
"It is true that we have received the investigation report on the irregularities took place during the polls but we are yet to take any decision. We could not sit in a meeting. You will be informed about the investigation report in due time,” he said.
Read more: EC doing its job, not under any pressure: CEC
He said in a briefing during the monitoring of the election to local government bodies in different areas from Election Commission headquarters.
The probe committee submitted its report on Sunday.
Election Commission's Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath who headed the committee submitted the report to EC Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker.
But the CEC did not share the details of the report in the briefing.
The EC suspended the election because of “widespread malpractices” on the election day on October 12.
It also extended the deadline for holding any fresh election to the Gaibandha-5 parliamentary seat by three months, or till January 20, 2023.
Read more: Gaibandha-5 polls: Not a reckless decision, says CEC
While there was no concrete decision over if a new election will be held, pending an investigation into malpractices on the election day, the Election Commission said that the deadline has been extended to follow the rule of 90 days in holding an election after a seat falls vacant.
Following the death of Gaibandha-5 lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah on July 22, 2022, it became a constitutional obligation to hold election for the parliamentary seat by October 20, 2022.
Govt has no connection with Tarique-Zubaida arrest warrants: Quader
Bangladesh Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said that government has no connection with arrest warrants issued for BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman.
“Blaming the government for anything and everything is a regular practice and culture of BNP. The court issued arrest warrants for Tarique and Zubaida in a corruption case filed by the ACC. This is a legal process; the government didn’t interfere,” he said,
He came up with the remarks at a press briefing at Setu Bhaban in Dhaka on Wednesday, a day after BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged that the arrest warrants were issued as part of the government’s “political vengeance”.
Read: Arrest warrants issued for Tarique and Zubaida Rahman in corruption case
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also said the government has been using “false” cases as a political weapon to suppress the opposition, and creating a ground for depoliticization in the country.
Quader said that the ACC is also filing cases against many from the ruling party and investigation is on against some of them, as the ACC is playing an independent role in this regard.
In response to the BNP secretary general’s statement that the government is “nervous” about the Zia family, Quader said that everyone knows the history of misrule and corruption of Zia family.
Read: Graft case against Tarique, Zubaida: HC asks trial court to dispose of case soon
“A BNP leader is now in exile for corruption, looting and misdeeds. He doesn’t have the courage to come back to the country,” Quader said.
Bangladesh Awami League does not believe in politics of revenge but BNP is the originator of the trend, he said, and cited August 15 massacre and grenade attack as examples.
EC holding votes in local government bodies across Bangladesh
The Election Commission is conducting election on Wednesday in local government bodies to elect representatives in upazilas, municipalities and union parishads across the country.
The polling started at 8 am and will continue till 4:00 pm.
EC Joint Secretary and spokesman SM Asaduzzaman said police and other security people have been deployed to conduct the elections peacefully.
Unauthorised vehicular movement has been closed in the respective areas, he added.
Read: ‘BNP will swallow the entire country if it returns to power’
Elections are taking place in four municipalities of the country while CCTV cameras are being used only in these municipalities.
These are- Fatikcchari Municipality of Fatikcchari Upazila of Chattogram, Hazrabari Municipality of Hazrabari Upazila of Jamalpur, Parvatipur Municipality of Parvatipur Upazila of Dinajpur and Vishwanath Municipality of Vishwanath Upazila of Sylhet.
EC is also conducting voting in three upazilas - Karnaphuli of Chattogram, Jagannathpur of Sunamganj and Osmaninagar of Sylhet. Besides, by-election polling is being held for the post of Chairman of Netrakona Sadar, Roumari and Chilmari of Kurigram and Khoksa Upazila of Kushtia.
The by-election to Khoksa Upazila Parishad of Kushtia started amid clashes between supporters of the rival candidates.
Read: AL expects huge turnout in Saturday Dhaka district council in capital city
As soon as the voting started at 8:00 am, the fight broke out at Kadirpur Government Primary School voting centre between supporters of the Awami League-backed candidate Babul Akhter and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) leader Motahar Hossain Khokon.
The EC is taking votes in many Union Parishads (UP). The UPs are Baratara and Tulsi Ganga in Khototal Upazila of Joypurhat; Ziarthi and Kanchanpur of Kushtia Sadar, Chithlia and Dhubail of Mirpur; Adra and Phulmocha of Melandah in Jamalpur Upazila; Raipara, Mahmudpur and Sutarpara of Dohar Upazila of Dhaka; Perli and Panchgram of Kalia Upazila of Narail; West Jaflong, Goainghat, East Jaflong and Madhya Jaflong of Goainghat Upazila of Sylhet; Kharera of Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria and Durlabpur of Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj.
Read: Govt to support Election Commission in holding fair election: Law Minister
The other unions are - Borobari of Lalmonirhat Sadar, Ashikpur of Shajahanpur in Bogra, Arabpur of Jessore Sadar,Rakhalgachi of Bagherhat Sadar and Udaipur of Mollarhat, Barakpur of Dighaliya Upazila of Khulna, Amragachia of Mirzaganj in Patuakhali, Nagda Shimla of Gopalpur in Tangail, Naikpur in Madan of Netrakona, Sutalri in Harirampur in Manikganj, Mohichail in Chandina upazila of Comilla and Hossaindi of Ghazaria Upazilla in Munshiganj.
The EC is conducting by-elections for a total of 60 member posts under 58 Union Parishads in 52 upazilas of 36 districts.
Arrest warrants for Tarique, Zubaida out of AL’s political vengeance, says Mirza Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that the warrants issued for the arrest of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman was part of the government’s political vengeance.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also said the government has been using ‘false’ cases as a political weapon to suppress the opposition and create a ground for depoliticisation in the country.
“There is no basis in the case in which the arrest warrants were issued against our leader Tarique Rahman and Dr Zubaida Rahman. The Awami League government filed the case out of political vengeance as an attempt to keep them away from Bangladesh and politics,” the BNP leader said.
Read more: Arrest warrants issued for Tarique and Zubaida Rahman in corruption case
He condemned the issuance of arrest warrants and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the warrants and the case.
Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court issued warrants for the arrest of Tarique and Zubaida in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Asaduzzaman court passed the order after taking the chargesheet against them into cognisance.
Read more: Bangladesh not facing crisis, BNP is in deep crisis: Quader
Fakhrul said the government has already kept the BNP Chairperson under house arrest by convicting her in ‘false’ cases only due to political vengeance." Our Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is being forced to stay abroad using false cases. The case against Zubaida, a professional and talented physician, was filed for political reasons since she is the daughter-in-law of the Zia family.”
In response to a question, he said though Zubaida is a non-political professional the arrest warrant was issued against her only because of the government’s fear of the Zia family.
The BNP leader alleged that the government has been trying to eliminate BNP and Zia family from politics over the 14 years through various repressive and suppressive acts, and laws and by using law enforcers.
He warned the government that its all efforts to weaken BNP will go in vain since the country’s people are with the party. “Despite so much torture, BNP is waking up like a phoenix. There’s no way to prevent the emergence of BNP as it’s a party of people.”
No food stock to face emergency
Fakhrul said their standing committee meeting on Monday elaborately discussed the Prime Minister’s recent remark about a possible famine in the next year. “Our meeting felt that the PM’s statement has clearly manifested that the government has failed to stockpile food to face exigency.
He said the BNP policymakers expressed deep concern as the import of food grains has decreased by about 37 percent in the last four months.
Read more: Huge crowds in BNP rally mean they want democracy back, says Mirza Fakhrul
“The country’s food security is now under an extreme threat due to the unprecedented corruption, indifference and incompetence of the Food Ministry and the Food Department of the government. At the same time due to corruption, unnecessary spending on different projects and dollar shortages are disrupting imports,” the BNP leader observed.
He also bemoaned that the country’s economic crisis is deepening because of the unethical withdrawal of dollars from reserves and siphoning off 7/8 billion dollars every year through illegal channels like hundi.
Fakhrul also expressed concern over the increase in the production cost of food grains caused by the increase in the price of fertilisers, seeds and disruption of irrigation operations across the country and for lack of electricity and diesel.
Bangladesh not facing crisis, BNP is in deep crisis: Quader
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said that people of the country are not facing any trouble, rather it is BNP and its politics that are in crisis.
Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said this in a statement – protesting the statement of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Mirza Fakhrul on Monday said the nation has been facing a terrible crisis, solely due to lack of democracy. “We must overcome this crisis,” he said.
Read more: Fakhrul slams Quader for making personal attack, accuses AL of plundering public money
Fakhrul made the remark while exchanging greetings with members of the Hindu community and distinguished personalities at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.
“People think that the biggest threat to the country’s independence and sovereignty is BNP,” Quader said, adding that the values of the Liberation War and democracy are not safe in the hands of BNP.
There is no crisis over democracy in Bangladesh, the crisis is in BNP’s mentality, Quader said. BNP leaders always present “artificial crisis” in their speeches, he said.
Read more: AL programmes won’t counter BNP rallies: Quader
In the statement, the AL leader expressed hope that BNP will be back on the right track through embracing the spirit of the Liberation War and democratic values.
BNP threatens movement every day but they do not know who the leader of their movement is, he also said.
Quader said that the chairperson and the acting chairman of BNP are both convicted, and Khaleda Zia is convicted for embezzling money belonging to orphans. “Bangabandhu’s daughter allowed her the opportunity to receive treatment at home on humanitarian grounds,” he added.
Govt to support Election Commission in holding fair election: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said the government will provide all necessary support to the Election Commission (EC) in holding a free and fair election.
“I have clearly said that the Bangladesh government enacted a law for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners. The responsibility of the Election Commission is to conduct fair elections and the government will provide all necessary assistance,” he said.
Read more: BNP MPs ready to resign; Govt must go for credible election: Fakhrul
The minister said this replying to questions from journalists after a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls.
The envoy paid a call on the minister at the Secretariat today.
The Hasina-led government is committed to holding fair elections, Anisul added.
It is up to EC whether it will allow observers in national poll
The law minister said he told the Canadian envoy that it is up to the EC whether it will allow observers in the next national election.
During the visit, Nicholls wanted to know whether they can send observers to oversee the next election,
They also discussed the Digital Security Act and the Data Protection Act. “They did not say anything about the Digital Security Act. I informed them about it as this issue is being widely discussed,” said the minister.
Read more: Govt won’t send Khaleda back to jail before election: Law Minister
Regarding the proposed Data Protection Act, the minister said already a meeting was held with the stakeholders. There will be two to three more meetings. “It will not be for data control, it will be for protection.”
During the visit they discussed 50 years of friendship between the two nations, areas of mutual cooperation, importance of freedom of expression in democratic societies.