Election
Election 2024: Crude bomb blast at Jashore polling centre injures 1
Unidentified miscreants hurled a crude bomb at a polling centre in Jashore-3 constituency.
The incident happened at 7:15 am this morning at Shankarpur Secondary School polling centre in the constituency.
Assistant Platoon Commander of Bangladesh Ansar, Maruf Hossain, who was in charge of the polling centre security, was injured in the explosion.
Other law enforcers took him to Jashore General Hospital for treatment.
As per eyewitnesses, Maruf stood on the first-floor balcony of the school when unidentified miscreants approached from the school's east side, hurled a crude bomb, and quickly fled.
The crude bomb landed on the railing of the second floor of the school and then exploded.
On information, Kotwali Police Station and the mobile striking team of the police in charge of maintaining security during the election visited the spot and collected samples of the exploded parts of the crude bomb.
However, no one was arrested in connection with the incident.
Jashore Additional Superintendent of Police, Belal Hossain, could not be reached for comments regarding the matter.
Election 2024: PM Hasina casts her ballot, confident about winning
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon the citizens to exercise their right to vote saying that a beautiful and conducive environment has been created for the polls.
“Conducive environment has been established. Your vote is very valuable. We fought a lot for the right to vote and I hope that all the people of the country will come to vote at the polling centres. Bangladesh will continue its democratic trend,” she said emerging from casting her vote at Dhaka City College centre.
Also read: Election 2024: Voting at Narsingdi-4 polling centre cancelled over alleged irregularities
She expressed gratitude to the people for being able to conduct the election today amid many obstacles and hurdles.
Hasina, also the Awami League president, said that there were so many obstacles and hurdles, but the people of the country have been cautious about their voting rights, and election was urgently necessary.
“Because after five years there will be an election and people will cast their votes freely and we have been able to create that environment. Although here BNP-Jamaat alliance has carried out arson attacks and other destructive activities,” she said.
She also mentioned that BNP-Jamaat alliance does not believe in democracy. They do not want welfare of the people of the country also, even they do not want the continuation of the democratic process.
“People will vote as they wish. And we were able to create that voting environment. Although BNP Jamaat alliance has caused many incidents including arson attacks,” she said.
Election 2024: Voting at Narsingdi-4 polling centre cancelled over alleged irregularities
Voting at a polling centre in Narsingdi-4 constituency (Monohardi-Belabo) has been cancelled due to allegations of irregularities.
Voting at Ibrahimpur Government Primary School in Sallabad union of Belabo upazila was cancelled at 8:40 am, shortly after voting began today, said District Returning Officer Dr Badiul Alam.
Also read: PM votes in Dhaka
The returning officer stated that the voting was cancelled due to allegations of ballot-stuffing.
However, the exact number of stuffed ballots could not be immediately confirmed.
Voting for the 12th parliamentary election began this morning with the ruling Awami League set for a historic fourth consecutive term amid an opposition boycott.
Voting began at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Also read: 12th Parliamentary Election: Voting begins amid opposition boycott
PM votes in Dhaka
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cast her vote at Dhaka City College in the capital on Sunday morning as voting in the 12th national parliamentary election opened at 8:00 am across the country.
She came at the polling centre before 7:55am amid tight security.
Putul also voted there.
Also read: Voting for 12th parliamentary election begins amid opposition boycott
Dhaka City College centre falls under Dhaka-10 constituency comprising Dhanmondi, Hazaribagh, New Market and Kalabagan police stations.
Film actor Ferdous Ahmed is contesting the polls with the Awami League ticket from the constituency.
The Prime Minister arrived at the polling centre with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, daughter Saima Wazed and Sheikh Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq at 7:55 in the morning.
Ferdous Ahmed welcomed the Prime Minister at the polling centre.
12th Parliamentary Election: Voting begins amid opposition boycott
Voting for the 12th parliamentary election began this morning with the ruling Awami League victory set for a historic fourth consecutive term amid an opposition boycott.
Voting began at 8am and will continue till 4 pm without any break amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cast her vote at Dhaka City College in the capital this morning.
Voting in Naogaon-2 constituency has been postponed following the death of an independent contender, according to the Election Commission.
12th parliamentary election: all eyes on celebrity candidates
The 12th parliamentary election of the country is all set to take place on Sunday. Although being a Member of Parliament is nothing new from the entertainment and sports sectors, a number of celebrities have entered the race this time around as candidates.
While some of them are independent candidates vying for votes, others are party nominations, courtesy of the ruling Awami League. These candidates stepped outside the box and worked day and night, knocking on people's doors for the votes.
On the eve of the vote an analysis from observation of the last few days indicates that popular actor Ferdous Ahmed in Dhaka-10 constituency, former Bangladesh cricket team captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in Narail-2 and the current National cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan in Magura-1 are the top most popular candidates in their respective seats with Awami League's ‘Nouka’ (boat) symbol, without strong competition against them.
The rest of the celebrity candidates, including veteran thespian and former Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor from Nilphamari-2 seat and singer Momtaz Begum in Manikganj-2 seat f may have to face a tough fight even after receiving the nomination of Awami League.
Magazine show ‘Ittyadi’-famed popular singer-musician Nakul Kumar Biswas is contesting from the Krishak Sramik Janata League in Barisal-2, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) candidate and popular singer Doli Sayontoni is contesting from Pabna-2, and Dhallywood actress Mahiya Mahi is contesting as the independent candidate for Rajshahi-1 after getting refused nomination from Awami League.
Russian observers to monitor polls Sunday
A three-member delegation of Russian observers will monitor Sunday's parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
Andrei Shutov, member of the Russian Central Election Commission and Head of Delegation, had a brief conversation with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen after their arrival in Dhaka on Friday.
He also had a brief discussion with Kazi Habibul Awal, Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner, at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.
The vote casting will begin at 8 am on Sunday and continue till 4 pm non-stop in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Voting in Naogaon-2 constituency has been postponed following the death of an independent contender, according to the Election Commission.
Some 1,970 candidates, including 436 independent contenders, are running in the general election.
Out of 44 political parties registered with the Election Commission, 16 parties are out of the electoral race. There are 11,93,32,934 voters –-6,05,92,197 males, 5,87,39,889 females and 848 transgenders – who have voting rights under 260,856 booths of 42,024 polling stations in the constituencies, according to the Election Commission.
Hope to make Sunday’s election credible at home and abroad: CEC at Meet the Press
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Saturday expressed hope that the 12th parliamentary election will be credible nationally and internationally.
“Credibility is a relative matter. But we from our part would try making the election a widely credible one. We are optimistic that the election would be credible at home and abroad,” he said while addressing a pre-election briefing in the city.
The Election Commission arranged ‘Meet the Press: The 12th parliamentary election 2024’ at Bangabandhu International Conference for local and international journalists and election observers.
In reply to a question, the CEC said the commission may face a challenge in the peaceful arrangement of this election as a major political block is strongly campaigning against the vote.
“This time there are some challenges ahead because several incidents have already occurred. A major political party together with alliance parties is formidably campaigning against the election,” he said.
Habibul Awal, however, said the commission would be able to conduct this election with participation of the people amid opposition resistance.
“A crisis may be seen to some extent in the case of holding the election in a peaceful manner as one group is opposing the election, boycotting it and openly declaring to resist it. We don’t deny this reality,” he said.
But the Election Commission has taken preparations, he said asserting that “We will be able to arrange this election with participation of the people and voters despite having opposition and resistance.”
Pointing at all the opposition political parties who are campaigning against the election Habibul Awal said, “You may peacefully campaign against the election to form public opinion not to go to polling stations but it will be an offense if you physically resist the election preventing voters from going to the polling stations.”
He again said the commission will have to face a challenge if the opposition political parties resort to arson and physical force to resist the election.
When his attention was drawn that many election experts thought it wouldn’t be an actual election, rather a selection amid the boycott of BNP and 15 other parties, the CEC said it is not EC’s job to involve in any political debate and it has a mandate just to hold the election. “The debate will remain in the political landscape and it is the politicians who may solve it one day,” he said.
Habibul Awal asked the candidates to put their polling agents in every polling booth for the sake of holding this election in a fair manner.
Answering a question about the possible voter turnout, he said it was difficult right now to predict the percentage of voter turnout.
But he said if the voter turnout is less than even one percent, it would be legally correct, though it may face a legitimacy crisis.
The CEC said the EC has one minor duty to encourage the voters to come up to the polling station to cast votes. “I think it is a minor duty,” he said, adding that voters are always very interested to come out due to the persuasion of the candidates.
In reply to a question, the CEC said, “Had BNP participated in the election, the election would have been more competitive, more inclusive and more festive. This is a reality.”
Earlier, an audio-visual presentation was screened over the preparation to hold the 12th national election.
Four election commissioners, foreign secretary and EC secretary were present.
Awami League set to win Sunday’s election amid opposition boycott
Bangladesh is set to hold the 12th parliamentary election on Sunday with the ruling Awami League’s victory is guaranteed for a historic fourth consecutive term amid an opposition boycott.
The main opposition BNP and several other parties are sitting out of the polls, which are being participated by the Awami League and 27 other political parties.
Thanks to the opposition boycott the AL is expected to sweep the polls to again form the government and extend its 15-year rule for another five years until 2029, according to analysts.
The opposition is staying out of the race after Hasina’s government rejected its demand to transfer power to a non-partisan administration to oversee a free and fair vote.
In a new development in the country’s electoral history the ruling party is facing tough fight mainly from the party’s own members contesting as independents.
In a televised address to the nation wrapping up her election campaign on Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appealed to the voters to go to polling centres early in the morning. She asked them to cast their ballots for boat, her party’s election symbol.
But the opposition BNP and its like-minded parties have called for a 48-hour hartal (general strike), including on the Voting Day.
Security has been stepped up across the country after a series of arson attacks on polling centres and fire on a moving train, Benapole Express, on Friday night that left four people, including children charred to death.
On Saturday, election officials fanned across the country to reach election materials – expect ballots – to the polling centres, said the EC. The ballots, however, will be sent to the centres in the morning of the voting day.
The balloting will start at 8am and continue till 4pm non-stop in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies. Voting in Naogaon-2 constituency has been postponed following the death of an independent contender, according to the Election Commission.
As many as 1,969 candidates, including 436 independent contenders are running in the general election.
In 80 to 100 constituencies, tough fights are expected to be seen between AL candidates and its own rivals who are running as independent contestants.
The ruling party nominated candidates are vying in the election with 'boat' symbol in 265 seats, while the party is sharing 26 seats with Jatiya Party and six seats with three partners of its 14-party alliance – three for Jasod, two for Workers’ Party and one for Jatiya Party (JP-Manju).
There is no AL candidate in Barishal-4 and Cox's Bazar-1 as the candidacies of its nominated contestants were cancelled in the two constituencies. AL MP Pankaj Nath as an independent candidate is running in Barishal-4 and Kalyan Party Chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim in Cox's Bazar-1.
3 vehicles set on fire in Chattogram, Chandpur, Sylhet
A pick-up van, a truck and a bus were set on fire in Chattogram, Sylhet and Chandpur districts early Saturday ahead 48-hour hartal enforced by BNP and some other opposition parties to press their demand for boycotting the 7 January election.
In Chattogram, miscreants set fire to a pick-up van at on Dhaka-Chittgagong highway at Dhalipara in Sitakunda upazila early Saturday.
Timing of train burning just a day before election shows an absolute intention to hinder democratic process: Foreign Minister
Abdul Hakim, officer-in-charge of Kumira Highway Police, said 8-10 miscreants forced the pick-up van driver to halt it around 5:30 am. Later they set in on fire by hurling crude bomb and fled the scene.
On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire.
In Chandpur, A bus helper suffered burn injuries as a fire broke out at a stationary bus on Chandpur-Cumilla highway at Chandpur Bus Station around 5:30 am.
Trade between Bangladesh, India through Sonamasjid land port suspended due to nat’l election
Sheikh Mahsin Alam, officer-in-charge of Sadar Model Police Station, said a fire broke out in ‘Ananda Paribahan’ bus.
On information, police rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire.
Khokon Mia, 60, a helper of the bus, who was asleep inside the bus, sustained burn injuries.
He was taken to the Sadar hospital.
Police suspected that the fire might have originated from mosquito coil.
BGB ready to face any unwanted incident ahead of Jan 7-election: DG Nazmul
In Sylhet, arsonists set a truck on fire on Sylhet-Dhaka highway at Lalabazar in Dakkhin Surma upazila early Saturday.Miscreants set the truck on fire beside Lalabazar Armed Police Battalion office around 1:45 am, said Md Jabed, duty officer of Dakkhin Surma Police Station.