politics
Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP
BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday alleged that the flood-affected people in the country’s northeast region, mainly hoar areas, are crying for relief amid the government’s inaction to mitigate their miseries.
Speaking at a token sit-in programme, he also blamed the government’s unplanned construction of dams and a road in the haor region for the severe flood in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona.
“The hoar people of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona are crying for rice and food. Where will they get food as everything around them has been submerged? How will the food reach them? ” the BNP leader asked.
He bemoaned that government has allocated only Tk1.5 for each of the 50 lakh flood-hit people of the country while Indian artist Mimi Chakraborty was brought to Bangladesh at the cost Tk three crore.
Read: BNP demands declaring flood-hit areas as disaster zones
Stating the government is responsible for the flood, Rizvi said, “You (PM) will now see the Padma Bridge in the colourful light and hang onto power with joy in your heart keeping people hungry, starving and inundated. The country’s people will no longer accept and tolerate it.”
Ganatantra Forum arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and adequate relief for the flood-affected people.
Rizvi questioned whether the prime minister tried to know standing in front of a mirror the reason behind the untimely flood in the haor region. “We know that relatives of one of the influential officials of the state built dams and a road, known as the President’s one, in an unplanned way in the haor areas.”
For this unplanned construction of the dams and roads, he said 50-60 lakh people have now been stranded in floodwaters.
Read: Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt
"The whole of Sylhet and Sunamganj have gone under water, but you (Prime Minister) are overwhelmed with the joy over the Padma Bridge. You are joking with people about Padma Bridge,” he observed.
Rizvi also criticised the government for its move to shut down stores and shopping malls after 8 pm since it has long been claiming to have the capacity of providing an uninterrupted electricity supply. “Why are you ordering to close shops and malls after 8 pm? Where did your uninterrupted power go? ”
He said the government takes every move and makes laws and rules only to ensure the benefit of the ruling party leaders and create scope for them to make money.
JaPa voices against EVM use in meeting with EC
The Jatiya Party (JPA), the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, does not want the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in parliamentary elections.
The party expressed their stand in their statement on Sunday taking part in a meeting of the Election Commission (EC) on EVM verification.
After the meeting, Japa secretary general Mujibul Haque Chunnu told reporters that a meeting of their presidium members on Sunday morning had decided that they will support the existing system of electoral process and they see no need to use EVM.
Chunnu said, "We have also presented this opinion to the EC in the meeting."
Also read: EC to sit with political parties in three phases regarding EVM
Asked whether he would boycott the polls if EVMs were used despite their views, he said "We will take the decision then."
The Election Commission has called 39 political parties for continuous discussions to verify the EVM. On Sunday, the EC invited 13 parties.
The remaining 26 parties will join in two phases on June 21 and June 28 for EVM verification.
In the first phase, the 13 political parties that were invited to the dialogue with the EC today are Jatiya Party (Ershad), the main opposition in the National Parliament, Jatiya Party-JP, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Jaker Party, Bangladesh Muslim League, Gano Forum, Gano Front, Bangladeshh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Basad, Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP, Biplabi Workers Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Sanskritik Muktijote.
In the second phase set for June 21, the invited political parties are Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal JSD, Bangladesh Khilafat Movement, National People's Party-NPP, Jamiyat-e-Ulamaye Islam, Bangladesh, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Islamic Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islamic Front, Khilafat Majlis and Bangladesh Muslim League-BML.
Also read: Election using EVMs won’t be acceptable: Jatiya Party
In the last phase, the 13 parties invited on June 28 are ruling Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Communist Party of Bangladesh-ML, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party-LDP, Ganatantri Party, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Basad, Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP, Biplabi Workers Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Sanskritik Muktijote.
Opinions about EVMs have already been taken in meetings with the best technologists in the country. They said after seeing the EVM, this machine is reliable.
The Election Commission wants to use EVM on a large scale in the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections. However, the company has decided to take everyone's opinion before that.
The EC currently has 1 lakh 54 thousand EVMs, with which voting can be done in maximum 100 seats while three hundred more machines are needed to use this voting machine in 300 seats.
Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt
Slamming the government for inadequate allocation of money and relief materials for the flood victims, BNP on Sunday called upon the government to concentrate on easing the suffering of the disaster-affected people by stopping the grand opening of Padma Bridge.
“Hundreds of crores of taka are being allocated for the grand celebration of Padma Bridge opening. But the allocation for nearly one crore flood-hit people in the country’s Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and northern districts is totally inadequate,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
He said the government has so far provided 100 tonnes of rice, Tk 30 lakh and dry food worth Tk 5,000 for the flood victims. “They also assured of allocating Tk 60 lakh. It means onlyTk1.5 is per person.”
Read: BNP demands declaring flood-hit areas as disaster zones
Speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi bemoaned that the flood victims did not get even one-tenth of the cost of installing 500 temporary toilets at the public meeting place for the inauguration of Padma Bridge.
"We demand that the Padma Bridge inaugural festivities be stopped. You please stop the ostentatious display to get public attention,” he said pointing at the government.
The BNP leader renews their party’s demand for declaring the flood-affected areas as ‘disaster zones’ and sending adequate relief materials for lakhs of people who remained marooned.
He claimed that their party leaders and activists are distributing relief materials and helping people to move to safer places in the flood-hit areas.
Rizvi came down heavily on the government for its massive plan for the inauguration of the Padma Bridge amidst the catastrophic flood situation in the country, saying only the autocratic regime can do it.
Read: We knew this thing would happen to Cumilla polls: Fakhrul
“Sheikh Hasina herself has instructed her party leaders and activists to prepare for the celebration and gather millions of people on both sides of the Padma Bridge. Several thousand buses and 300 launches have been requisitioned and five hundred toilets have been set up in public meeting places. Two 40-foot-tall murals have been erected at the ends of Mawa and Jajira,” he said.
Besides, the BNP leader said several thousand law enforcers have been deployed for the security of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina centring the bridge opening. “Seeing all these things, the country’s people think that Sheikh Hasina’s rule has outshined the rules of pharaohs of ancient Egypt,” he added.
BNP demands declaring flood-hit areas as disaster zones
BNP on Saturday demanded the government to immediately declare the flood-hit areas of the northeastern region as 'disaster zones' and provide all the affected people with adequate relief materials.
Speaking at a council of BNP’s three wards at Bhatra under Dhaka North City unit, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also bemoaned that the government is so busy with the inauguration of the Padma Bridge when thousands of flood victims are going through untold suffering.
“Floods are ravaging the country. Vast areas starting from Sylhet-Sunamganj to northern Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram were submerged by floodwaters,” he said.
Referring to media reports, the BNP leader said the water levels of major rivers, including the Padma, Meghna and Jamuna are increasing flooding in many areas as the Indian authorities opened all the gates of the Farakka Barrage. “The floodwater is destroying crops, houses, cattle and other valuables of people.”
“We demand that these areas be declared as disaster zones immediately and relief be provided to the people of these areas without any delay. The government is busy with a festival during this difficult time. They are so busy with the inauguration of the Padma Bridge that they have no time to look at the welfare of people and public sufferings,” Fakhrul said.
Also read: Finance Minister’s activities have no connection with constitution, ethics: Fakhrul
He said the country can witness floods as an adverse impact of climate change. “But it’s the responsibility of the government to prevent that flood and reduce the losses.”
The BNP leader bemoaned that the government could not sign an agreement with India on the sharing of waters of the common rivers in over a decade.
It has even failed to conclude the Teesta water-sharing agreement, the BNP secretary general said.
“When they (India) suddenly open the gates of Farakka barrage, it is not possible to tackle the rush of water. Sylhet, Sunamganj and other regions are now facing this problem. This is proof of the knee-jerk foreign policy of this government and its negligence towards people,” Fakhrul observed.
He also alleged that many dams, bridges and roads--constructed in different haors and other regions in an unplanned way that makes flooding worse--were damaged due to corruption.
The BNP leader called upon the government to take proper steps to prevent floods and reduce public sufferings in the flood-prone areas.
Fakhrul said the government has started singing a new song about an untoward incident meant for foiling the inauguration of the Padma Bridge.
He asked the government to clearly tell the nation about who are hatching that plot. “We always see you (govt) used to talk about untoward incidents repeatedly and carry out such incidents and then shift the blame onto BNP. This is your character and this is your principle.”
Also read: We knew this thing would happen to Cumilla polls: Fakhrul
The BNP leader also slammed that government for what he said was its failure to lower the prices of all essential commodities and utility services.
“I saw a report in the newspaper that the price of electricity will be enhanced further while the gas prices have been raised. Why are you in government? You’re cutting money from people's pockets and amassing huge wealth through corruption,” he said.
Fakhrul opposed a proposal from the Dhaka University senate for increasing the tuition fee of the students from well-off families, saying it is a plot to turn the country’s prestigious premier university into a private one. “We denounce this proposal.”
14-party alliance to hold rally Saturday
The Awami League-led 14-party alliance will hold a rally in the capital on Saturday to protest the "indecent remarks and death threat against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."
The rally will start at 3pm in front of the AL central office in Bangabandhu Avenue. Coordinator of the 14-party alliance Amir Hossain Amu will preside over it.
Read: We knew this thing would happen to Cumilla polls: Fakhrul
The central committee of the ruling alliance is arranging the event, protesting the indecent remarks and death threat made by the BNP leaders against Sheikh Hasina, said a media statement on Friday.
We knew this thing would happen to Cumilla polls: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party boycotted the election to Cumilla City Corporation as it knew what would happen there.
“You yourself saw yesterday's election. I don’t want to talk about it further…We knew earlier that this thing would happen there. That’s why we earlier clearly said we would not go to any polls under this regime,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, he also said joining the polls under this government means giving it more legitimacy. “It’s now a proven fact.”
Also read: Finance Minister’s activities have no connection with constitution, ethics: Fakhrul
A faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club to mark the ‘Black Day commemorating the shutdown of all newspapers except four state-run ones on 16 June 1975.
Awami League mayoral candidate Arfanul Haque Rifat was unofficially declared the winner of the high-voltage Cumilla City Corporation election held on Wednesday.
As per the results announced by returning officer of the polls, Shahedunnabi Chowdhury, Rifat defeated two-time mayor Monirul Haque Sakku by a margin of only 343 votes.
Sakku, however, turned down the election results and said he was defeated in a planned way by manipulating the results of a few centers at the last time.
Also read: Cumilla City Corporation election ends peacefully
Fakhrul bemoaned that though 50 years have passed since the independence of Bangladesh, the nation still could not ensure a system of peaceful transfer of power.
“When the arrangement was made for holding the election under a partisan government annulling the caretaker government system through the 15th amendment to the constitution, our leader Khaleda Zia said that a permanent cause of violence and instability has been created through that incident,” he observed.
Under the circumstances, the BNP leader said there is no alternative to restoring democracy in the country to protect press freedom, judiciary, administration, education and all other things.
Fakhrul said democracy and freedom of the press are inseparable. “How can we get the freedom of the press without having democracy? That is why we have been saying for the last few years that our goal is to bring back democracy.”
He said those who have destroyed and snatched democracy will not restore it. “That is the reality. There is nothing in the character of the Awami League to tolerate the dissent.”
The BNP leader said they are working to wake up people from all walks of life to restore democracy and give the ongoing movement a final shape.
He said Awami League has snatched democracy, freedom of the press and the rights of people and individuals while BNP restored press freedom, democracy and introduced multi-party democracy. “This is the basic difference between the Awami League and the BNP.”
Fakhrul reaffirmed that their parry will revoke all ‘black’ and ‘repressive’ laws, including the Digital Security Act, if it returns to power.
Finance Minister’s activities have no connection with constitution, ethics: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that many activities of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal have no link with the constitution and ethics.
“He (Kamal) proposed legalising the laundered money. His (Finance Minister's) own firm has long been involved in manpower business…he is doing many things that have no connection with the constitution and ethics,” Fakhrul said.
Talking to reporters at his local residence, the BNP leader also alleged that the ruling party itself has siphoned off money abroad and it is now legalising that illegal money.
“Bangladesh is now no longer a civilised and democratic country. They (AL) have turned it into a barbaric, uncivilised and failed state,” he observed.
About the Cumilla polls, Fakhrul said people had an expectation that the Election Commission would try to exert its power to free the election from the ruling party and the government’s influence.
“But it’s unfortunate that a ruling party MP didn’t leave the election area even after receiving a letter from the Election Commission. “This has demonstrated the helplessness of the entire Election Commission, including the Chief Election Commissioner,” he said.
The BNP leader said the ruling party MP stayed in the election area violating the EC’s instruction at the behest of the government. “This incident has proved that not only the Cumilla city election, but the entire election system in Bangladesh has been taken under the control of the government.”
Earlier on June 8, the EC ordered local Awami League President AKM Bahauddin Bahar MP to leave electoral areas under Cumilla City Corporation for allegedly violating the electoral code of conduct ahead of the polls.
However, Bahar, a ruling party MP from Cumilla-6 seat, did not comply with the EC’s order.
He alleged that the government has destroyed the Election Commission like other state institutions.
“That’s why not only us, but all the opposition parties are saying that it is not possible to have a fair election under any Election Commission without a polls-time neutral government,” the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul said the ex-election commissioners also at a meeting recently said a free and fair election is not possible under a partisan government in Bangladesh due to the prevailing electoral culture of the country.
“So, a neutral government during elections is very much needed in Bangladesh. BNP will not go to any election under the present government, no matter what,” he said.
The BNP leader said their party is now holding talks with different political parties to wage a strong movement to ensure a credible election under a non-party government.
Cumilla City Corporation election ends peacefully
Voting in the Cumilla City Corporation election ended peacefully amid reports of technical fault in voting machines in a couple of centres and slow voting.
Balloting for the election started at 8am and continued till 4pm without any break.
Counting of votes began shortly after the voting ended.
Voters exercised their franchise in a festive mood using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Independent candidate and immediate-past mayor Monirul Haque Sakku cast his vote around 9 am at Hossamia High School in the city.
Read: Voting underway in Cumilla City polls
Talking to reporters, Sakku said he is hopeful about his victory if the election becomes held free and fair.
Expressing satisfaction over the overall election environment, Awami League candidate Arfanul Haque Rifat said he is also hopeful about his victory.
Rifat cast his vote at Cumilla Victoria Collegiate High School around 9:15 am.
Later, Mohammad Nizam Uddin Kaiser, an independent candidate and local MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar also cast their vote at the same centre.
A large number of voters were seen standing in long queues to cast their votes despite rain in the morning.
Presiding Officer of Cumilla High School under No 5 Ward, Fazlul Karim, said voting at the polling centre disrupted for 42 minutes due to technical fault at Electronic Voting Machine.
The EVM machine of no 1 booth out of the six booths at the centre went out of order, halting vote casting.
Later, the balloting at the center started after 42 minutes after a technical team repaired the machine and changed it.
The centre is set for female voters and one vote was cast in 51 minutes due to a technical fault.
Arpana Sen, a voter, said “I managed to stand in the queue around 7:30 am but failed to proceed further for a long time.”
During a visit to Reazuddin Government Primary School, this correspondent found that some people wearing boat badges thronged the polling centre. Asked about the presence of many people at a centre, Abdul Kuddus, who was among them, said they are there to help people cast their vote easily.
Contacted, Returning officer of Cumilla City Corporation Election, Shahedunnabi Chowdhury, said they are investigating the incident.
Presiding Officer of the polling centre, Hafizur Rahman, said “No untoward incident occurred till 12 pm and the voters are casting their votes in a peaceful manner.”
Five candidates are vying for the office of mayor.
It is the third election of the Cumilla City Corporation after its formation in 2011 while for the first under the new Election Commission, which will be conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in its entirety.
Law enforcement agencies have mounted tight security measures to ensure peaceful holding of much talked-about polls, said superintendent of Cumilla Police Faruk Ahmed on Tuesday.
The whole city has been brought under security blanket, he said while speaking at a press briefing on law and order situation ahead of the polls at Language Movement Hero Dhrirendanath Datta Stadium.
The law enforcement agencies have done whatever is needed to ensure security and at least 75 check-posts were installed in the city, he said.
Over 3,600 members of law enforcement agencies have already been deployed in the field to maintain law and order, he added.
The last Cumilla city election was held on Mar 30, 2017. BNP leader Monirul Haque Sakku was elected mayor for the second term.
Voting at Cumilla City polls underway peacefully
Balloting in Cumilla City Corporation, which began on Wednesday morning, is progressing peacefully amid reports of technical fault in voting machines in a couple of centres and slow voting.
Independent candidate and immediate-past mayor Monirul Haque Sakku cast his vote around 9 am at Hossamia High School in the city.
Talking to reporters, Sakku said he is hopeful about his victory if the election becomes held free and fair.
Expressing satisfaction over the overall election environment, Awami League candidate Arfanul Haque Rifat said he is also hopeful about his victory.
Rifat cast his vote at Cumilla Victoria Collegiate High School around 9:15 am.
Later, Mohammad Nizam Uddin Kaiser, an independent candidate and local MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar also cast their vote at the same centre.
A large number of voters were seen standing in long queues to cast their votes despite rain in the morning.
Presiding Officer of Cumilla High School under No 5 Ward, Fazlul Karim, said voting at the polling centre disrupted for 42 minutes due to technical fault at Electronic Voting Machine.
Read: Voting underway in Cumilla City polls
The EVM machine of no 1 booth out of the six booths at the centre went out of order, halting vote casting.
Later, the balloting at the center started after 42 minutes after a technical team repaired the machine and changed it.
The centre is set for female voters and one vote was cast in 51 minutes due to a technical fault.
Arpana Sen, a voter, said “I managed to stand in the queue around 7:30 am but failed to proceed further for a long time.”
During a visit to Reazuddin Government Primary School, this correspondent found that some people wearing boat badges thronged the polling centre. Asked about the presence of many people at a centre, Abdul Kuddus, who was among them, said they are there to help people cast their vote easily.
Contacted, Returning officer of Cumilla City Corporation Election, Shahedunnabi Chowdhury, said they are investigating the incident.
Presiding Officer of the polling centre, Hafizur Rahman, said “No untoward incident occurred till 12 pm and the voters are casting their votes in a peaceful manner.”
The voting began at 8am and will continue until 4pm without any break.
A total of 2,29,920 voters will exercise their voting right through EVM in 105 centres. There are 640 booths in 105 polling stations.
Voting underway in Cumilla City polls
Voters are exercising their franchise in the election to Cumilla City Corporation on Wednesday.The voting began at 8am and will continue until 4pm without any break.A total of 2,29,920 voters will exercise their voting right through EVM in 105 centres. There are 640 booths in 105 polling stations.Five candidates are vying for the office of mayor.
Read: Sakku’s hat-trick or Rifat’s first?It is the third election of the Cumilla City Corporation after its formation in 2011 while the first under the new Election Commission, which will be conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in its entirety.
Law enforcement agencies have mounted tight security measures to ensure peaceful holding of much talked-about polls, said superintendent of Cumilla Police Faruk Ahmed on Tuesday.
The whole city has been brought under security blanket, he said while speaking at a press briefing on law and order situation ahead of the polls at Language Movement Hero Drirendanath Datta Stadium.
Read: Security tightened ahead of Cumilla city polls
The law enforcement agencies have done whatever is needed to ensure security and at least 75 check-posts were installed in the city, he said.
Over 3,600 members of law enforcement agencies have already been deployed in the field to maintain law and order, he added. The last Cumilla city election was held on Mar 30, 2017. BNP leader Monirul Haque Sakku was elected mayor for the second term.