The Supreme Court (SC) today upheld a High Court order that disqualified seven candidates, mostly from BNP, from contesting in the general election slated for December 30.
Chamber Judge of Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed “no order” on separatewrit petitions filed by the candidates seeking stay on the HC order.
The six BNP candidates are: Fazlur Rahmanfor Rajshahi-1, Faridul Kabir Talukder for Jamalpur-4, Abdul Majid for Jhenidah-2, Abu Sayeed Chand for Rajshahi-6,Nadim Mustafafor Rajshahi-5 and Khandaker Abu Ashfaq for Dhaka-1.
The other candidate is Mahmud Hasan Suman (independent) for Myemensingh-1.
Following separate writ petitions,the HC recently stayed the Election Commission’s decision that allowed them to contest the election.
Writ petitioner’s lawyer advocate Shah ManjurulHaq told reporters that the candidates cannot run the polls following today’s order.
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Bangladesh Nationalist Front President SM Abul Kalam Azad today said that the national election will not be free and fair under this Election Commission.
"Our supporters, voters, activists are feeling insecure," Azad, who is contesting from Dhaka-17, was speaking to reporters after a meeting at the commission.
Azad is currently a lawmaker of the current parliament and his party BNF is also a component of the Awami League-led ruling 14-party alliance.
"Our constitution says an election will be held under the Election Commission. But, we don't see it. It is heavily influenced by the ruling party," he said.
Speaking after meeting Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed, he claimed 55 BNF candidates were attacked by Awami League and Oikyafront men.
"We want to stay in the election till the last day, but it should be held under a neutral Election Commission," he said.
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At least 20 BNP leaders and activists including its Khagrachhari district unit President Wadud Bhuiyan were injured in an attack allegedly by Awami League men while campaigning in Ramgarh upazila today.
Wadud, also a former MP and chairman of Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board, came under attack around 11:30am when he along with his party men was electioneering for Jatiya Oikyafront candidate Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan Farhad, BNP sources said.
At least 20 BNP men including senior leaders of district unit Jobo Dal, Chhatra Dal and other front organisations were injured in the attack by the “ruling party men”, they claimed.
The injured were given treatment at Khagrachhari District Sadar Hospital.
Confirming the news of the clash between AL and BNP men, Ahmar Uzzaman, superintendent of police in Khagrachhari told The Daily Star that police later rushed to the spot and contained the situation.
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After having weathered a difficult 15 years in the opposition camp, it is natural that there would be chaos in a big party like BNP as it goes about reorganising its house with an eye on the next election. But after over two months since the fall of Awami League, BNP still seems nowhere close to establishing internal discipline. Rather, reports of widespread extortion, infighting, and other illegal and unruly activities by party members are overshadowing its pro-people messages to become the dominant narrative surrounding the party. If morning shows the day, then critics are perhaps right to wonder if a BNP regime would be significantly different from the one it helped to oust.
This concern has again come to the fore after a report by Prothom Alorevealed how two BNP leaders, including the convener of BNP's recently-dissolved Dhaka North unit, have taken over extortion operations at key transportation hubs in Dhaka, including the Mohakhali bus terminal, where over a million taka is allegedly collected every day. After August 5, they took control of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners' Association. They also established control over local businesses and even mosques in areas previously controlled by Awami League's inner circle. At the terminals, extortion is taking place in various forms, such as charging fees for using illegally set facilities like toilets and showers, entry or exit fees for long-distance buses, etc. Clearly, little has changed in terms of abuse of power after the regime power.
This is despite what appears to have been a large-scale purge within the party. To date, according to another report by Prothom Alo, some 1,023 leaders have faced various disciplinary actions over the past two months—with 523 receiving show-cause notices, 437 expelled, 24 suspended, 35 warned, and four served notice for breaching party discipline. There have been even instances of dissolution of entire committees. Despite all such measures, the persistence of unruly activities by party members points to deep-seated structural issues within the BNP that need to be resolved first.
The time has come for a critical rethink by the BNP leadership. They must recognise that the stakes now are higher than ever. If BNP cannot get its house in order, it risks alienating not just the reformists within the party but the broader population who expect real change after decades of political instability and corruption in the country. So, besides ensuring sustained disciplinary actions, BNP must find out what's emboldening errant party members and undertake comprehensive reforms by placing ethical and democratic conduct at the heart of its operations.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on all stakeholders to ensure an environment free of violence, intimidation and coercion before, during and after Sunday's general election in Bangladesh.
In the run-up to the polls, he said an environment free from violence would help enable a peaceful, credible and inclusive election.
In a statement yesterday, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN secretary-general, said, “All Bangladeshi citizens, including minorities and women, must feel safe and confident in exercising their right to vote. Civil society and electoral observers should be fully supported to play their role in the process.”
Ahead of the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, @antonioguterres calls for an environment free of violence, intimidation and coercion. All Bangladeshis, including minorities & women, must feel safe and confident in exercising their right to vote. full text: https://t.co/bMQIDBtozh
Guterres also reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh, it added.
The call for a peaceful and free, fair and inclusive election comes at a time when violence continues across the country before the 11th parliamentary election.
Last week, the UN said it is closely following the situation ahead of the polls in Bangladesh.
On December 10, Dujarric said, “We believe, as a matter of principles, that elections should be held in a positive climate, free from any sort of intimidation.”
In another development, the US yesterday expressed concern by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks.
Talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at the Election Commission Secretariat, US Ambassador Earl Miller said he asked for this meeting because the US is concerned by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks, says an embassy statement.
All parties have been victims of violence, including minorities and female candidates. However, it appears opposition party candidates have borne the brunt of most violence, he said.
Miller added, “I appreciated the opportunity to consult with the Election Commission to see what plans it has to create a conducive atmosphere, so all Bangladeshis, no matter their political affiliation, feel safe to go to the polls on Sunday and cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.
“Bangladesh is rightfully proud of its democratic traditions, including elections where upwards of 70 percent of the electorate turns out to vote. In any democratic election there must be space for peaceful expression and assembly; for independent media to do its job covering electoral developments; for participants to have access to information; and for all individuals to be able to partake in the electoral process without harassment, intimidation, or violence.”
The US wishes all Bangladeshis a free, fair, tolerant and peaceful election day on Sunday, the envoy added.
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The families of two teenagers killed in Mohammadpur during a clash of Awami League factions ahead of the general election have been robbed of justice.
The family members of one of the victims said police submitted the final report in the case without talking to them. The report mentioned no clash even though it was widely covered by the media at that time. It termed the incident an “accident”.
Councillor Tarequzzaman Rajib of ward-33 also threatened the father of one of the victims not to file a murder case, they said.
A case was filed after the November 10, 2018, incident and the father of one of the teens was made the plaintiff.
The father maintains he did not file the case and that the signature on the case document could not be his since he is illiterate. He said Councillor Rajib put a gun to his head and told him to do as he said after the incident.
The families opened up to this paper only after Rajib was arrested this week.
On the morning of November 10, 2018, a procession of vehicles, largely comprised of flatbeds, with supporters of AL leader Sadek Khan was going towards the AL Dhanmondi office to buy nomination paper for Sadek’s candidacy in the polls.
Mohammad Sujon, 19, and Arif Hossain, 14, were on one of the pickup trucks when the procession was attacked allegedly by the men of rival AL leader and then lawmaker Jahangir Kabir Nanak.
During the melee Sujon and Arif fell off the vehicle and the driver, trying to avoid the brick chunks being hurled at the pickup, reversed and ran the two over, according to case documents, news reports, witness accounts, and statements of the families.
Sujan and Arif died in hospital.
Arif’s father Faruk Hossain was taken to a community centre in Mohammadpur when he was on his way to the hospital. He was confined there for 12 hours by Rajib’s men, Faruk told The Daily Star.
Late at night, Rajib, reportedly Nanak’s ally, at the community centre told Faruk to go to the police station to talk about getting the body of his son.
Faruk then went to the police station, gave his details, and told the officials there what he knew about the incident. He had no idea that police were filing a case making him the plaintiff. The police officials there asked him to identify the body at the Suhrawardy hospital, Faruk said.
On his way to the hospital from the police station, two men stopped him near Shia Masjid and took him to Rajib’s home.
Rajib told him at gunpoint to do as he said regarding the matter, Faruk told The Daily Star.
“You wouldn’t get anything if you file a murder case. Instead, you will be harassed and face the same consequences as your son. You are from Lalmonhon of Bhola and so am I. Do what I say. You will get a good compensation,” Faruk quoted Rajib as saying.
Faruk eventually identified his son’s body the next day.
Faruk said, “After the incident, I thought it was police who were the plaintiff in the case.
“This is my NID, sir. See, I can’t sign,” Faruk showed his NID to this correspondent which had his thumb print.
Faruk said not a single police officer talked to him about the investigation since then.
Sujon’s uncle Md Riaz told The Daily Star last night that the police never talked to them either.
He said councillor Rajib had promised them compensation and jobs for family members but he never delivered.
Sujon’s family did not know that the final report was submitted. They heard it first from The Daily Star correspondent.
After “investigating” the case for 11 months, police submitted the final report terming the incident an “accident”.
Police had arrested convener of Jubo League’s Adabar Thana unit Arifur Rahman Tuhin in connection with leading the attack but in the final report police said they found no evidence of Tuhin’s involvement.
Rajib, on behalf of then MP Nanak, had given Arif’s family Tk 30,000 and Sujon’s family Tk 25,000 as burial cost.
After the incident, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the prime minister directed the authorities concerned to submit a probe report over the incident within two days.
Whoever is found involved would be given exemplary punishment, he had said, adding that the prime minister wanted to know “who destroyed the peaceful election environment”.
Sub-Inspector Mukul Ranjan of Mohammadpur police station, investigation officer (IO) of the case, said they submitted the final report of the case in the first week of this month as they could not find any evidence or witnesses.
Police also could not identify the pickup truck and its driver.
In the final report, police said the two factions of the ruling party came “face to face” near Mohammadi Homes Ltd on November 10 when the unidentified driver reversed in a hurry and could not see what was behind him. This led to the two getting run over.
The SI in his investigation found no evidence of the clash. He only said the two faction came “face to face”. The media, however, had extensive coverage of the incident.
They reported that the attackers, armed with hammers, sharp weapons and brick chunks, swooped on the procession of vehicles.
The IO said said Faruk did not know what had actually happened and had “filed the case” based on hearsay.
Taking to this newspaper, the SI claimed that he did not find anything in CCTV footage and no local wanted to be a witness.
Asked why the IO never contacted Faruk, the IO first claimed that he had contacted him but later said they could not reach him.
The IO claimed that Faruk had indeed filed the case.
At one stage of the conversation with this correspondent, the IO said he had written the final report with direction from a superior officer of Tejgaon Division Police.
Anisur Rahman, deputy commissioner (Tejgaon division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that he had no knowledge about the development of the case as he joined the division only a few months ago.
“I will have to see the documents,” he added.
In November last year, Nanak said he had nothing to do with the attack on the procession.
Sadek had said that he did not want to blame anyone and demanded a proper investigation.
The Daily Star could not reach Nanak and Sadek for comments over the last few days.
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