Criticising the diplomats stationed in Dhaka, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel on Wednesday said no election or electoral process is perfect. Democracy is refined by practicing it, not by prescription from diplomats, he said apparently reacting to a joint statement issued by foreign missions yesterday. Read more: Ex-Ducsu VP Nur sued for making ‘derogatory comments’ about deputy minister Nowfel "Do foreign missions anywhere in this region or nearby comment on host country's internal electoral politics as they do in Bangladesh?" he tweeted mentioning that "partners not masters!"

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Tuesday that the dispute over allocating space for BNP’s rally on December 10 will be resolved soon. “A problem surfaced over the venue for BNP’s December 10 rally and there is no solution yet,” he said while talking to reporters after a meeting with newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma at the Secretariat. Replying to a question, the minister said “I am always optimistic, and I am optimistic over it. Whatever the situation is, a solution will come out.” Read more: BNP to avoid AL's trap over December-10 rally: Gayeshwar  “There is no reason for the people to panic. On behalf of my party, I want to say that we are in power, why would we want to create any unrest? Why will we do something that could create panic? We don’t need that,” he said.   “Now, if anybody attacks us, if there is any instigation, if they jump on us, will we sit idle? We hope the opposition will hold their rally peacefully,” he said. Referring to the visit of the Indian High Commissioner, Quader said “There are many projects under road communication , and we have discussed the progress of the projects. We also discussed the Teesta issue. In reply to the Teesta issue, he said he will try his best (to resolve it).” On September 27, BNP announced a series of public rallies in 10 divisional cities. The party will conclude the divisional programmes by holding its last rally in Dhaka on December 10. Police in Dhaka have asked BNP to hold the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, but BNP is determined to dol its rally in front of its party headquarters at Naya Paltan in Dhaka. Read more: December-10 rally: BNP delegation sits with IGP The BNP has long been demanding that the next general election be held under a caretaker government, not under any political government--a demand sharply rejected by the ruling Awami League as the constitution does not contain any such provision.    

By-election to Gaibandha-5 constituency will be held on January 4, said Election Commission Secretary Md Jahangir Alam on Tuesday. Elections will be monitored through CCTV cameras as before while voting will be held  through electronic voting machines(EVMs) from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, he told reporters after a meeting held at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. He also said that Dhaka regional election officer Faridul Islam has been appointed as the returning officer. 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. But the EC cancelled the election because of "widespread malpractices" on the election day due to rampant irregularities. Later, a three-member committee was formed to look into the irregularities. 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. 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, independent candidate Nahiduzzaman Nishad and Syed Mahbubur Rahman. The constituency consists of Saghata and Phulchhari upazila and 339,743 people will exercise their franchise in the polls.  

The Election Commission officials on Tuesday set a deadline till December 4 to keep the National Identity Registration (NID) department under their control and stop all postings. Bangladesh Election Commission Officers Association submitted a copy of the written decisions to the EC secretary and Chief Election Commissioner after their meeting today. Read more: Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman If the demand is not implemented, they will start a movement for it within a day, the association informed. The demands of the officials are: retainment of NID service activities under the Election Commission, stoppage of all postings on deputation in the Election Commission Secretariat, ensuring visible and effective steps to fill the vacant posts, approval of the EVM project proposed by the Commission including logistics (warehouse and vehicles), and implementation of the proposed organizational structure as soon as possible.  They said if visible measures are not taken by December 4 (Sunday) in all these matters, the EC officials will sport black badges on December 5 (Monday) and abstain from work for half a day on December 8 (Thursday). They also said if no visible effective action is taken within that period, strict action will be taken as decided by the executive council of the association. Read more: New secretary joins Election Commission The announced programme will be held simultaneously at the Election Commission Secretariat, NID, Electoral Training Institute and all the field level offices.  However, the announced election activities will be exempted from the demonstration, they added. A copy of the document signed by Bangladesh Election Commission Officers Association President Muhammad Hasanuzzaman and Secretary General Rashedul Islam was also sent to journalists.

The government's willingness and overall cooperation are needed to hold a successful and fair election, said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Thursday. “Without the govt’s sincere will and cooperation, it may not be possible to make the election successful to the desired extent,” he said in response to a question from reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban. Besides, it will not be possible to hold the election in a fair and credible manner with the help of police and army only if the political parties themselves do not maintain a balance, he added. If there is no consensus among the political parties, the Election Commission will not be able to hold a fair election, said the CEC. Read more: CEC appreciates environment of local govt polls “Understanding among political parties , their cooperation and a conducive environment need to be created for holding a fair election,” he said. Regarding the dialogue among the political parties, he said no decision has been taken yet on another round of dialogue, but more dialogue needs to be held. The CEC said, “In our existing system, the government is not the Awami League. Government has a different entity.” “If there is no cooperation from the ministries, departments of the government, then it may not be possible to make the election successful. And so the political leaders are saying that dialogue is very crucial. We see there is no dialogue between the political parties. We think this is very necessary.” He said he wants to convey this message to the political leaders through the media. “I do not believe that a fair election will be possible by showing off power on the streets,” Awal said, referring to the political leaders who are saying that there will be a test of strength on the streets. Read more: Law to decide Khaleda’s participation in next national polls: CEC He urged them to participate in the election and compete maintaining the rules and regulations in the election field. Democratic election is not possible without ‘effective competition, the CEC said adding, “Because we cannot create a balance with the police, it will be created only through healthy competition among political parties.”

A total of 6035 electronic voting machines out of 10,759 stored in Rangpur region have been found to be defective.    Project officials informed the Election Commission after their evaluation ahead of Rangpur City Corporation elections to be held on December 27. Before the 2018 national elections, the Election Commission bought 1.5 lakh EVMs at a cost of about Tk 4000 crores. The Commission stores EVMs in  its regional offices across the country after their use in various elections. Read more: Manipulation of EVMs technically impossible: Commissioner Alamgir  The project officials informed the Election Commission after monitoring the EVMs in Rangpur through a letter. The letter informed that most of the EVMs have been damaged by termites. Most of the sensitive EVM equipment has become useless due to carelessness and negligence. EVMs are being sent from Dhaka to conduct the vote in Rangpur city elections on December 27 as the equipment there cannot be used before maintenance, EC informed. In such a situation, the project stakeholders have requested the Election Commission to take initiative to save the EVMs stored in different parts of the country. Read more: 'Gaibandha by-election was an isolated case': Election Commissioner In that letter, 8 more recommendations have been given for the preservation of the highly sensitive EVMs. Candidates can submit their nomination papers to the returning officer and assistant returning officer till November 29. Returning officers will scrutinize the nomination papers on November 29 and December 1. December 8 has been set as the final date for withdrawal of candidature for Rangpur City polls. Earlier, the Election Commission also decided to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) and CCTV cameras in the election. Voting will start at 8:30 am and continue till 4:30 pm without any break. Read more: Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman 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 cast their votes at 193 centres to elect the Rangpur mayor, 33 general ward councillors and 11 reserved ward councillors.

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.

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.

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.

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.