United News of Bangladesh

By a roadside in Jagalba village of Kushtia, an elderly couple live in a fragile tin-and-polythene shelter that barely protects them from rain or winter cold, but they see elections after a time gap. For Babu Sheikh and his wife Kajol Rekha, the upcoming national election will pass like many before it without their participation. Their exclusion is not due to a lack of interest. Instead, it hinges on Tk 650, the amount they were told they must pay as house tax to complete voter registration. Unable to arrange the money, the couple say they have once again been deprived of their right to vote in Bangladesh’s 13th national election. “We live hand to mouth,” said Kajol Rekha, sitting inside the makeshift hut that has been her home for more than a decade. “We simply could not manage the money.” A Life Uprooted by Politics The couple were repatriated from Jhenaidah around 15 to 16 years ago after fleeing what they describe as political persecution. They originally lived in Chhota Moukuri village in Shailkupar upazila, where they owned homestead land and kept livestock. Their lives changed after they voted for the 'Sheaf of Paddy' in a national election. Following the Awami League’s victory at the time, they allege they were harassed and tortured, forcing them to abandon their village. Seeking safety, they moved to Jagalba village under Betbaria Union in Kushtia’s Khoksa upazila, where they have lived ever since. Living without documents, or security Today, Babu Sheikh and Kajol Rekha, along with their children, live beside a road on land temporarily provided by Kajol Rekha’s maternal uncle. They own no land in the area. Their shelter has no proper fence, doors or windows. Torn jute sacks, polythene sheets and pieces of special cloth used for river erosion prevention are used to cover the structure. “It is extremely inhuman,” said Abdul Matin, a member of Ward No. 2 of Betbaria Union. “They have been living like this for 15–16 years.” According to Matin, the lack of basic documents has become a major obstacle to voter registration. “To become voters or transfer voter registration, documents such as electricity bills, tax receipts, land papers, and even a mobile phone number are required. They have none of these,” he said. ‘Promises that Never Materialise’ Kajol Rekha, who is mentally challenged, said that before every election, people come to her home with assurances that they will help her and her husband become registered voters. “But nothing happens,” she said. Ahead of the 12th national election, the couple had approached local Awami League leader Helal Uddin, hoping he would assist them with registration. They were later told they needed to deposit Tk 650 at the Union Parishad as house tax. “As we could not manage the money, our dream of becoming voters remained unfulfilled,” Kajol Rekha said. Kushtia Jamaat Ameer dies while addressing protest rally Helal Uddin confirmed that Kajol Rekha is known to him and acknowledged that she had moved to the area after facing political persecution. “I tried to transfer her voter registration, but it could not be completed,” he said. Fear Still Lingers Beyond financial hardship, fear continues to shape the couple’s decisions. Having once been forced to flee their home after voting, Kajol Rekha said she worries that participating in another election could again put her family at risk. “We are afraid. What if voting means we have to leave this place too?” she said. As Bangladesh prepares for another national election, Babu Sheikh and Kajol Rekha remain on the margins — citizens in name, but unable to exercise one of the most basic rights of democracy.

Voting in the first phase of the 6th Upazila Parishad Election is underway amid a festive mood in Kachua and Rampal upazilas of Bagerhat. The voting began at 8:00 am and will continue till 4:00 pm without any break. At the polling centers of the two upazilas, voters, especially women, were seen standing in lines to cast their votes. The overall mood is peaceful. CCC, CMP ink deal to ensure road safety in Chattogram Voters are exercising their franchise at 30 polling centres in Kachua upazila and 49 centres in Rampal upazila.  Bagerhat District Election Officer and Returning Officer Sheikh Muhammad Jalal Uddin said voting in Kachua and Rampal upazila parishads of Bagerhat was going on peacefully.  Forest Department deploys teams and drones to monitor Sundarbans fire situation No untoward incident has been reported. BGB, police, RAB, Ansar, executive and judicial magistrates are on duty to maintain law and order, he added.  

President Mohammed Shahabuddin, alongside his wife Dr. Rebeka Sultana, participated in the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election by casting their votes through postal ballot today (January 03, 2024). The event took place in the credential hall of Bangabhaban, marking a significant moment as they exercised their voting rights as residents of Pabna. Highlighting the importance of voting, President Shahabuddin emphasized, “Voting is not just a right but a civic duty. By casting our votes, we contribute to the democratic process.” He also encouraged fellow citizens to participate actively in the election, scheduled for January 7. Also read: Jesus Christ was seeker of truth and peace: President Shahabuddin The President's participation through postal ballot, as allowed under Article 27 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), underscores the inclusivity of the voting process. This method facilitates the participation of several groups, including imprisoned or legally detained individuals, Bangladeshi expatriates, polling officers, and others unable to visit polling centers.

Voting in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Election is underway with good voter turnout in the first few hours on Thursday. The voting began at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. Long queues of voters were seen in all polling stations. Peaceful casting of votes have been reported. No untoward incident was reported till the filling of this report around 12:30 pm. Awami League-backed mayoral candidate Azmat Ullah  Khan cast his ballot in the GCC election saying  he will accept  whatever the result comes. “I always respect the people’s opinion and whoever gets elected today, I will accept the results,” he said while talking to reporters after casting his vote at Tongi Darus Salam Madrasha Centre around 9 am. Voters were seen going to the polling stations spontaneously and the  long queues of voters suggested a participatory election is being held in Gazipur. “I am a political worker and my party Bangladesh Awami League is a democratic political party and you (people) have seen that when I went out for campaigning, I was always with the people as a political activist,” he said. Early voting has been peaceful  and the law and order situation is also good, said Zayeda Khatun, an independent mayoral candidate in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections. She made the remark while talking to reporters after casting her vote at Kanaia Government Primary School polling station around 10 am. There has been no complaint so far against the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said adding “I am hopeful about my victory in the election.’ She also urged the voters to cast their votes at the respective polling stations. Eight candidates are contesting for mayoral posts in the election and there are 248 councillors and 79 female councilor candidates. A total of 11,79,476 voters are eligible to vote and of them, 5,92,762 are men and 5,86,696 are women, and the number of transgender people is 18. A total of 13,000 law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order during the election, said Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Molla Nazrul Islam on Wednesday.  

Voting in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election began on Thursday (May 25, 2023) using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all polling stations in a peaceful manner. The voting began around 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break. Eight candidates are contesting for mayoral posts in the election and there are 248 councillors and 79 female councilor candidates. A total of 11,79,476 voters are eligible to vote and of them, 5,92,762 are men and 5,86,696 are women, and the number of transgender people is 18. Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana said that Gazipur City Corporation voting will be held in a free and fair environment and voters can cast their vote peacefully. Also read: Gazipur city polls will be free and fair, says EC commissioner The commissioner said this while exchanging views with journalists after a meeting with magistrates on maintaining law and order in the Gazipur City Corporation election at Gazipur Circuit House on Wednesday. The election commission will monitor the election through CCTVs, which were set up in all polling stations. Tight security A total of 13,000 law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order during the election, said Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Molla Nazrul Islam on Wednesday. “ 20-22 members of law enforcement agencies will perform duty at each centre. I hope a free and fair election will be held with the efforts of all amid foolproof security,” he told UNB. Twenty platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have been deployed alongside 30 teams of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and Ansar members, said Returning Officer Faridul Islam. Read more: 13,000 law enforcers to be on polls duty: GMP Commissioner Mobile teams will be there in 57 wards while 19 striking forces led by 19 magistrates will remain vigilant at the polling centers.

Voting in the by-election for Gaibandha-5 constituency, which was suspended due to irregularities, is underway with participation of voters in a festive mood. Voting started at 8 am and will continue till 4:30 pm. No untoward incident was reported till the filing of this report around 10 am. People were seen standing in long queues since morning, ignoring the cold. The presence of female voters is comparatively higher than their male counterparts. A total of 3,39,743 people are expected to exercise their franchise in 145 polling centres. Of them, 1,70,160 are females and 1,69,583 are male. District Election Officer and Returning officer Abdul Motaleb said that of the 145 polling centres, 72 are consider "important" while 32 are counted as "most important". Read: EC has 'no legal obligation' to bring parties to election All preparations have been taken to hold a smooth, free and fair election, he said. Elections will be monitored through CCTV cameras as done before. Rab, police, BGB and Ansar members will remain deployed to hold the election peacefully, said Motaleb. The candidates of the Gaibandha-5 by-election are: Awami League candidate Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Jatiya Party candidate AHM Golam Shaheed Ranju, Bikalpa Dhara candidate Advocate Jahangir Alam and independent candidate Syed Mahbubur Rahman. The constituency consists of Saghata and Phulchhari upazilas. On October 12 last year, the Election Commission (EC) suspended the by-election due to “rampant irregularities” on the election day and later the commission fixed January 4 for holding the polls. Following the death of Gaibandha-5 lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah on July 22, 2022, it became a constitutional obligation to hold election for the parliamentary seat by October 20, 2022. Accordingly it was scheduled for October 12. A three-member committee was formed to look into the election irregularities on October 12 last year. Following the recommendations of the committee, the Election Commission took punitive actions against 133 officials including an additional deputy commissioner, five sub-inspectors and returning officer of the election. Read More: EC to delve into slow voting complaint in Rangpur City Corporation Polls

Jatiya Party-backed mayoral candidate Md Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa on Tuesday unofficially won the high-voltage Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) election for the second consecutive time. Mostafa bagged 1, 46,798 votes while his nearest contestant Amiruzzaman from Islami Andolon Bangladesh polled 49,892 votes. His lead over the ruling Awami League’s candidate Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia was a huge margin of 1, 24,492 votes. Independent candidate (AL’s rebel candidate) Latifur Rahman bagged 33,883 votes by securing third position in the race while the AL-backed candidate in the 4th spot. Returning officer Abdul Baten announced the results from district’s Shilpakala Academy around 12.15am when the vote counting completed. Out of the 9 mayoral candidates, Mostafa contested the election with the "Plough" symbol while Amiruzzaman from Islami Andolon Bangladesh with “Hat Pakha” symbol. Rangpur is known as a stronghold of the Jatiya Party as the party’s founder late HM Ershad hailed from the district.   The returning officer said over 2, 79,000 out of 426,470 exercised their franchises in the RCC elections with 65.8 percent turnover. Starting the RCC voting at 8.00am using electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 229 centers continued till around 8.30pm, with the scheduling to be ended at 4.00pm. Nine candidates vied for the mayoral post while 183 people contested for councillor posts under 33 wards. 68 candidates fought the polls for 11 reserved seats. Read more: Election violence under present EC drops to zero: CEC The other mayoral candidates are Abu Raihan from Bangladesh Congress, Touhidur Rahman Mandal from Khelafat Majlish, Shafier Rahman from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Khorshed Alam from Zaker Party and Mehedi Hasan as independent candidate. After the landslide victory, Mostafizur in an instant reaction said it is not his victory, rather the credit goes to the city dwellers. Campaigning in the Rangpur City Corporation election ended on Sunday midnight amid much enthusiasm. A total of 229 presiding officers, 1,349 assistant presiding officers and 2,698 polling officers are performing their duties to maintain order in the voting centres. The first Rangpur City Corporation election was held on December 21, 2017. The tenure of the current mayor will expire on February 18, 2023. Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal said the voting was underway at a slow pace for using EVMs. The voting might continue till 7-8 pm due the long queues at the polling centres, he added. The EC would look into whether there is any other reason behind the delay in voting, he added. Read more: Rangpur City Corporation: Voting begins amid enthusiasm “We have got some allegations of slow voting due to electronic voting machines (EVMs) but all the voters at the centers will be allowed to exercise their franchise till night,” he said. The Election Commission was monitoring the election through CC cameras from a control room.  

Voting for Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) election will be held tomorrow (December 27, 2022). Voting will begin at 8am and will continue till 4:30pm, said Returning Officer Abdul Baten. Nine candidates are vying for the mayoral post whole 183 people are contesting for councillor posts under 33 wards. Sixty-eight people are contesting the polls for 11 reserved seats. Read more: Official electioneering period ends tonight, before Rangpur votes for mayor The mayoral candidates are: Amiruzzaman from Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Abu Raihan from Bangladesh Congress, Touhidur Rahman Mandal from Khelafat Majlish, Mostafizur Rahman from Jatiya Party, Shafier Rahman from National Samajtantrik Dal Jasad, Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia from Awami League, Khorshed Alam from Zaker Party, Mehedi Hasan and Latifur Rahman as independent candidates. This year, a total of 4,26,470 people are expected to vote in the city corporation election. “All preparations have been taken to hold a free and fair election and voting will be held at 229 centres through electronic voting machines,” he said. Mobile court drives will be conducted to ensure the election code is being followed, he said. Campaigning in the Rangpur City Corporation election ended on Sunday midnight amid much enthusiasm. Read more: Rangpur city polls: AL nominates Adv Hosne Ara Lutfa A total of 229 presiding officers, 1,349 assistant presiding officers and 2,698 polling officers will perform their duties on the election day. The first Rangpur City Corporation election was held on December 21, 2017. The tenure of the current mayor will end on February 18, 2023. As per the election act, voting for any city corporation must be held within 180 days of the expiration of current posts of mayors and councillors. Law enforcement agencies are geared towards ensuring security ahead of the polls while a three-tier security approach will be taken at each polling booth. Eleven platoons of BGB will be deployed in each reserved ward while Rab and other force personnel will remain there to ensure security.

Voting is underway in India to elect a new Vice-President, in a high-octane contest where over 4,500 lawmakers across the country are eligible to exercise their franchise. The front-runner is ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate and former governor of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar. He is being challenged by opposition candidate Margaret Alva, a former governor and federal minister. The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament -- the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) and the Lok Sabha (Lower House). The Vice-President is the second-highest constitutional office in India. The Vice-President serves as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and also acts as the chancellor of the central universities. The winner of Saturday's contest will replace incumbent Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu whose five-year term ends on August 10. Also read: Voting underway to elect new India President Who's Dhankhar? Born on 18 May, 1951, in Kithana, a small village in the western state of Rajasthan, to a farmer family, Dhankhar completed his graduation in law and entered politics at a young age. He subsequently became a member of the Rajasthan state assembly and then India's Parliament. He also served as a senior advocate with India's Supreme Court.  

Voting is underway in India to elect a new President, in a high-octane contest where over 4,500 lawmakers across the country are eligible to exercise their franchise. The front-runner is ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate Droupadi Murmu, a tribal  politician and a former state governor. She is being challenged by opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, a former Finance Minister. In India, the President is elected not directly by the people but by the members of both Houses of Parliament -- the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha -- and state assemblies and federal government-ruled Territories. Like in Bangladesh, the Indian President is the ceremonial head of state who does not exercise executive powers. Read: Bengal governor likely to become India's Vice-President The counting of votes will be held on July 21 and India's 15th President will take oath of office on July 25, replacing incumbent head of state Ram Nath Kovind, according to the Election Commission of India. Murmu, a former teacher hailing from the eastern state of Odisha, is projected to win as President, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party and its coalition partners commanding over 48% of the electoral vote. If elected, the 64-year-old will be youngest and first tribal President of India. Who's Murmu? Born in independent India on June 20 in 1958, Murmu completed her graduation in 1979 and began her career as a government employee before becoming a school teacher. She subsequently made a foray into the eastern Indian state of Odisha's politics, first as a local civic body councillor and then as a legislator. The two-term legislator went on to become a minister in the state government in 2000. And some 15 years later, Murmu was sworn in as the first woman Governor of the eastern state of Jharkhand. In her personal life, Murmu lost her husband and their two sons. While her husband died of a cardiac arrest, one of her two sons was found dead under mysterious circumstances in 2009. She has a daughter.