United News of Bangladesh

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday said the upcoming national election is not merely about electing public representatives but about restoring people’s rights and rebuilding Bangladesh.  “The February-12 election would be an election to rebuild the country as people had been deprived not only of political rights and freedom of expression but had also fallen behind economically over the past decade,” he said while addressing a massive rally at Thakurgaon Government Boys’ High School ground. Pointing towards some people seated beside the stage, Tarique said their relatives had fallen to enforced disappearances and killings while many others had endured repression and torture over the past decade in their struggle to restore democratic rights. “The time has come for people to reclaim their lost rights,” he said. Addressing youths, he said proper job opportunities have not been created and young people have not been trained as skilled workers as promised. He also stressed the need for empowering women economically, saying half of the country’s population is women and the country cannot move forward without ensuring their employment. Read More: BNP to make women self-reliant if voted to power: Tarique On farmers’ issues, Tarique said the previous authoritarian government had failed to provide necessary economic support to farmers. He said BNP plans to introduce family cards to support women financially and help households run smoothly while agriculture cards would be given to farmers to enable easy access to agricultural loans. Tarique also promised that if BNP wins the election, agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000 would be waived. “BNP wants to move the country forward with people and the support of citizens is essential as people are the real owners of the country,” he said. Seeking votes for the BNP, he said his plans include reopening sugar mills and other industries in the region, establishing Thakurgaon Cadet College, building cold storage facilities for farmers, and creating an IT sector hub to generate employment. He also promised that the local airport would be made operational as soon as possible if BNP forms the government. Read More: Vote for BNP’s ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ against autocracy: Tarique Rahman Tarique said people of all religions would live in peace and everyone would be judged based on merit and competence, not religion. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, also present at the rally, said the country is looking towards Tarique Rahman to rescue it from destruction, urging people to give him full support in these difficult times. BNP candidates from Thakurgaon-1, Thakurgaon-2, Thakurgaon-3, Panchagarh-2 and Dinajpur-1 constituencies also addressed the rally.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Tuesday reaffirmed that the February-12 national election will proceed as scheduled, dismissing any speculation about any possible delay, or threats to its stability. “The terrorists who were active in the past fled the country after August 5 and those who supported terrorism are no longer present. They lack the courage and are now making various statements from hiding,” he said while speaking at the passing-out parade of the 63rd batch of the basic training course for prison guards at the parade ground of Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur. The adviser urged foreign countries to return fugitives involved in militancy and fascist activities to Bangladesh. Nearly 9 lakh law enforcers to be deployed during polls: Home Adviser Turning to the corruption issue, he said, “Corruption not only causes economic damage but also weakens state institutions from within and erodes public trust…it is the number one enemy of the state.” About jail management, Jahangir Alam said any prison official who works for personal interest, greed or political gain not only violates the law but also undermines the foundation of the state. “Prisons are sensitive and vital institutions and an integral part of the criminal justice system.” Noting that protecting the fundamental rights of inmates and reintegrating them into society as reformed citizens is a responsibility of the state, the adviser said, “By embracing the great responsibility of patriotism, prison officers play a crucial role in establishing a non-discriminatory, fair, transparent and accountable prison administration.” Police must remain 100% neutral during elections: Home Adviser He also expressed the hope that the newly trained guards would contribute effectively to building a transparent, accountable and justice-based prison administration driven by patriotism. Earlier, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Muhammad Motahar Hussain, along with other senior officials, welcomed the chief guest upon his arrival. The adviser received a guard of honour and witnessed physical drills and unarmed self-defence demonstrations by the trainees. A total of 866 male and female prison guards participated in the basic training course, which began on September 14.  

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said the February 12 general elections would set a benchmark for all future polls in Bangladesh, stressing the government is fully prepared to hold 'free, fair, and transparent' elections. He said the European Union would deploy a large number of election observers and expressed hope that other development partners would also send observers to monitor the polls. “It will be a festive election. It will set the standard for good elections in the future. Let’s keep our fingers crossed,” the Chief Adviser said when the newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent Christensen, paid his maiden courtesy call on the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna on Thursday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues, including the upcoming general elections, sweeping labour laws approved by the Interim Government, the planned Bangladesh-US tariff agreement and Rohingya crisis. The Chief Advisor also highlighted key foreign policy initiatives of the Interim Government including Dhaka’s planned bid for ASEAN membership, and the need to revive SAARC as a key platform for regional and economic cooperation in South Asia. Ambassador Christensen, who arrived in Bangladesh earlier this month, said he was looking forward to working with whoever wins the February elections, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing on Friday. The US envoy praised the Interim Government’s efforts to implement vital reforms and commended Professor Yunus’s leadership over the past 18 months.

The Election Commission has rolled out a fresh action plan (roadmap) to smoothly hold the upcoming national election and referendum scheduled for February 12 next. The Commission sent the action plan and implementation progress (of the old action plan) to all the divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and all the EC officials and asked them to take necessary measures accordingly. According to the action plan, the collection of information related to withdrawal of candidacies on January 20, while formation of the vigilance and observation teams, election monitoring teams and the law and order maintenance cell on January 20, sending the lists of polling stations to BG press to publish the lists on January 22 and giving the order to the BG press to print the ballot papers on January 25. Read More: Fresh election schedule declared for Pabna-1, Pabna-2 The presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, polling officers and the master trainers of polling agents will be trained on January 21 and 22. On the voting day (Feb 12), the EC will collect reporters on the balloting situation and primary results and publish the primary result of elections on the website as per the action plan. Two days after the balloting, the Commission will send the names and addresses of elected persons to BG Press for publishing theses in gazettes. The gazettes will be collected from the BG press and the final election results will be published on the website three days after the voting day. Read More: EC so far clears path for 275 to contest Feb-12 election On August 28 last year, the Election Commission unveiled the electoral action plan setting timelines to complete all necessary measures to arrange the 13th parliamentary election before Ramadan in February 2026. In the action plan, timeframes were set for different election preparatory works like preparation of the electoral rolls, registration of new political parties, delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, updating the guidelines for observers and journalists, printing of election manual, directives, poster and identity cards, carrying out training activities, making translucent ballot boxes and election materials ready, preparation of election budget, installation of polling stations, law and order related issues, and announcement of election results.

The Election Commission has so far cleared the way for 275 candidates in the past five days of hearing as 72 regained candidacies on Wednesday to run in the upcoming national election scheduled for February 12 next. Besides, 78 other invalid aspirants failed to return to the race as the EC chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin rejected their appeal petitions in the four days. On Wednesday, a total of 100 petitions were placed for hearing in the Electoral Appeal Tribunal (EC). “Upon hearing the appeals, the Commission granted 73 petitions, rejected 17 others and kept the rest 10 petitions pending to be settled later,” said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed briefing reporters on Wednesday evening. Read More: EC bars polls to all bodies, associations before Feb. 12 elections done With the EC’s decisions, 72 previous invalid candidates returned to the electoral race, while several previously valid candidates lost candidature as appeal filed against her was accepted. The Commission so far heard 380 petitions (in the last five days) and is supposed to hear another 100 petitions on Thursday to complete the hearing and disposal of 645 petitions by January 18, said the EC Secretary. On Wednesday, four appeals against the validity of nomination papers were heard. Among these, the EC rejected an appeal petition filed challenging the validity of BNP nominated candidate for Cumilla-6 Monirul Haque Chowdhury, keeping the candidacy valid to contest in the 13th parliamentary election. BNP candidate for Cumilla-6 to remain valid Independent candidate and BNP leader Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid for Cumilla-6 filed a petition with the EC, which is the Electoral Appeal Tribunal, against the acceptance of the nomination paper of Monirul Haque during the scrutiny. In the petition, former MP Amin Ur Rashid alleged that Monirul Haque concealed the information of bank loans and wife’s assets in the affidavit filed with the nomination paper. During the petition, the Election Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, declared that the nomination paper of Monirul Haque to remain valid. Fate of BNP candidate for Dinajpur-5 to be settled Jan 17 Read More: EC hearings reopen race for 41 more election candidates The Commission kept another appeal petition against the validity of the nomination paper of BNP candidate for Rajshahi-5 AKM Kamruzzaman pending to be settled on January 17. Independent candidate for the same constituency AZM Rezwanul Haque filed the petition challenging the acceptance of Kamruzzaman’s nomination paper by the returning officer. In the petition, the appellant claimed the BNP candidate has dual citizenship as he didn’t place any document to prove that he gave up British citizenship. Kamruzzaman ‘s counselor and senior lawyer Ruhul Kuddus Kajal told reporters that the BNP candidate gave up British citizenship which was announced in the affidavit submitted with the nomination paper. There is no scope in the constitution to bar AKM Kamruzzaman from contesting the election on this ground, he said. Besides, an appeal filed by BNP candidate for Cumilla-2 Selim Bhuyan against the validity of independent candidate Abdul Matin, but the Commission turned down his petition. With the EC’s decision, the candidacy of Abdul Matin would remain valid. However, the EC granted an appeal filed by Jatiya Party candidate for Kurigram-4 KM Mandal against the validity of Bangladesh Supreme Party candidate Shefali Begum. So, Shefali Begum lost her candidature in Kurigram-4. A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to run the upcoming national election from the country’s 300 constituencies within the December-29 deadline. The returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid, while 723 others invalid during the scrutiny.