Election
Any party can peacefully ask voters not to go to polling stations: EC Alamgir
Election Commissioner Md Alamgir on Wednesday said any political party has the right to ask the voters to refrain from going to the polling stations, but it would have to be done peacefully without creating any provocation and anarchy.
“If any political party doesn’t want to participate in the election, it is their wish. They may not join as part of their political strategy. They can ask voters not to go to polling stations. There is no problem here. But it will have to be told peacefully,” he said.
Also read: 12th parliamentary election will be competitive and fair, says CEC
The commissioner made this remark while replying to a question from reporters at his office in the city’s Agargaon area.
Alamgir, however, said any type of provocation, sabotage and anarchy can’t be carried out while going to ask the voters not to go to the polling stations.
He said it is a democratic country where anyone has the right not to participate in the polls as the person has the right to join the election.
Also read: Vote for the Awami League candidates: PM Hasina tells huge rally in Sylhet
Out of 44 registered political parties, 27 parties are running in the 12th parliamentary election slated for January 7 next, while BNP and some other parties are boycotting the polls.
About his recent visit to 14 districts in Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions, the election commissioner said the electoral atmosphere is good every place and there is no problem anywhere.
“Peace and order prevail everywhere. Public life is very normal there. There is no problem with law and order. I’ve witnessed festivity among the voters,” he said.
He said the administration, intelligence and police informed them that there is no threat which can hamper the election anywhere.
Also read: BNP announces ‘non-cooperation movement’ against govt from today
In reply to another question over violence including attack on trains, Alamgir said creating anarchy is a crime as per the Representation of People Order (RPO) and the election code of conduct. So, the EC sent a letter to the Home Ministry asking to take action if anyone is engaged in the crimes.
The commissioner said the festivity already was created among the people in the 300 constituencies without one or two stray incidents.
EC appoints 23 judicial magistrates to check poll-related irregularities
The Election Commission (EC) has appointed 23 judicial magistrates for 16 constituencies in Chattogram to check election-related irregularities.
These magistrates will be on duty for a total of five days from January 5 to January 9.
Election Commission begins scrutiny of nomination papers
This information was given in a notification signed by Assistant Secretary of the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat's Law-1 Branch Md Al-Amin on Wednesday.
A total of 653 judicial magistrates will be on duty across the country for five days, including two days before and two days after the election.
Election Commission issues show cause notice to Shakib Al Hasan
According to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the magistrates can hold summary trials of the offences of snatching ballot papers, destroying ballot papers, snatching ballot boxes, obstructing voting, and not keeping the voting environment conducive for polls.
No pressure on Election Commission from Western countries: Ahsan Habib
Hundreds of thousands turn up at Sylhet’s Govt Alia Madrasa ground as PM Hasina kicks off election campaign
Hundreds of thousands of people thronged the venue to lend their support for Awami League as the party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina kicked off the election campaign today amid a wave of festivity across sylhet.
Amidst cheers and applause from the sea of crowds, the AL president took the stage with his sister Sheikh Rehana and waved the national flag of Bangladesh while party activists shouted Joy Bangla at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa this afternoon.
Also read: BNP-Jamaat acting on directives from London: PM says in Sylhet
Earlier today, Sheikh Hasina talked to the reporters following her visit to Hazrat Shahjalal’s shrine in Sylhet where she asserted the constitutional right of citizens to vote, and declared that no one should obstruct or harm others for exercising their voting rights.
12th parliamentary election will be competitive and fair, says CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday said the upcoming 12th parliamentary election will be competitive and fair.
“The Election Commission and the candidates are trying to create a conducive environment for a competitive election. If we can create a competitive environment, voters will come to the polling centers," he said.
Read: Ballot papers to be sent to polling stations in morning of polling day
The EC chief made the remarks while talking to reporters after exchanging views with all the candidates of six constituencies in Rajshahi district at the conference room of Rajshahi circuit house on Wednesday.
CEC Habibul Awal said the candidates highlighted their issues during the discussion and guidelines on how to resolve them have been given to the administration and law enforcement agencies.
Read: 347 candidates withdraw from electoral race, leaving 1896 contenders
“The candidates are being encouraged to ensure the election's fairness, and credibility. Their cooperation is sought to foster open communication and maintain mutual relationships, thus promoting a free and fair electoral process,” said the CEC.
He assured journalists that everyone's collective efforts will ensure a successful election.
“You have played an important role in ensuring transparency in elections. The election will be successful with all of our efforts. We want to hold a fair election,” he said.
Read: President approves in principle army deployment ahead of polls: EC secretary
Election Commissioner Rasheda Sultana, Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam, Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir and other senior officials were present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the CEC joined a discussion with law enforcement agencies at District Shilpakala Academy around 1pm.
Dissolve parliament, Election under Army: Insaniyat's petition on Wednesday's docket
The hearing of the petition filed by Insanyat Biplob Bangladesh seeking the dissolution of parliament and elections under the direct supervision of Bangladesh Army will be held tomorrow.
President of the newly-registered political party, Imam Hayat, filed the writ in the High Court on Tuesday.
Humanity-based political party Insaniat Biplab said in the release that the main obstacle to free elections and universal suffrage is the illegal influence of the ruling party, for which they blamed elections without the dissolution of parliament.
Imam Hayat, founding president of Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh, said that the writ may be heard tomorrow in the bench led by Iqbal Kabir and Bishwanat Debnath.
Allama Imam Hayat said, "In the last election, we have seen the ruling parliamentarians misusing the power of the government in their seats, using the administration, police and their own armed men to seize the polling stations and create obstacles for others to vote."
He said that a free and fair election is impossible while retaining the parliament.
"In order to protect the country and democracy through farce-free elections, we have filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking an order to dissolve the parliament and hold elections under the direct supervision of the army through the interim government during the elections," he said.
Allama Imam Hayat said that after ruling party MPs, security is the main obstacle to fair elections.
"Having participated in the last elections, we have seen that almost every polling station created a life-threatening situation. Armed people have used weapons and even bullets and bombs, etc.," the Allama said.
He said that safe and credible elections are completely impossible without the direct supervision of the trusted army from booth to counting.
Allama Imam Hayat said, any farce election without free, fair and credible elections is a denial of people's citizenship and state ownership and destroys the moral foundation of the state and overthrows democracy.
Allama Imam Hayat said, in the interest of protecting the country and protecting democracy and the rights and ownership of the people, we have filed a writ petition in the honorable High Court asking for an order for reliable and safe elections the supervision of the army and suspending the announced schedule until the parliament is dissolved.
Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh raised eyebrows when it was registered as a political party by the Election Commission (EC) on the orders of the High Court on May 9, ahead of other aspirants with greater name recognition and much more public outreach, such as the Gono Samhiti Andolon.
Appellate Division suspends Sadiq Abdullah’s candidacy
The Appellate Division on Tuesday stayed the High Court order that approved independent candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah's candidacy for the Barishal-5 constituency.
Chamber judge Justice M Enayetur Rahim passed the order.
Advocates Khurshid Alam Khan and Nahid Sultana Juthi represented Abdullah, while Advocate Ahsanul Karim represented the opposition during the hearing.
Shammi, Shamim, Sadiq Abdullah out of election race
Awami League candidate Colonel (Retired) Zahid Faruk challenged his candidacy with the Election Commission on the grounds of dual citizenship.
On December 15, the Election Commission (EC) cancelled the candidature of Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, former mayor of Barishal City Corporation.
Later, Sadiq Abdullah filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the HC order.
Former Barishal mayor Sadiq Abdullah sued over irregularities
On December 18, the High Court bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Bashir Ullah stayed the Election Commission's order.
However, Zahid Faruk filed a petition with the chamber court of the Appellate Division seeking a stay on the High Court order.
Appellate Division upholds Faridpur-3 AL candidate Shamim's validity, stays HC order
Actress Mahi gets 'truck' as electoral symbol for independent run in Rajshahi-1
Dhallywood’s popular actress Mahiya Mahi, who is contesting the 12th parliamentary elections as an independent candidate, has been allotted truck as her electoral symbol.
Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Shamim Ahmed allotted the symbol on Monday morning.
After receiving the symbol, Mahi said, "I myself chose the truck as my electoral symbol."
Regarding the first day of the campaign, Mahi said, she will do organizational work today. In the evening, she will inaugurate the election office at Mundumala area of Tanore Upazila.
"I want to start my electioneering from here, " she added.
The Election Commission started allocating electoral symbols to 38 aspirants candidates around 10am on Monday.
Ballot papers to be sent to polling stations in morning of polling day
The ballot papers will be sent to the polling stations- except remote and hard-to-reach areas- throughout the country in the morning of the polling day of the upcoming parliamentary election slated for January 7.
The Election Commission on Monday issued a notification giving such directives to the returning officers.
In the notification, the EC has decided to reach ballot papers to most of the polling stations before the polling begins in the morning of the election day.
Everyone felt for BNP’s participation but it didn’t respond to EC’s calls: CEC
However, the commission said the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Assistant Returning Officer will fix the time in consultation with the local police authority over sending ballot papers to those polling stations which are located in hilly areas, Haor, Bawar, Char or island areas or similar hard-to-reach areas and the remote areas which (considering the communication and time required to travel to the polling station) are a far away from the district headquarters or upazila headquarters or metropolitan area, and where the ballot papers can’t be reached in the morning of the polling day.
The commission said adequate security measures should be taken during the transportation and distribution of election materials including ballot papers, ballot boxes from the Election Commission Secretariat to the district headquarters and from the district headquarters to the upazila headquarters and from the upazila headquarters to the polling stations.
347 candidates withdraw from electoral race, leaving 1896 contenders
For this purpose, the EC asked to take necessary measures in consultation and coordination with the concerned law and order authorities including the Superintendent of Police.
Meanwhile, election commissioners have told the media that ballot papers will be sent to the polling stations located in remote areas the day before the polling. Where communication is good, the ballot papers will be sent in the morning of the polling day.
No external pressure over polls: EC Alamgir
Everyone felt for BNP’s participation but it didn’t respond to EC’s calls: CEC
Chief Election Commission (CEC) Kazi Habiul Awal on Tuesday said everyone felt that BNP’s participation would have been much better but the party did not respond to the repeated calls made by the Election Commission (EC).
“It is true that an important party is not participating in the elections. It would have been much better had the BNP participated it. You know, we have been urging them to participate since the beginning. We invited, they did not respond,” he told reporters at the EC secretariat.
The CEC was talking to reporters after his meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori.
He said Japan will observe the next national election scheduled for January 7 with a team composed of members from Tokyo and embassy staff.
“They are giving much importance to our election. They want to observe the polls. We thank them,” he told reporters at the EC secretariat.
The CEC said they updated the Japanese Ambassador about the coming elections. He said the donor countries are keeping eyes on the upcoming elections.
“We are giving much importance to holding free, fair and peaceful elections,” he said, adding that it is important to talk about his personal comfort or discomfort.
347 candidates withdraw from electoral race, leaving 1896 contenders
As many as 347 contenders have withdrawn of their own accord from contention in the next general election, with the deadline for withdrawal passing on Sunday.
It leaves the number of valid contestants at 1896 for the January 7 poll.
“A total of 347 candidates withdrew candidacy… now the total number of valid candidates is 1896,” said Election Commission’s Secretary Md Jahangir Alam while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Sunday night.
Read: Awami League shares 32 seats with Jatiya Party, allies
The candidacy of five aspirants remain pending, he said, adding that 27 political parties are running the 12th parliamentary election.
Out of 44 registered political parties, BNP and some others are boycotting the general election.
The returning officers will allocate electoral symbols among contenders on Monday. Then the candidates can start electioneering and continue the electoral campaign till January 5 (8am), 48 hours before the balloting, which will continue from 8 am to 4pm without any recess on January 7.
Earlier, a total of 2,716 aspirants including 747 independents submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies throughout the country to run the 12th national election.
Read: Only pro-govt parties contesting 'stage-managed' election: BNP
But the returning officers accepted 1985 nomination papers and rejected 731 others during the scrutiny conducted on December 1-4.
Some 270 aspirants got back their candidacy in the national election slated for January 7 next as the Election Commission on Friday completed the disposal of appeals filed by aggrieved aspirants against the cancellation or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers.
Besides, the commission scrapped the candidacy of five aspirants whose nomination papers were earlier declared valid by the returning officers.
Read: No external pressure over polls: EC Alamgir