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Fakhrul : Election commissioners should resign if can’t perform duty properly.

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The election commissioners should resign if they fail to perform their duties properly, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said today. “We want to say clearly that the countrymen want a free and fair election,” Fakhrul told reporters at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office in Dhaka this noon. Using the EC, the government wants to come to power again by holding a one-sided election, he alleged. He also alleged that a total of 1,972 opposition activists were arrested and the arrests have been continuing since the day of nomination filing. The district judges were also directed not to grant bail to the opposition activists, he said. He further said there is no level-playing field for all political parties before the elections. “We reiterate that wehave joined the polls as a part of our movement. We also want release of Khaleda Zia,” he said. WHEN IS THE ELECTION? Election Commission has revised polls schedule, deferring the 11th general election by a week ...
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EC bins Khaleda candidature in split verdict.

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Election Commission on Saturday upheld returning officers’ decision cancelling candidature of jailed Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia for December 30 general election. Amid opposition from election commissioner Mahabub Talukder, the chief election commissioner-headed electoral tribunal turned down all the three appeals of the former prime minister against cancellation of her candidacy for Feni 1, Bogura 6 and 7 constituencies. CEC KM Nurul Huda and three other election commissioners — Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury — gave their judgments against Khaleda’s appeals, while election commissioner Mahbub Talukder gave his judgment in favour of them. EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmed announced the commission’s judgment around 5:55pm rejecting Khaleda’s three petitions by 4-1 votes. Earlier on the day, the appellate authorities heard the three petitions for about half an hour beginning at 12:38pm. During the hearing, Khaleda’s counsel AJ Mohamm...
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No respite from attack, arrest

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AL, BNP activists killed in Sylhet, Kishoreganj; Fakhrul’s election office vandalised in Thakurgaon, BNP candidate attacked in Patukhali Arrests and intimidation of opposition leaders and activists and raids on their houses continued on Friday, just a day before the polling in the December 30 Bangladesh elections. A ruling Awami League activist was killed allegedly by opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party activists in Sylhet Thursday evening while a BNP activist was killed allegedly in attack by AL activists in Kishoreganj Thursday evening. The electioneering that began on December 10 ended at 8:00am on Friday while massive electioneering for AL-led alliance candidates was seen but there were rare campaigns by the candidates and activists of the opposition, including the Jatiya Oikya Front amidst reported arrests of and attacks on opposition candidates and their campaigners. All the 39 registered political parties are participating in the 11th parliamentary elections to be ...
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Candidates beaten, shot as attacks on opposition on.

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JOF seeks appointment with president Jatiya Oikya Front candidates were shot at, beaten and attacked at places as attacks on opposition campaigns for the December 30 general election reportedly by ruling Awami League activists continued on the sixth day of the electioneering on Saturday. Bangladesh Nationalist Party joint secretary general Mahbub Uddin Khokon, also front candidate for Noakhali 1, sustained bullet injuries in an attack allegedly by AL activists in Noakhali. AL activists beat up front candidate for Dhaka 6 Subrata Chowdhury in Old Dhaka. Front candidates Mirza Abbas for Dhaka 8 and Hasina Ahmed for Cox’s Bazar 4 were attacked at Segunbagicha in Dhaka and in Cox’s Bazar frespectivly during their electioneering. The main opposition alliance sought appointment with president Md Abdul Hamid for a meeting to discuss the elections. A letter signed by jailed Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s private secretary ABM Abdus Sattar on December 13 stat...
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Khaleda, MPs among 95 thousand can’t cast vote

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Over 95,000 voters, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia and some former lawmakers, who are in jail are going to be deprived of casting vote in the December 30 Bangladesh elections as the Election Commission has taken no initiative to this end. Former National Human Right Commission chairman Mizanur Rahman, also Dhaka University law professor, said that there was no doubt that their basic right to franchise was being curtailed.  He also said that the ruling Awami League had earlier discussed how the expatriate Bangladeshi could cast vote but none discussed how a large number of people languishing in jails in Bangladesh might get the chance to exercise their right to vote. Inspector general of prisons Brigadier General AKM Mustafa Kamal Pasha could not be reached but Dhaka division deputy inspector general of prisons Tipu Sultan admitted that they had taken no initiative to this end. Election Commission additional secretary Mokhlesur Rahman admitted that No initiative was ...
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Fear casts shadow as all set for vote tomorrow.

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The 11th parliamentary elections are set to be held tomorrow with participation of all major political parties amid allegations of intimidation of candidates of main opposition alliance and their activists by ruling Awami League and police.  Candidates and their supporters ended electioneering at 8:00am on Friday while many opposition candidates, especially those of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, alleged that they were isolated from their activists by police and ruling Awami League activists.  Polling will be held between 8:00am to 4:00pm without any break in 299 constituencies out of 300 as election to Gaibandha 3 was suspended due to death of a candidate.  A total of 10,42,38,677 voters — 5,25,72,365 male and 5,16,66,312 female — are listed to exercise their franchise in 40,183 polling stations where 2,07,312 polling booths have been set, according to Election Commission. Some 1,861 candidates including 1,733 persons nominated by political parties and 128 independen...
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BNP : CEC not allowing army to work independently.

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BNP : CEC not allowing army to work independently. Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday alleged that chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda is not allowing army to work independently since their deployment on December 24 ahead of the 11th parliament polls. ‘The CEC has ensured that the roles of the army remain limited and stifled after they were deployed across the country. They are not being allowed to work independently. All these things are being happening at the behest of the prime minister and under the supervision of the CEC,’ Rizvi said at a news conference. Addressing the press conference at BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan, the BNP leader alleged that a total of 10,329 leaders and activists of the opposition were arrested across the country till Thursday since announcement of the election schedule while 844 ‘false’ cases were filed, a total of 2,896 incidents of attack took place, a total of 13,252 were in...
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