United News of Bangladesh

Local residents in Faridpur have once again blocked two highways for the third consecutive day on Wednesday morning protesting the demarcation of constituencies by the Election Commission . The protests began around 9:00 am, leaving trucks and buses stranded on the roads. The residents are protesting against the recent demarcation of constituencies in Faridpur and are demanding a reversal of the changes. Earlier, they had blocked the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway at the Bhanga roundabout and another major highway twice, causing severe suffering to commuters. Collision between two buses leaves 3 dead in Faridpur On Monday, locals set fire to tires, fell trees and electric pole, and erected bamboo barricades at nine points along the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways, including the Bhanga roundabout on the expressway, halting traffic from all 21 southern districts. The demonstrations follow the Election Commission’s recent gazette which redrew boundaries for 46 parliamentary constituencies ahead of the upcoming national election. According to the gazette, Algi and Hamirdi unions of Bhanga Upazila, previously under Faridpur-4, have been attached to Nagar Kanda Upazila under Faridpur-2. This decision has sparked outrage among local residents.

The Election Commission has said 186 applications have been submitted so far regarding the redrawing of the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. “On February 26, the preliminary list of the boundaries of the parliamentary constituencies was published. The deadline for submitting claims and objections to the list was March 19. A total of 186 applications have been submitted during this period," the Election Commission's Joint Secretary SM Asaduzzaman told reporters on Monday. The highest number of applications have been received in Comilla (84). The lowest number of applications have been filed in Mymensingh (1) and Chattogram (1).   Meanwhile, no applications were filed in Rangpur and Sylhet, Asadduzzaman said. Among other districts, 43 applications have been received from Rajshahi, 29 from Barisal, 18 from Dhaka, and five each from Khulna and Faridpur. Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman said: “The applications will be arranged based on constituencies. Then, the secretariat will work on how many objections have been received in which constituencies. The committee will then hold a hearing where the decision on any redrawing of constituencies will be made.”    

The Delimitation of Constituencies Bill, 2021 seeking to formulate an act to replace a military regime-era ordinance in line with a court judgment was placed in Parliament on Saturday. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haq placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective Parliamentary Standing Committee for examination. The committee was asked to submit its report within 60 days. The proposed law has been designed aiming to make an act instead of the existing Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1976, which was promulgated during the military regime of Ziaur Rahman. As per the Bill, the Election Commission shall, for the purpose of elections to the seats in Parliament, divide the country into as many single territorial constituencies as the number of members to be elected as per the Constitution. READ: Parliament passes Finance Bill, allows whitening of undisclosed money The constituencies shall be so delimited, having regard to administrative convenience, that each constituency is a compact area. In doing so, due regard shall be to the distribution of population as given in the latest census report. After making such enquiries and examining such records as it may deem necessary, the Commission shall publish in the official Gazette a preliminary list of territorial constituencies specifying the areas proposed to be included in each such constituency together with a notice inviting objections and suggestions within such period as may be specified in the notice. After hearing and considering the objections and suggestions, if any, the Commission shall make such amendments, alterations or modifications in the preliminary list published as it thinks fit and shall, also after correcting any errors arising from any accidental slip or omission, publish in the official Gazette the final list of territorial constituencies showing the areas included in each such constituency. READ: Parliament passes new budget of ‘lives and livelihoods’ The validity of the delimitation or formation of any constituency or of any proceedings taken or anything done by or under the authority of the Commission, under this Law shall not be called in question in or before any Court or other authority. The territorial constituencies shall be delimited afresh- upon the completion of each census, for the purpose of general election to Parliament to be held following such census; and unless otherwise directed by the Commission for reasons to be recorded in writing, before each general election to Parliament.