United News of Bangladesh

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to begin the second phase of his election campaign from Chattogram on Sunday, completing electioneering in Sylhet. “Our leader Tarique Rahman is travelling to Chattogram today as part of his election campaign. He will depart Dhaka at 7:35pm by air and spend the night in Chattogram,” said Mahdi Amin, spokesperson of BNP’s election steering committee. He made the remarks at a press briefing at the BNP Chairman’s Gulshan office on Saturday morning. Mahdi said Tarique will join a ‘Youth Policy Talk’ at a hotel in the port city with around 300 university students at 9:30am on Sunday. At the event, the BNP chief will outline his party’s policy proposals on education, employment, agriculture, health, women’s empowerment and the environment, among other issues, Mahdi added. BNP to ensure safety of Hindu community if elected: Mirza Fakhrul Later in the afternoon, Tarique will address a mass rally at the Chattogram Polo Ground. Following the Chattogram programmes, he will address campaign rallies at Feni Pilot School ground, Chauddagram High School ground in Cumilla, Sonagazi Digbazi Field, Daudkandi Central Eidgah ground, and Kanchpur Balur Math in Narayanganj. Tarique launched the first phase of his election campaign on January 22 from Sylhet’s Alia Madrasah ground and spoke at seven rallies in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi and Narayanganj the same day.

Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Hossain on Tuesday indicated that candidates would be able to launch their election campaigns immediately after the allocation of electoral symbols on Wednesday. “You said to yourself that it can be done, and then asked me when it can be done. You have given both the question and the answer… What else can I answer? You have given the answer. Campaigning can begin after the allocation of symbols,” he said, replying to a question from reporters if the campaign can be conducted right after the symbol allocation on Wednesday. The EC Secretary was talking to journalists after Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Nicolas Weeks met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon area. Regarding the meeting with the Swedish Ambassador, the EC Secretary said Ambassador Nicolas Weeks and First Secretary for Human Rights, Democracy and Gender Equality came here to get an overall update on the electoral situation.“They wanted to know about the overall situation,” he said. Akhtar Ahmed the Swedish envoy assured that if EC needs any assistance, EC can inform them and they will try their best to provide support. There was no discussion on any specific issue, he added. He said the Swedish diplomats also inquired about the law and order situation ahead of the election. “They asked whether we have any concerns regarding law and order. We told them that so far we do not have any major concerns,” he said, adding that they were briefed about the deployment plan for maintaining security during the election. During the meeting, they also sought information about the Election Commission’s measures to combat misinformation and disinformation during the election period, he said. Besides, they were briefed on the technical aspects of the postal ballot system, said the EC Secretary. The national election is scheduled for February 12 next.

Campaigning activities for the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election are set to end on Saturday midnight. No candidates will be allowed to continue electioneering after midnight as the election to the Khulna City Corporation is scheduled to be held on Monday. Also read: Will ensure level playing field in KCC polls: CEC Campaigning for the Khulna City Corporation election started on May 26 with the allocation of election symbols.  The whole city has been wearing a festive look during the electioneering. Also read: KCC polls: Formal electioneering begins through allocation of symbols This year, five candidates are vying for mayoral posts, 136 for councillors in 29 general wards, and 30 for reserved seats. Two councillors for wards 13 and 24 have been elected unopposed.  A total of 5,35,528 people are scheduled to exercise their franchise in the 31 wards of Khulna city and there are 1,732 polling booths under 289 polling stations.      

BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came under attack in Tejgaon bus stand area in the capital during electioneering for the party mayoral candidate in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on the last day of campaign on Thursday.

The capital turned into a city of processions on Thursday as both mayoral and councillor candidates staged showdowns to demonstrate their popularity at the last moment since the curtain is set to fall on electioneering in the elections to the two Dhaka city corporations on Thursday midnight.