United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday told the Election Commission (EC) that providing VVIP facilities to someone while denying theses to others is the violation of a level playing field in the election. “If someone gets many facilities, even VVIP facilities, while others do not, that cannot be called a level playing field,” said Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair while briefing reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. A three-member Jamaat delegation met the CEC in the afternoon at Nirbachon Bhaban in the city. The Jamaat leader said their leaders who are playing roles in the election, including the Ameer-e-Jamaat, the Secretary General and other central and top leaders, will conduct extensive tours in different areas. “They will need to travel massively. We have drawn attention to their security issues.” Read more: Jamaat-e-Islami backs Inqilab Moncho’s 24-hour ultimatum for Hadi killers He said the Election Commission told them that the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant ministry and the EC would talk to it and take necessary initiatives from its side. Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said a big party is violating the election code of conduct and they (Jamaat) sought immediate steps in this regard. “You may have seen various types of cards issued by a big party. We have seen those mainly through journalist friends. They are making different promises. They will distribute so many lakhs or crores of cards. They are promising that cardholders will receive thousands or lakhs of taka per card. These acts are clear violations of the election rules and the code of conduct,” he said. The Jamaat leader said they told the Commission to take action in this regard. “We have drawn their attention and urged them to take immediate measures.” Replying to a question, Ahsanul Mahboob said cards are being distributed by a big party. “They are saying 50 crore cards will be given. Each person will receive lakhs of taka.” He said they asked the EC to install CCTV cameras at polling stations as it is very important for ensuring a free and fair election. Read more: Govt welcomes Tarique Rahman’s return, assures full cooperation  “If CCTV cameras are not installed, we believe terrorists and those with ill intentions will get a major opportunity to disrupt and sabotage the election. If CCTV cameras are there, we hope that opportunity will no longer exist,” he added. The Jamaat leader said they also discussed the overall law and order situation and recommended recovery of illegal arms and the arrest of listed criminals.

The Election Commission (EC) is observing the Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporation elections today (June 21, 2023) from the EC auditorium in Dhaka. A temporary control room has been set up to monitor the elections in the two cities. Election Commissioners Brigadier General Md Ahsan Habib Khan, Md. Alamgir and Rasheda Sultana have been observing the overall situation since 6 am this morning. Ensure next general election becomes free and fair: President Shahabuddin urges EC They are monitoring the polls situation through 23 digital display boards, and 368 CCTV cameras in 2,520 voting rooms. Voting in 345 polling centers is being monitored through the display boards with autorotation after every 10 seconds. No untoward incident has been reported from the polling stations till the filing of this report at 10 am. Voting in the elections to Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations is underway today. Voting started at 8 am, and it will continue till 4 pm without any break. Sylhet City Corporation election: 132 out of 190 centers marked as risky In Sylhet, a total of 4,86,605 voters will exercise their franchise in the polls while 3,51,982 people including 30,157 new voters are scheduled to exercise their franchise in the Rajshahi city polls. Eight mayoral candidates, including Awami League-backed Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, are contesting the polls in Sylhet while four mayoral contenders, including Awami League-backed AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, are contesting in Rajshahi. City corporation polls: Voting underway in Rajshahi, Sylhet

Chief of India’s Border Security Force (BSF), Pankaj Kumar Singh, has said that they will install 5,500 CCTV cameras along the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan. “The central government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore for this procurement,” he said on Wednesday while addressing the annual press conference in Delhi, reports the Hindustan Times. Read more: BSF hands over body of Bangladeshi farmer after 15 days through Feni border The fund has been sanctioned for surveillance cameras, drones and other monitoring gadgets, the BSF chief said. “We have got around 5,500 CCTV surveillance cameras and some other gadgets and the Union home ministry has sanctioned a Rs 30-crore fund for this procurement,” Singh said. Soon, he said, the CCTV cameras will be installed in the front areas – at the borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan. Read more: BGB, BSF agree to cut border killings While terming the use of drones from across the border as a “major challenge”, for which they do not have a fool proof solution yet, Singh said that BSF has developed “low-cost” technology solutions for monitoring infiltration, drone activity and other crimes at the Indian border. “We have tried to enhance the surveillance in border areas in a big way. This entails use of surveillance cameras and drones on the western and eastern theatres (Pakistan and Bangladesh fronts respectively),” the BSF chief was quoted. India and Bangladesh share 4,096km land border.

The election to Rangpur City Corporation will be held on December 27. The election schedule was finalised at a meeting of the Election Commission (EC) with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal in the chair at the Election Commission Secretariat on Thursday. Read more:Govt to support Election Commission in holding fair election: Law Minister EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam announced the schedule after the meeting. He said the Commission has also decided to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) and CCTV cameras  in the election.  The balloting will start at 8.30 am and continue till 4.30 pm without any break. The election to the city corporation was held on December 21, 2017. The first meeting was held on February 19, 2017. The tenure will end after five years of the first meeting.The meeting also held an elaborate discussion on different local government elections and by-elections in vacant posts. Read more:EC directed to fix new date for Noakhali Zila Parishad election It also decided to hold elections to five municipalities and a number of union parishads on December 29. The five municipalities are—Bagha, Rajshahi, Birol, Dinajpur, Boda, Panchagarh, Alfadanga, Faridpur and Banpara, Natore.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs on Sunday installed CCTV cameras in 108 buses plying on different routes in the capital city. State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira inaugurated the ‘Safe Journey of Women in Public Transport’ project at the Syed Nazrul Islam Convention Centre in Gabtoli. Among the buses, 25 are of Rajdhani Super Service Limited plying between Demra and Staff Quarters, 25 are of Basumati Transport Limited plying between Gabtoli and Gazipur, 25 are of Prajapati Paribahan Limited between Mohammadpur and Abdullahpur, 25 are of Paristhan Paribahan plying between Ghatarchar and Abdullahpur and eight buses from Gabtoli Express plying between Gabtoli and Sayedabad. The project is financed by the Ministry and implemented by non-government organization Deepto Foundation. Speaking as Chief Guest, Indira said that CCTV cameras will make public transport secure and friendly for women. “Women will feel comfortable as the cameras will make the passengers aware and careful about their actions. The government will gradually install CCTV cameras in all the buses of the country. The cameras will enable women to call 999 and 109 to lodge complaints. Besides, CCTV footage will also be used as proof in courts if any incident of harassment happens,” Indira said. The event was presided over by Md Hasanuzzaman Kallol, Secretary of the Women and Children Affairs Ministry. Aga Khan Mintu, Member of Parliament from Dhaka-14 constituency, attended the event as Special Guest while other officials of the Ministry and representatives from the transport sector were present at the program.