Election
'Gaibandha by-election was an isolated case': Election Commissioner
Election Commissioner Begum Rashida Sultana on Tuesday said exemplary punishment will be meted out to those involved in the malpractices during last month's Gaibandha-5 by-election, describing it as an isolated case.
She said this in response to a question from journalists at her office on Tuesday.
She said that the Election Commission does not want to see a repeat of the irregularities that happened in the Gaibandha-5 by-election in the upcoming Rangpur City Corporation polls.
Read more: Decision on Gaibandha-5 polls in 7 days: CEC
"The incident of Gaibandha was an isolated case. That won't happen in Rangpur City Corporation. We are sending the message to Rangpur Returning Officer, Assistant Returning Officer and everyone that we do not want to see such an election,” she also said.
When asked about the role of the local administration, Rasheda Sultana said, "We do not believe that the local administrations will not cooperate in the election as the environment in some elections including Faridpur-2 constituency and Zila Parishads was very good. The local administration supported us well.”
Read more: Suspension of Gaibandha-5 by-polls was right, former commissioners tell EC
Rasheda Sultana said that the investigation report of the irregularities in the voting of Gaibandha-5 constituency has been prepared. However, the commission has not yet discussed it.
The probe committee formed to look into the Gaibandha-5 by-election, which the Election Commission (EC) postponed citing irregularities, submitted its report on October 27.
Election Commission's Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath who headed the committee submitted the report to EC Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker.
Read more: Gaibandha-5 by-polls: EC vows to take offending officials to task
The EC suspended the election because of “widespread malpractices” on the election day on October 12.
It also extended the deadline for holding any fresh election to the Gaibandha-5 parliamentary seat by three months, till January 20, 2023.
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.
Rangpur city polls: JP decides to stick with what works
Jatiya Party has chosen to stick with a proven winner by nominating its Rangpur city unit president Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa as the party’s mayoral candidate to contest the Rangpur City Corporation elections, slated for December 27.
On behalf of party Chairman GM Quader, Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu finalised the nomination on Sunday.
Contacted, Chunnu told UNB that their party’s high command earlier decided to field incumbent mayor Mostafa as the Jatiya Party candidate in the upcoming polls.
Read more: Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman
He said Jatiya Party vice chairman SM Yasir received the nomination paper on behalf of Mostafa, from him at the party chairman’s Banani office at noon.
Earlier, at a programme in Rangpur on October 25, GM Quader had already declared Mostafa as the party’s mayoral contestant.
Mostafa became the mayor of Rangpur city defeating Awami League candidate Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu in only the second municipal polls of the city held on December 21, 2017.
The third election to Rangpur City Corporation will be held on December 27.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission, candidates can submit their nomination papers to the returning officer and assistant returning officer till November 29.
Read more: JP to join JS session upon speaker’s assurance
The Returning officer will scrutinize the nomination papers on November 29 and December 1. December 8 has been set as the final date for the withdrawal of candidature.
A total of 3,93,994 voters will cast their votes at 193 centres to elect the Rangpur mayor, 27 general ward councillors and 11 reserved ward councillors.
Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman
The Election Commission will go all-out to create a level-playing field for all contestants in the next general election without favouring any particular political party.
"We hope to be referees for all parties,” said Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman in talks with journalists at the office at the EC building on Sunday.
He said that creating a level-playing field as the biggest challenge for the EC.
Read more: Detailed schedule of Rangpur City Corporation election announced
"We will look into that and will focus more on how to do that. If everyone does not get it, then there will be no voting environment. We will have this effort until the last day,” he said.
He also said their biggest challenge is to bring all the parties to the polls.
"I do not know that whether we will succeed or not. But we will have this effort until the last day," he added
He added that every party must be on the field. "If you are not on the field, the game will not be played. Without coming to the field, no one can say that there is no environment," he explained.
Read more: CEC appreciates environment of local govt polls
"I don't think that will be the case. There are still 13 months to go. There may be many changes in politics. Changes may come to the country and the world," he said
In response to another question, Anisur said he did not think that BNP will not come to the election.
Detailed schedule of Rangpur City Corporation election announced
EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam today announced the detailed schedule of Rangpur City Corporation election -- to be held on December 27 -- at the Election Commission Secretariat.
The election date was finalised at a meeting of the Election Commission (EC) with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal in the chair earlier.
The EC secretary said candidates can submit their nomination papers to the returning officer and assistant returning officer till November 29. Returning officer will scrutinize the nomination papers on November 29 and December 1. December 8 has been set as the final date for withdrawal of candidature.
Earlier, he said the Election Commission also decided to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) and CCTV cameras in the election.
Read more: Rangpur city election on December 27
Voting will start at 8:30 am and continue till 4:30 pm without any break.
Director General of Election Training Institute Abdul Baten will serve as the returning officer of Rangpur City Election.
A total of 3,93,994 voters will cast their votes at 193 centres to elect the Rangpur mayor, 27 general ward councillors and 11 reserved ward councillors.
The election to the city corporation was held on December 21, 2017. The first meeting was held on February 19, 2017. The tenure will end after five years of the first meeting.
The meeting also held an elaborate discussion on different local government elections and by-elections in vacant posts.
The EC also decided to hold elections to five municipalities and a number of union parishads on December 29.
Read more: Thousands gather in Rangpur city to join BNP’s anti-govt rally
The EC secretary said the candidates can submit their nomination papers to the returning officer and assistant returning officer till December 1. Returning Officer will scrutinize the nomination papers on December 3. December 10 has been set as the final date of withdrawal of candidature.
He also added that the Election Commission also decided to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) and CCTV cameras in the union level election.
Sajeda Chowdhury’s son wins by-election prompted by her passing
Awami League nominated candidate Shahadab Akbar Labu Chowdhury, son of the late AL leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, has won the Faridpur-2 by-election, according to the returning officer.
Faridpur-2 constituency fell vacant following the death of the senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.
A primary result issued by Md Humayun Kabir, Khulna regional election officer and Faridpur-2 returning officer, said Akbar won the election securing 68,721 votes.
Also read: Voting underway for Faridpur-2 by-election
Meanwhile his closest contending candidate, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan-backed Joynal Abedin Bakul Mia secured 14,889.
A total of 83,610 votes were cast in 123 polling centers through Electronic Voting Machines (EVM ) though the number of voters were 3,18,585 – a turnout of just 26 percent.
The voting for Faridpur-2 by-polls began at 8am on Saturday and continued till 4pm without any untoward incident reported.
The UNB correspondent found poor turnout of voters and agents of opposition candidates visiting at least 10 centers of Saltha and Nagarkanda upazilas.
Also read: Faridpur-2 by-election voting ends peacefully
Advocate Jaynul Abedin Mia said his polling agents were appointed at almost all centers except a few.
He claimed his polling agents were ousted from the centers but the presiding officers of different centers said they have no idea about such incidents.
Faridpur-2 by-election voting ends peacefully
Voting in the by-polls to Faridpur-2 constituency ended on Saturday afternoon without any untoward incident.
The voting began at 8am and continued till 4pm.
The UNB correspondent found poor turnout of voters and agents of opposition candidates visiting at least 10 centers of Saltha and Nagarkanda upazilas.
Around 1:30 pm at Bautipara Government Primary School at ward-14 of Nagarkanda upazila no queue of voters was seen and only 396 voters cast votes among 2,312 ones, said presiding officer Shamsul Haque.
Read: Triennial conference of Cumilla city AL begins
However, no polling agent was found in that center for the candidate competing with ‘Bot Gach’ symbol nominated by Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan.
Same thing was reported at Nagarkanda Government Primary School, Saltha Model Government Primary School and several and some other polling centers.
Advocate Jaynul Abedin Mia, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan nominated candidate for the constituency, said polling agents were appointed at almost all centers except a few.
Triennial conference of Cumilla city AL begins
The triennial conference of Cumilla city unit of Awami League (AL) began at the city’s Town Hall ground on Saturday.
The event was inaugurated by AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister.
Presidium member of the party Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim spoke as the chief guest while another presidium member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya was present as special guest.
Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of AL, and Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, organizing secretary of the party, among others, joined the council.
Read more: Dhaka AL Council: Benzir named president, Poniruzzaman GS
The committee of Cumilla city AL was announced for the first time on July 22, 2017, six years after the formation of Cumilla City Corporation (CCC).
The Committee consisted of 71 members. AKM Bahauddin Bahar, Member of Parliament (MP) from Cumilla Sadar constituency and Arfanul haque Rifat, current Mayor of CCC, were made President and General Secretary of the committee.
Voting underway for Faridpur-2 by-election
Voting in the by-polls to Faridpur-2 constituency began on Saturday morning.
The voting began at 8am and will continue till 4pm.
No untoward incident was reported till filling of this report, at 11:30am.
Voting is undergoing at 123 centres in Nagarkanda, Saltha and Sadarpur upazilas of the constituency using Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), said senior district election officer Habibur Rahman.
A total of 3,18,472 people are expected to cast their votes.
As many as 1,052 CCTV cameras have been installed at polling centres ahead of the by-polls.
Read: Voting at Cumilla City polls underway peacefully
Rab, police, Ansar and BGB members have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation.
Faridpur-2 constituency fell vacant following the death of senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.
Sajeda Chowdhury’s son Akbar Chowdhury Labu and Advocate Joynal Abedin Bakul Mia are vying for the seat.
Faridpur-2 by-polls on Saturday
By-elections to the Faridpur-2 constituency that fell vacant following the death of senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury will be held on Saturday (5 November).
The voting will start at 8am and will continue till 4pm.
Read: Rangpur city election on December 27
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other election commissioners will monitor the election from Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka.
As many as 1,052 CCTV cameras have been installed at polling centres ahead of the by-polls.
The constituency has 3,18,479 voters. The election will be held in 123 voting centers.
Read: CEC appreciates environment of local govt polls
Awami League-backed candidate Shahadab Akbar Labu Chowdhury and Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan candidate Md Zainul Abedin Bakul Mia are contesting in the by-election.
As per constitutional obligation, the EC is required to hold elections within 90 days of a seat being declared vacant.
JCD behind the attack on ex-Judge Manik: Information Minister
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Hasan Mahmud claimed on Friday that the attack carried out on former Judge of Supreme Court AHM Shamsuddin Chowdury Manik was led by BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).
Four JCD men were arrested in this connection, he informed.
The minister came up with the remarks while replying to questions from journalists about participation of BNP-backed lawmakers in talks on ‘National Jail Killing Day’ in parliament, at his government residence on the city’s Mintoo Road.
He said Judge Manik is a generous person who believes in democratic spirit. Besides, he is a strong voice in favour of liberation.
Read more: Attack on ex-justice Manik: 11 JCD activists put on 2-day remand
“Whatever we had been claiming that the BNP drew a scratch of sabotages across the country, it is proved,” the minister said.
“They (BNP) have been carrying out a failed effort to create anarchy in the country in the name of a movement which got exposed through the attack on Judge Manik,” he claimed.
Read more: Attack on ex-judge Manik: 50 BNP men sued
Mentionable, the attack on the judge was made from a procession of the BNP in Nayapaltan area on Wednesday afternoon when he was on his way to attend a TV talk show.