United News of Bangladesh

Voting in the presidential election is set to be held on Thursday after 35 years, with Members of Parliament to elect the country’s 23rd President through an open ballot. The balloting will be held in the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad from 2pm to 5pm. A total of 349 MPs are eligible to cast their votes. Bangabhaban is making preparations to arrange the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected President on Friday evening. BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and opposition Jamaat-led 11-party alliance contender Col (retd) Oli Ahmad are contesting the election.    With BNP holding an absolute majority in Parliament, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is widely expected to be elected as the country’s 23rd President. Under Article 70 of the Constitution, lawmakers, elected as candidates of political parties, will lose their seats if they vote for any candidate in this presidential election, going against their respective party’s decision. The last contested presidential election was held on October 8, 1991, when BNP candidate Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated Awami League candidate Badrul Haider Chowdhury to become the country’s 11th President.   Abdur Rahman Biswas secured 172 votes, while Badrul Haider Chowdhury received 92. Since then, no voting was required in the successive presidential elections as a single candidate was elected uncontested in each election. Addressing a pre-election press conference in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban on Wednesday, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, expressed optimism that they will be able to conduct the polls in a nice manner. “We don't have any sort of deficit in our preparation,” he said. The CEC said the election result will be published in the official gazette on Thursday, hours after the balloting. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni on Wednesday also said Bangladesh is going to witness a historic moment with the voting in the presidential election on Thursday afternoon.   “We will vote in the presidential election on Thursday after 35 years, Inshallah. Voting will begin at 2pm and continue until 5pm,” he said. He also said the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected President is scheduled for Friday evening at Bangabhaban. The Chief Whip came up with the announcement at a briefing after a meeting of the ruling BNP’s parliamentary party at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday afternoon. BNP presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also present at the meeting. The Chief Whip said there will be live telecasts of parts of the voting process as per a joint decision taken by the Election Commission and Parliament. He said a live telecast will begin five minutes before the start of voting, showing the President, the Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir casting their votes. The remaining proceedings will be recorded, while another live telecast will begin five minutes before the close of voting. The announcement of the election results will also be broadcast live. “You will see a historic moment tomorrow. A new journey of democracy will begin,” Moni said. He said the newly elected President will take the oath of office at Bangabhaban at 7:30pm on Friday. Speaking about the upcoming election, the Chief Whip said the country was entering a new democratic journey under the leadership of Tarique Rahman. He said the presidential election would allow people to witness once again how voting takes place in the country. The Election Commission on August 6 announced the schedule for the presidential election, fixing August 20 for voting. Just before the balloting in Parliament on Thursday afternoon, the CEC will brief the lawmakers, the electors on the voting procedure. Each ballot paper will have two parts — a counterfoil and the ballot portion. The counterfoil will contain three pieces of information and a blank space: the serial number, the name of the MP and the divisional number (constituency number) provided by the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat. An MP will sign his or her full name in the designated space before receiving the ballot paper. The names of the contesting candidates will be printed on the right-hand side of the ballot paper in alphabetical order in Bangla. There will be a designated space beside each candidate’s name where MPs will sign their full names and cast their votes. The MPs will then deposit their ballots into the designated ballot box. Ballots will be accepted until 5:00pm, after which counting will begin. A total of 349 MPs are voters in the presidential election as the Chattogram-4 parliamentary seat remains vacant. The voters include 247 BNP lawmakers, 77 Jamaat MPs, eight NCP lawmakers, eight independent MPs, three Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis MPs, and one each from Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Ganosamhati Andolon, Khilafat Majlis, Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party. BJP, Gono Odhikar Parishad and Ganosamhati Andolon are allies of the ruling BNP. The ruling camp has 250 lawmakers who are expected to vote for Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in this presidential election. On the other hand, Jamaat, NCP, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Khilafat Majlis and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party are components of the 11-party opposition alliance. The opposition camp has 90 lawmakers in Parliament, who are expected to vote for Oli Ahmad. On July 24 last, Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned as President and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad took charge as the acting President. According to Article 123(2) of the Constitution, an election to fill the vacant office of the President must be held within 90 days of the post becoming vacant due to resignation.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday firmly rejected claims that the current Jatiya Sangsad is a "Parliament of loan defaulters," saying no sitting lawmaker can be classified as a loan defaulter as all MPs contested the 13th parliamentary election after meeting the legal eligibility requirements. “Those who are here, none of them is a loan defaulter,” he said while participating in a heated debate over whether remarks made by an independent lawmaker describing Parliament as a "Parliament of loan defaulters" should be expunged from the official record. The minister said everyone should show due respect to all members of this august House. According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and other relevant rules, anyone declared as a loan defaulter by a court becomes disqualified to be a candidate in the election. Salahuddin said some lawmakers might have debts, but that should not be confused with being a loan defaulter. "Someone may be indebted, not loan defaulters,” he said. He said some lawmakers, who faced allegations of loan default, were elected after being cleared from such allegations by the court. When the High Court or the Supreme Court disposes of a case and declares a person a legitimate candidate, that person is no longer a loan defaulter, the minister added. "Someone may be loanee while going to do business. But they are being defined as loan defaulters. It is a defamatory statement. It should be expunged.” Earlier, BNP lawmaker AKM Fazlul Haque Milan raised a point of order, objecting to the use of the phrase "Parliament of loan defaulters." He said the current Parliament was formed through a credible and acceptable election following years of political struggle and sacrifice, and lawmakers should avoid making remarks that undermine the dignity of the House. "Loan defaulters cannot contest parliamentary elections. So, how can this be called a Parliament of loan defaulters?" Milan asked, urging the chair to expunge the expression from the official record. Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal, who was presiding over the session, said the matter will be examined before any decision is taken. "We will examine the statement. If it is found in the record and deemed appropriate for expunction, it will be expunged," he said. Then Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam took the floor and said it was not really a statement that should be expunged. He said such concerns over loan defaulters had been raised both before and after the election. Nahid said he had previously mentioned in Parliament the amount of defaulted loans linked to several lawmakers, although he did not disclose their names. "If a political party nominates loan defaults and brings them to Parliament, that responsibility lies with the party. People may naturally describe it as a Parliament of loan defaulters," he said. Independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana also joined the discussion, referring to recent data from Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) that showed members of the current Parliament collectively owe Tk 11,356 crore to banks. The lawyer-turned-lawmaker also alleged that some candidates manage to reschedule loans or obtain court orders to temporarily suspend their status as loan defaulters in Credit Information Bureau (CIB) list before the election. Rumeen further said the total amount of bad loans stands at around Tk 11 lakh crore in the country.

Detectives have arrested former MP and President of Lalmonirhat district Awami Mohila League – Advocate Safura Begum Rumi – in the capital. A team of the district Detective Branch (DB) of police, with assistance from the local police station, picked her up from Mohammadpur area in Dhaka on Wednesday night, according to a press release issued on Thursday morning by Lalmonirhat Superintendent of Police Asaduzzaman. Safura Begum Rumi, wife of Abdullah of Taluk Khutamara area in Lalmonirhat town, is a former MP from a reserved women’s seat (Lalmonirhat-Kurigram) and also a member of the central Awami League. The press release said she is accused in five cases, including charges of sabotage and murder. Police claimed that she had been in hiding since August 5, 2024 when the Awami League government fell in the face of a mass upsurge. The DB traced her location using technology and subsequently arrested her in a drive, the statement said. Following the arrest, Safura Begum Rumi has been brought to Lalmonirhat to be produced before a court.

Newly elected MPs are set to take oath as members of the 13th parliament and also the Constitution Reform Council on Tuesday. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin will administer the oath in line with the Constitution as the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament are currently vacant. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the oath-taking room of the Jatiya Sangsad.   BNP’s MPs-elect will take oath at 10am, while those of Jamaat-e-Islami will do so at 12pm, said Parliament Secretariat Secretary Kaniz Moula. “Both oaths of the elected MPs as members of parliament and as members of the Constitution Reform Council will be held at a time (the same event),” she told UNB on Monday evening. Besides, the Election Commission on Monday wrote to the Parliament Secretariat asking to take necessary measures as the Chief Election Commissioner will administer the oath of newly elected members of the 13th parliament and also members of the Constitution Reform Council at 10am on Tuesday. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed wrote the letter to the Secretary of Parliament Secretariat. However, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday raised constitutional concerns regarding the oath of the Constitution Reform Council, casting uncertainty over whether such an oath can legally be administered now. DMP issues traffic guidelines for oath-taking ceremony “If the Constitutional Reform Council is incorporated into the Constitution through an amendment, and if a specific oath format is included in the Third Schedule of the Constitution with a designated authority to administer that oath—only after all these conditions are met could such a process take place,” he said. While the Third Schedule of the Constitution specifies the oaths for various offices, including that of Members of Parliament, it does not mention any oath for members of a Constitution Reform Council, he said. Responding to questions from journalists, Salahuddin Ahmed, also a newly elected MP, said the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission is to conduct the national parliamentary and presidential elections. Officials at the Parliament Secretariat said newly elected MPs will sign the oath book and provide fingerprints, images and digital signatures for preparation of their digital identity cards following the ceremony. The 13th parliamentary election and referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order 2025 were held on Thursday last (February 12) in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies amid festivity and peaceful atmosphere. On Friday last, the EC published a gazette of 297 elected MP candidates. The election results of two other constituencies – Chattogram-2 and 4-- were withheld as per the court orders. Besides, the election to Sherpur-3 was earlier cancelled following the death of a contesting candidate. But BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has left Bogura-6 seat for by-election as he is set to take oath as a member of parliament from Dhaka-17 constituency. In the election, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured 209 parliamentary seats, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami won 68. Besides, National Citizen Party-NCP settled victory in six constituencies, independent candidates in seven constituencies, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish in two, Islami Andolan Bangladesh in one, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP (led by Andaleeve Rahman Partho) in one, Ganaodhikar Parishad in one, Ganasamhati Andolan in one and Khelafat Majlish in one parliamentary seat. So, the BNP-led electoral alliance sealed victory in a total of 212 constituencies, while the Jamaat-led electoral alliance won in 77 constituencies. According to the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order 2025, a Constitution Reform Council shall be formed with the representatives elected in the general election, which could apply all authorities related to the constitutional reform. The representatives elected in the election shall act as the members of the parliament and also members of the Council simultaneously. The Constitution Reform Council shall complete the implementation of the July National Charter and the Constitutional Reforms in line with the mandate gained through the referendum within 180 working days since the formation of the council and then the tenure of the council will end immediately. The Order also states that the authority entitled to administer the oath of MPs will likewise administer the oath of members of the Constitution Reform Council. According to the Constitution, newly elected MPs must take their oath, typically administered by the Speaker within three days of the gazette notification. Due to the resignation/absence of the 12th Parliament Speaker, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) or a President-nominated person will administer the oath. Maldives' President, FM to join oath-taking ceremony The Article 148 (2A) states, ”If, within three days next after publication through official Gazette of the result of a general election of members of Parliament under clause (3) of article 123, the person specified under the Constitution for the purpose or such other person designated by that person for the purpose, is unable to, or does not, administer oath to the newly elected members of Parliament, on any account, the Chief Election Commissioner shall administer such oath within three days next thereafter, as if, he is the person specified under the Constitution for the purpose.” Tenures of all Parliaments The tenure of first parliament was from 07-04-1973 to 06-11-1975 (2 years 6 months and 30 days), the second parliament from 02-04-1979 to 24-03-1982 (2 years 11 months 22 days), the third parliament from 10-07-1986 to 06-12-1987 (1 year 4 months 26 days), the fourth parliament from 15-04-1988 to 06-01-1990 (1 year 8 months 22 days), the fifth parliament from  05-04-1991 to 24-11-1995 (4 years 7 months 19 days), the sixth parliament from 19-03-1996 to 30-03-1996 (11 days),  the seventh parliament from 14-07-1996 to 13-07-2001 (4 years 11 months 29 days), the eight parliament from 28-10-2001 to 27-10-2006 (4 years 11 months 29 days), the ninth parliament from 25-01-2009 to 24-01-2014 (4 years 11 months 30 days), the 10th parliament from 19-01-2014 to 28-01-2019 (5 years 9 days), the 11th parliament from 30-01-2019 to 06-01-2024 (4 years 11 months 7 days) and the 12th parliament from 10-01-2024  to 06-08-2024 (6 months 27 days).

As the process of forming the 13th Jatiya Sangsad gets underway following the national election, public attention has once again turned to the state privileges enjoyed by members of parliament (MPs). The Election Commission (EC) has published the two gazette notifications of the 297 newly elected members of parliament elected to the 13th Parliament as well as the referendum results. The two gazettes were issued on Friday night by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed. The process for administering the oath to the newly elected lawmakers will now be arranged. Amid this process, the focus has shifted to the wide range of financial benefits, facilities, and special entitlements provided to lawmakers under existing laws. According to official rules, an MP is entitled not only to a monthly salary but also to multiple state-funded allowances and privileges, as outlined in the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) Order, 1973, and its subsequent amendments. These benefits cover allowances, transport, healthcare, travel, insurance, office expenses and telecommunications. MPs’ Benefits Monthly Salary and Allowances: Basic Salary-Tk 55,000, Constituency allowance-Tk12,500 entertainment allowance-Tk 5,000, transport allowance-Tk 70,000 (including fuel, vehicle maintenance, and driver’s salary), office expense allowance-Tk 15,000, laundry allowance-Tk 1,500, miscellaneous allowance-Tk 6,000. Vehicle Facilities Duty-free import of a car, jeep, or microbus, exempt from customs, VAT, and taxes, access to import a new vehicle under the same scheme after five years, travel Allowances Air, rail, or water travel: 1.5 times the highest class fare, road travel: per-kilometre allowance and domestic travel-Tk120,000 annual travel allowance or travel pass Daily Allowances While on duty daily allowance Tk 750, travel allowance Tk 75. Gazettes of newly elected MPs, referendum results published Attendance at parliamentary or committee sessions: daily allowance Tk 800, travel allowance Tk 200 Medical Facilities Government-level medical care for MPs and their families include monthly medical allowance Tk 700 Insurance Government insurance of Tk 10 lakh in case of death or permanent disability while on duty Optional Grant Fund Up to Tk 5 lakh per year for discretionary use Telecommunication Facilities Official telephone connection at MPs’ residences and monthly telephone and call expenses Tk 7,800 Tax Benefits All allowances and benefits received by MPs are exempt from income tax. These provisions are aimed at supporting MPs in performing their legislative and constituency responsibilities efficiently.

Detectives have arrested nine leaders of Awami League and its associate bodies including a former Member of Parliament (MP) from Bagerhat-4 constituency in a drive in the capital. The arrestees are Amirul Alam Milon,70, Central Committee Member of Awami League and former MP of Bagerhat-4,  Kazi Md. Sarowar Jahan Mithu , Vice-President of Pallabi Thana Jubo League,  Md. Shafiqul Islam Dilu , Former Ward Commissioner of Ward-63, Jatrabari, Mohammad Taj Uddin 35, Vice-President of Shah Ali Thana Awami League,  Ismail Hossain Pradhania  and General Secretary of Ramna Thana Swechchhasebak League, Md. Mokhlesur Rahman (72), Chairman of Chapainawabganj Municipality and Vice-President of the district’s Awami League. Chinmoy Das shown arrested in 4 more cases in Ctg Md. Emran Goldar, Publicity Secretary of Bangshal Thana Awami League, Mohammad Tanvir Ahmed Ontu, Former President of banned Chhatra League’s Ward-62 unit,  and Aritra Nandi, Joint General Secretary of the banned Chhatra League’s Jagannath Hall unit at Dhaka University. Based on secret information, severel DB teams conducted drives in the capital from 6:00am on Monday to 6:00am on  Tuesday and arrested the nine people, said DC (media) of DMP Talebur Rahman.  According to DB sources, Amirul Alam Milon was arrested at 11:45 pm on Monday  from the Indira Road area and others from separate places. DB officials said the arrestees attempted to destabilise the country. Legal proceedings against the arrestees are underway.

Police in a drive arrested former MP of Kishoreganj-5 constituency (Bajitpur) Afzal Hossain from Meherpur district town on Monday. Tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in Clinicpara of the district town and arrested Afzal from the house of Mamun Hossain, a staff of Afzal Shoes, owned by Afzal, said Mezbah Uddin, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station. Sources said former MP Afzal was scheduled to go to India through Sonapur border in Mujibnagar upazila early Monday and for this, he had contracted a huge amount of money to a gang on the border.      

Chattogram Customs House has set January 21 to auction more than 100 vehicles, including 31 high-end cars imported by former members of parliament (MPs) from the ousted Awami League government, who had benefited from duty-free privileges. “These vehicles will be put up for auction on January 21 due to delays in having them released from the port,” Md Sakib Hossain, assistant commissioner at Chattogram Customs House, told UNB on Wednesday. Titas Gas disconnects illegal lines of Manikganj washing factory He said over 900 imported cars are currently being held at various locations, including the Chattogram Port car shed, and will be auctioned because of delays in clearance. “Legal complications had prevented earlier auctions, resulting in congestion at port facilities.” Despite notices being sent to the owners to settle their dues, there has been no response, particularly from former MPs whose cars were imported under the privileged scheme. Among the 100 vehicles to be auctioned are 31 Land Cruisers, which were imported under the MP quota over various periods. The reserve price for these luxury cars is set at Tk 9.5 crore each, representing 60% of their estimated value. With additional VAT and taxes, the expected total revenue from these 31 vehicles is estimated to be at least Tk 221 crore. Other vehicles to be auctioned include five Toyota Harriers, 13 Havals, and a range of Toyota Premio, Noah, and Rav-4, among others. The inventory for the auction has been finalised, and officials are targeting total revenue of Tk 400 crore from the sale. Following the initiation of the auction process, the owners of 31 cars have cleared their dues by paying fines. However, no former MP has yet responded to settle their vehicles. ACC sues Shamim Osman, wife, brother-in-law Md Saidul Islam, deputy commissioner of Chattogram Customs House, said that the inventory for the auction is complete, with at least 50 car values determined. However, around 300 cars left in open sheds at the port have deteriorated due to prolonged delays. Yakub Chowdhury, general secretary of the Chattogram Customs Bidders Association, mentioned that, in addition to the cars, the Customs House will also sell 30 cement mixer machines and 10 dump trucks that have been stored in the Chattogram Port car shed for a long time.

Police have arrested former Dhaka-10 Awami League MP Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin from his residence in Dhaka’s Uttara on Wednesday evening. A team of Uttara West Police Station raided his house in Sector-4 around 6:00 pm and arrested him, said Officer-in-charge (OC) of Uttara Police Station Hafizur Rahman. Shamsul Haque Tuku sent to jail in extortion case Mohiuddin was wanted in a case filed at the police station in connection with Anti-discrimination Student Movement. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin was elected from Dhaka-10 constituency by-election in 2020. He was the former president of FBCCI and BGMEA.

The ruling Awami League announced the names of the nominated candidates for the reserved women's seats in the 12th Parliament. AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader announced the names of 48 candidates after the Parliamentary Nomination Board meeting held in Ganabhaban on Wednesday afternoon. BNP to remain dysfunctional without change in leadership: Hasan Mahmud The nominees are Rezia Islam-Panchgarh, Droupadi Devi Agarwar-Thakurgaon, Ashika Sultana-Nilphamari, Rokeya Sultana-Joypurhat, Kohli Quddus-Natore, Zebin Mahbub-Chapainawabganj, Runu Reza-Khulna, Farida Akhtar-Bagerhat, Farzana Sumi-Barguna, Khaleda Bahan-Bhola , Nazneen Nahar-Patuakhali, Farida Yasmin-Narsingdi, Umme Farzana-Mymensingh, Nadia Binte Amin-Netrokona, Mahfuza Sultana Molly-Joypurhat, Parveen Zaman Kalpana-Jhenaidah, Aroma Dutta- Cumilla, Laila Parveen-Satkhira,  Begum Mannizaman Sufian-Khulna, Badhura Ahmed Salam-Gopalganj, Shabnam Jahan-Dhaka, Parul Akhtar-Dhaka, Sabera Begum-Dhaka, Shammi Ahmed-Barishal, Nahid Izhar-Dhaka, Jharna Hassan-Faridpur, Fazilatunnessa-Munshiganj, Sahida Tarikh Dipti-Dhaka, Anima Mukti Gomez -Dhaka, Sheikh Anarkali-Dhaka, Masuda Siddique Rozi-Narsingdi, Tarana Halim-Tangail, Begum Shamsunnahar-Tangail, Meher Afroz Chumki-Gazipur, Aparajita-Tangail, Hasina Bari Chowdhury-Dhaka, Najma Akhtar-Gopalganj, Aruna Chakraborty-Sylhet, Faridur Nahar Laili-Laxmipur, Ashrafun Nessa-Laxmipur, Kanan Ara Begum-Noakhali, Shamima Haroon Lubna-Chattogram, Farida Khanam-Noakhali, Delara Yusuf-Chattogram, Wasika Ayesha-Chattogram, Darthi-Rangamati, Sanjida Khanam-Dhaka, Nasima Zaman- Rangpur. BNP's program is nothing but restarting an old car: Foreign Minister There are 50 reserved seats for women in Parliament, allocated in a manner where each political party receives one reserved seat for every six general seats won. According to the provision, the AL secured 48 seats based on its own and its independents' support. The sale of application forms for the reserved seats began on 6 February at the party's Bangabandhu Avenue central office. Quader anxious to restore party unity ahead of important AL meeting The AL sold 1,553 nomination forms for its 48 reserved women's seats. Obaidul Quader said that they will submit the nomination to the Returning Commissioner of the Election Commission on February 18.