Election
Voter turnout in Upazila Polls between 30-40 per cent: CEC
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said the voter turnout in the first phase of 6th Upazila Parishad polls was between 30 to 40 per cent.
“However, the real number will be known later. Due to rain and crops harvesting voters were reluctant to go to the polling centres, he said while talking the reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon area on Wednesday afternoon.
The CEC said upazila parishad elections was held in a peaceful and neutral manner except few untoward incidents.
“Being informed about the incidents, the EC took immediate measures and balloting at two centres were postponed. Law enforcement agencies and administration were very cautious about their respective duties,”
EC’s work is to see whether the voters were able to come or not, whether they were able to vote or not, whether there was any irregularity anywhere. “We have succeeded in discharging our duty”, he added.
The first phase of the country’s sixth Upazila Parishad Election was held in 139 upazilas of 59 districts in the country on Wednesday.
The voting ended at 4:00pm without any recess.
Some 1630 candidates, including nearly 570 chairman contenders are in the electoral race in the 139 upazila parishads against a total of 417 posts –-chairman post, vice chairman and women vice chairman posts in each upazila.
There are more than 2.80 crore voters in the upazilas, according to the data of the Election Commission.
SC clears way for Jhenaidah-1 by polls
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for holding the by-election to Jhenaidah-1 constituency billed for June 5.
The Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice M Enayetur Rahim stayed the High Court order that had postponed the Jhenaidah-1 by-polls.
With this order now there is no legal bar to hold the election.
Election-fear engulfs BNP, says Hasan Mahmud on BNP’s polls boycott
Advocate M Syed Ahmed Raza, Advocate Sheikh Mohammad Morshed and Advocate BM Elias Kochi stood for the petitioner while Advocate Syed Mamun Mahbub and Barrister Md Ashraful Islam represented the other side.
On May 6, the High Court postponed the Jhenaidah-1 by-election, scheduled to be held on June 5, for 21 days.
The HC also fixed Sunday for hearing on the election petition.
Later, Awami League backed candidate Nayeb Ali Joarddar filed a petition with the Appellate Division challenging the HC order.
On January 7, ruling party backed candidate Abdul Hye won the election from Jhenaidah-1 constituency during the 12th national election, but it fell vacant following the death of Abdul Hye on March 16.
Later, the EC declared the by-election for June 5 for the constituency.
An election petition seeking cancellation of the gazette notification issued following the January 7 election, is processing at the High Court.
The HC also fixed Sunday May 12 for hearing on the petition after postponing the by-polls election schedule for the constituency.
Upazila Election: UP member jailed, another arrested for obstructing voters in Chuadanga
Nazrul Islam, an independent candidate in the January 7 election, filed the election petition seeking a stay order on the gazette for the constituency.
On February 1, Justice AKM Asaduzzaman issued a stay order for two months on the gazette notification.
Before the two months expired, Abdul Hye passed away.
Earlier on January 7, according to the returning officer office, about 49 percent votes were cast at Jhenaidah-1 constituency. But the final results of the election showed that 58.27 percent votes were cast, or 28,389 more than the first report.
When the news spread, a petition was filed to issue a stay order on the voting results and gazette notifications published on January 8 and January 10, respectively.
Irregularities in upazila elections to be dealt with iron hand: EC Anisur
If there is any irregularity in the Upazila Parishad elections, the Election Commission (EC) will deal with it with iron hand, Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman said on Wednesday
"The way we handled the 12th national parliament election, the upazila will also be like that. There is no way to see it as less important than the national elections." he said.
He came up with these remarks in a view exchange meeting with the field administration officials along with the law enforcement agencies regarding the Sixth Upazila Parishad election at PTI Bhawan in Chattogram city.
The Election Commissioner said that everyone will see how the elections are being conducted under the current government and there is no doubt that the election will be competitive.
EC Anisur Rahman said, " Our only one target is to make elections fair. The presiding officers can take action wherever there is any irregularity, rigging or wrongdoing. Wherever you are on polling day, you will exercise all power in favor of the law. If there is a possibility of any kind of danger, we are by your side," he said.
Chaired by Divisional Commissioner Md. Tofail Ahmed, CMP Commissioner Krishna Pad Roy, Chittagong Range DIG Nur Alam Meena, among others, were also present.
Bangladesh’s election was one-sided and a crafted competition: TIB
Bangladesh’s 12th parliamentary election was unfree and noninclusive, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said on Wednesday in its primary findings on the January 7 balloting.
“The overall experience including gains and losses are ominous for the future of Bangladesh’s democracy and democratic election, which are contradictory to the spirit and dreams of the glorious liberation war and independence,” according to the report revealed at a press conference at the anti-graft organisation’s office in Dhaka.
Exeuctive Director of TIB Iftekharuzzaman spoke at the event.
TIB doubts polls aspirants’ wealth statements disclosed in affidavits
The TIB conducted the survey in 50 out of 300 constituencies under its 12th National Parliament Election Process Tracking.
The country’s main opposition, led by BNP, boycotted the polls after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government refused to accept its demand that the vote be held under a non-partisan caretaker administration.
According to the report “The election was not free and inclusive due to mutually contradictory and intransigent positions of the two largest political parties.”
Burning people alive can never lead to democracy: TIB
“The state of hostage of the future of democracy to this contradictory agenda and intransigence-driven conflict has been further exacerbated.” it added.
It said “The agenda to ensure continued stay in power through one-sided election has been successfully achieved, the legality of which may not be challenged, or may not hold if challenged. But in terms of political integrity, democratic and moral values this success will remain ever debatable.”
The key elements of the concept of democratic election and national international good practices like free, inclusive and above all, the precondition of a level playing field for free, open and unrestricted competition were not met, said the report.
In favour of free, fair, inclusive election, not for or against any political party: TIB
The report also highlighted the role of the Election Commission.
“The Election Commission,” it said, “sometimes by compulsion in the name of Constitutional and legal compulsion and on occasions by design, played the role of a key catalyst for the realization of the agenda of the one-sided election. Other state institutions, especially law enforcement agencies and administration were also used to play, or played the same role in similar ways.”
“It has once again been proved that the zero-sum game of electoral politics in the country has no relevance to political ideology. Despite being an election without any meaningful political opponent, where fabricated competitions were staged between the ruling party nominated candidates and against its own ‘independents’ and those of other protégé parties, violations of electoral code of conduct have been pervasive including unhealthy rivalries and violent hostilities which had nothing to do with political ideology or public interest,” said the report.
Meaningful development hinges on assurance of democracy, freedom of speech: TIB
The report concluded that “Finally, as ominous the experience around the Twelfth Parliament Election is for democratic future of Bangladesh, it is going to be a test case of lessons on what countries and peoples around the world with democratic aspirations would need to do and avoid, especially in terms of democratic backsliding and related electoral strategies and innovations.”
Mymensingh-3: Poppy's win confirmed, AL moves to 263
Awami League candidate Nilufar Anjum Poppy has won the Mymensingh-3 seat after voting at a centre that was suspended over irregularities during the general election held on January 7.
Prof. Mosharraf Hossain, presiding officer of Valukapur High School centre, announced the unofficial result on Saturday evening.
Out of 3,032 votes in this centre, Awami League's Nilufar Anjum bagged 1,295 votes while her nearest rival, independent candidate with truck symbol Somnath Saha got 355 votes.
With this, Poppy secured a total 53,196 votes while Somnath Saha earned 52,211 votes.
As a result, Poppy has won over Somnath by 1,925 votes.
Out of 11 seats in Mymensingh District, Awami League has won 5 seats while independent candidates won 6 seats.
“As Awami League managed to bag this seat, its total number of seats now rose to 223 out of 299 constituencies.”
Earlier, the Election Commission postponed the election of Naogaon-2 following the death of a candidate.
Election 2024: 21 candidates in Bagerhat lose security deposit
At least 21 candidates in Bagerhat’s four constituencies have lost their security deposit as they failed to bag required votes cast in the 12th parliamentary election held on January 7.
Nineteen candidates from different political leaders and two independent candidates are among those who lost their security deposit.
Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner and Returning officer Khalid Hossain came up with the information after analyzing the results.
Read: Election 2024: List of winners from Mymensingh division
Among them, five candidates each were from Bagerhat-1, Bagerhat-2 and Bagerhat-3 constituencies while four from Bagerhat-4 constituencies.
The candidates were: Md Kamruzzaman (5210 votes), HM Ataur Rahman Atiqui (1175 votes), Basudeb Guha (2065 votes), Manjur Hosain Shikdar (2796 votes), Mahfuzur Rahman (1775 votes), Shahidul Isalm (4174 votes), SM Azmal Hossain (1455 votes), Khan Arifur Rahman, (3163 votes), Mariam Sultana (2762 votes), Solaiman Shikdar (1907 votes), Mafizul Islam Gazi (208 votes), Manuel Sarkar (228 votes), Maniruzzaman Moni (670 votes), Sheikh Nuruzzaman Masum (338 votes), Subrata Mandal (423 votes), Jamil Hossain (5376 votes), Mohammad Badruzzaman (992 votes), Mohammad Lokman (1611 votes), Rezaul Islam Raju (636 votes), Lutfun Nahar Rikta (697 votes) and Sajon Kumar Mistri (2220 votes).
District Election Officer Sheikh Muhammad Jalal Uddin, said the candidates submitted Tk 20,000 as security deposit.
Read: Election 2024: List of winners from Rangpur division
According to the rules, those who did not get a minimum 12.5 percent of the total votes cast in the election will not get the security money back.
The voting for the 12th parliamentary election was held on January 7 amid tight security in 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies.
Election 2024: List of winners from Mymensingh division
The Awami League won a comfortable two-thirds majority for a fourth election in a row on Sunday, in 299 out of 300 constituencies, and a strong showing by independent candidates as predicted.
Ruling party candidates won in 222 seats in Sunday’s election, while independent candidates — most of them belonging to AL — won 62 seats.
Here’s the list of candidates from Mymensingh division who won in the National Election 2024:
Election 2024: List of winners from Rangpur division
The Awami League won a comfortable two-thirds majority for a fourth election in a row on Sunday (January 07, 2024), in 299 out of 300 constituencies, and a strong showing by independent candidates as predicted.
Ruling party candidates won in 222 seats in Sunday’s election, while independent candidates — most of them belonging to AL — won 62 seats.
Read more: Democracies have weaknesses, but they attain maturity only through practice: Foreign Ministry tells diplomats
Here’s the list of candidates from Rangpur division who won in the National Election 2024:
Election 2024: HC suspends results of Dhaka-4 constituency, orders probe into irregularities
The High Court has suspended the results of Dhaka-4 constituency (Jatrabari and Shyampur) for the 12th parliamentary election.
At the same time, the High Court has asked the Chief Election Commissioner and Dhaka Divisional Commissioner for a report within 10 days after investigating the allegations of irregularities in 18 centers of the constituency.
The HC bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Md Bashir Ullah passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Sanjida Khanam, the Awami League-nominated candidate for the constituency.
Advocate Shah Monjurul Haque, Advocate Motahar Hossain Saju and Barrister ABM Altaf Hossain stood for the writ petitioner while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for the state.
Advocate Motahar Hossain Saju confirmed the news to UNB.
Earlier on January 7, independent candidate Awlad Hossain won the Dhaka-4 constituency in the 12th parliamentary election with 24,775 votes. His nearest rival, AL-nominated candidate Sanjida Khanam got 22,577 votes.
Incumbent MP Syed Abu Hossain Babla of Jatiya Party with plough symbol got 7,798 votes.
Election 2024: List of winners from Rajshahi division
The Awami League won a comfortable two-thirds majority for a fourth election in a row on Sunday (January 07, 2024), in 299 out of 300 constituencies, and a strong showing by independent candidates as predicted.
Ruling party candidates won in 222 seats in Sunday’s election, while independent candidates — most of them belonging to AL — won 62 seats.
Read more: Election 2024: List of winners from Barishal division
Here’s the list of candidates from Rajshahi division who won in the National Election 2024: