Election Commission
Voting to 5 municipalities, 66 union parishads underway
Voting in five municipalities and 66 union parishads began on Thursday morning.
The five municipalities are—Bagha in Rajshahi, Birol in Dinajpur, Boda in Panchagarh, Alfadanga in Faridpur and Banpara in Natore district. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being used in the municipality elections.
The voting began at 8am and will continue till 4:30 pm.
Also read;UP elections: Voting underway in 160 union parishads, 9 municipalities
No untoward incident was reported in the beginning hours of the day.
In Panchagarh, voting in the Boda municipality election started in nine polling centres.
Some 14,512 people including 7,461 women will vote in the election at Boda, said Returning officer Md Alamgir.
Nine executive magistrates, one judicial magistrate, one platoon of BGB, Rab, police and Ansar members will perform their duties at the nine polling stations, he said.
The Election Commission said voting in 66 union parishads across the country was also undergoing from Thursday morning.
No outside pressure on Election Commission: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday said that there is no pressure from the international community or foreign diplomats on the Election Commission regarding next parliamentary elections expected to be held early 2024.
He made the comment while speaking at the inauguration of the distribution of smart national identity cards in Patuakhali.
Read more: Democratic practice won't develop without electoral competition: CEC
The Election Commission has no comment on the statements made by the diplomats over the national elections, he said.
“It is a matter of the government and those who are speaking is a bilateral issue. I will not comment on this as Chief Election Commissioner,” he said.
Expecting BNP’s participation in the election, the CEC said, “However, no party is being forced to participate in the elections.”
Read more: Govt’s cooperation needed for holding fair election: CEC
“BNP is an important opposition party. The election will be more participatory if they come forward,” he said.
“We are hopeful that all opposition parties, including BNP, will participate in the next parliamentary election,” said the CEC.
EVMs: How many seats to be known by Jan
Election commissioner (EC) Md Alamgir said the number of constituencies that will be voted on by electronic voting machines (EVM) will be known within January.
"The decision will be made within the month of January regarding how many seats' election will be held through EVM in the 12th national election," he said.
EC Alamgir said this to reporters at his office in the Agargaon election building in the capital on Tuesday.
Read more: No budget for CCTV monitoring in by-elections: Election commissioner
He said polling can be held in 70 seats with the current number of EVMs while how many more depends on the amount allocated in the budget.
The Election Commissioner also said that if sufficient budget is available by January, then the EVM voting will be held in 150 seats. But it will not be possible if the budget is received in February.
BNP MPs’ vacant seats: EC to announce schedule of by-polls Nov 18
The Election Commission (EC) will announce the schedule of the by-elections to the vacant parliamentary seats of the BNP MPs on December 18 , said Election Commissioner Md Alamgir on Thursday.
He said this while talking to journalists at the Election Commission office at Agargaon in the city.
“We have a meeting on Sunday and discussion will be held on the by-election to vacant seats,” he said.
Read more: BNP MPs' decision to resign a 'mistake': Obaidul Quader
The by-election schedule will be announced after the meeting, he added.
On December 11, five out of seven BNP members of the parliament (MPs) submitted their resignation to Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, as part of their anti-government movement with a 10-point demand that includes dissolution of parliament.
The MPs who resigned are: Md. Zahidur Rahman, Thakurgaon-3; Md. Mosharof Hosen, Bogura-4; Gulam Mohammad Siraj, Bogura-6; Md. Aminul Islam, Chapainawabganj-2 and Rumeen Farhana, from women’s reserved seats.
Read more: 5 BNP MPs’ resignation: Election to vacant seats within 90 days, EC says
Md. Harunur Rashid of Chapainawabganj-3, who is now in Australia and ailing MP of Brahmanbaria-2 Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan could not submit resignation to the Speaker in person.
The MPs sent their resignation through an email on the same day.
EC: Updated draft voter list to be published on Jan 15
The Election Commission will publish the draft of an updated voter list on January 15.
According to a letter sent to all election officers at local level on Monday, the date has been delayed 13 days from the usual date of January 2 for publishing the voter list.
The letter signed by Assistant Secretary of Election Commissioner Md Mosharraf Hossain, said the upazila level election officers will publish the voter list of respective areas on January 15.
The decision of renewing the voter list was taken immediately after Kazi Habibul Awal was appointed as Chief Election Commissioner on February 26 this year.
Read more: 5 BNP MPs’ resignation: Election to vacant seats within 90 days, EC says
After 2019, the updating of voters’ lists began this year by collecting information from every house for three weeks. Inclusion of new voters, exclusion of deceased and transferring those who changed location was done during the process.
Information of those who were born before January 1, 2007, and are eligible to become voters was collected.
After that photo, fingerprint and iris identification information were collected at designated registration centers.
Read more: Next general election to be held first week of 2024: PM Hasina announces at Cox’s Bazar rally
After resolving the objections about the draft list the final list will be published in March next year and the enlisted voters will be eligible to vote for 12th parliamentary election.
Currently there are 11,32,87,010 voters in the country and of them 5,76,89,529 are men 5,55,97,027 women and 454 are transgender.
Election Commission staff submit demands with threat of work-abstention
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.
EC making its best effort for a level-playing field: Commissioner Habib
The Election Commission is trying its best to create a level-playing field for an inclusive election, said Election Commissioner Md Ahsan Habib Khan on Saturday.
“The Election Commission is trying to create a level-playing field with the participation of all parties. But I believe that, the level-playing field currently exists, and the willingness and participation of all political parties are needed now,” he said.
Habib said this while talking to reporters after visiting the voter enrollment activities with photographs at Nababganj High School in Chapainawabganj.
“The EC has a discussion with different political parties and any parties still can sit with us as there is no lack of sincerity among us to hold a free, fair and neutral election after creating a level-playing field,” he added.
Read: 'Gaibandha by-election was an isolated case': Election Commissioner
He also said that they are performing their duties accurately as per the nation’s constitution.
Referring to the remark of a foreign envoy, Habib said “The government and the ministry concerned will talk about it. Our duty is to implement the election process as per the constitution. To ensure it, we’ll do whatever is needed.”
Read: Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman
Deputy Commissioner AKM Galiv Khan, Superintendent of Chapainawabganj Police AHM Abdur Rakib, Regional Election Officer of Rajshahi division Saiful Islam, District Election Officer Motawakkil rahman and Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Roushan Ali were present there.
EC plans to seek president’s intervention to retain NID services
The Election Commission is likely to take its dispute over National Identity (NID) cards with the home ministry to President Md Abdul Hamid.
Talking to reporters on Monday, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said the EC will soon send a letter to the president seeking his intervention in resolving the dispute.
The government has recently decided to transfer to the home ministry the National Identity Registration wing that had been under the EC since 2006. The EC has objected to the take-over.
Meanwhile, a new law is under way to bring the NID job under the Security Services of the home ministry.
Earlier, the Cabinet division sent a letter was sent to the EC to hand over the NID services. The Election Commission wrote a counter letter highlighting the benefits of keeping the NID under its control.
Since the government is moving towards making a new law the EC has decided to approach the president, said Alamgir.
Read: Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman
He said, “There is no new step in this regard. As far as I know the Election Commission Officers Association had submitted an application which we said we will send to the President following the rules.”
“We may also send a copy to the security department. That was the decision," he said.
He said that the decision was taken 10-12 days ago.
The Election Commission Officers Association submitted a memorandum to keep the National Identity Card (NID) registration wing under the EC authority rather than under the home ministry.
If it is shifted from the Election Commission (EC), the EC officials feel that the normal process of the election will be hampered.
On October 23, the association submitted the memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal at the election building.
Read: NID registration under Home Ministry: Cabinet approves draft act
In response to another question, the Election Commissioner said, “NID is the government property. The law gave us responsibility. Now if the law wants to take it then there is nothing to stop us. However, if the government wants to take it, separate manpower and technical infrastructure will have to be created”.
"It is definitely a cost issue for the government, there is a challenge as it is a time-consuming issue. We think that even if the government wants to take it, it will take time. It cannot take it so quickly. Because it will take a long time to move from one system to another system. Like the time it takes to pass a law in parliament. It will take a long time to actually transfer," he hinted.
Govt to support Election Commission in holding fair election: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said the government will provide all necessary support to the Election Commission (EC) in holding a free and fair election.
“I have clearly said that the Bangladesh government enacted a law for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners. The responsibility of the Election Commission is to conduct fair elections and the government will provide all necessary assistance,” he said.
Read more: BNP MPs ready to resign; Govt must go for credible election: Fakhrul
The minister said this replying to questions from journalists after a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Lilly Nicholls.
The envoy paid a call on the minister at the Secretariat today.
The Hasina-led government is committed to holding fair elections, Anisul added.
It is up to EC whether it will allow observers in national poll
The law minister said he told the Canadian envoy that it is up to the EC whether it will allow observers in the next national election.
During the visit, Nicholls wanted to know whether they can send observers to oversee the next election,
They also discussed the Digital Security Act and the Data Protection Act. “They did not say anything about the Digital Security Act. I informed them about it as this issue is being widely discussed,” said the minister.
Read more: Govt won’t send Khaleda back to jail before election: Law Minister
Regarding the proposed Data Protection Act, the minister said already a meeting was held with the stakeholders. There will be two to three more meetings. “It will not be for data control, it will be for protection.”
During the visit they discussed 50 years of friendship between the two nations, areas of mutual cooperation, importance of freedom of expression in democratic societies.
Let’s see how EC handles Jamaat’s registration in disguise: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration as a political party is sub judice and he will wait to see how the Election Commission handles their appeal for registration under a different name.
“Will make a comment in this regard after EC’s step,” he said replying to a reporter’s question after a training programme organised for the sub registrars at Judicial Administration Training Institute in the city.
His remarks came amid reports that all leaders of newly launched Bangladesh Democratic Party (BDP) that sought EC’s registration belong to Jamaat and its student front Shibir. BDP filed for registration on Wednesday.
In 2013, the High Court declared the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami with the EC illegal effectively banning it from taking part in general elections. In 2018, the EC formally deregistered the Islamic fundamentalist party as it failed to fulfill its prerequisites.
However, Jamaat is still operating as a legal political party amid calls from the secular forces to ban it for its role in the genocide during the Liberation War it vehemently opposed.
Responding to another question on Jamaat leaders’ trial for war crimes the law minister said the AL government is determined to bring the war criminals of 1971 under justice, which is a proven fact.
Also read: Jamaat-e-Islami can get registered if conditions are met, says commissioner Alamgir
In reply to another question on the trial of Jamaat for its role against the Liberation War, Huq reiterated that it requires some changes in the law and it’s under process.
“I have mentioned earlier we need some changes in law to proceed with the trial against Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and we have already sent the amendment to the Cabinet Division. Very soon we will pass a law in this regard and begin the trial,” he added.
Government will take immediate steps to begin the trial if it finds necessary, he added.
On Wednesday, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said that Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami can get registration under a different name if they fulfill all the conditions.
The deadline for new political parties to apply for registration expires on October 30.