BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may file an appeal to the High Court challenging rejection of her appeals by the Election Commission.
Pro-BNP lawyer Advocate Khandker Mahbub Uddin Khokhon said this after the EC dismissed all the four appeals of Khaleda filed against the rejection of her nominations for Feni-1, Bogura-6 and Bogura-7 constituencies this evening.
“We will examine the legal base whether we can go to the High court. If we are convinced, we will appeal to the High Court challenging the rejection of her candidature by the EC,” told the reporters.
“We hope the HC will declare her candidature valid,” he said.
Khaleda filed the appeals with the EC after returning officers rejected her nomination papers for Feni-1, Bogura-6 and Bogura-7 constituencies during scrutiny.
“The concerned returning officers rejected her candidature due to a violation of section 12/1 (Gha) of RPO which is related to the electoral offence. However, the BNP chairperson being in jail has in no way violated the electoral code of conduct. Therefore, the rejection of her candidature is not valid,” Khokhon argued.
“The EC is being whimsical regarding Khaleda Zia’s nomination,” he alleged.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may file an appeal to the High Court challenging rejection of her appeals by the Election Commission.
Pro-BNP lawyer Advocate Khandker Mahbub Uddin Khokhon said this after the EC dismissed all the four appeals of Khaleda filed against the rejection of her nominations for Feni-1, Bogura-6 and Bogura-7 constituencies this evening.
“We will examine the legal base whether we can go to the High court. If we are convinced, we will appeal to the High Court challenging the rejection of her candidature by the EC,” told the reporters.
“We hope the HC will declare her candidature valid,” he said.
Khaleda filed the appeals with the EC after returning officers rejected her nomination papers for Feni-1, Bogura-6 and Bogura-7 constituencies during scrutiny.
“The concerned returning officers rejected her candidature due to a violation of section 12/1 (Gha) of RPO which is related to the electoral offence. However, the BNP chairperson being in jail has in no way violated the electoral code of conduct. Therefore, the rejection of her candidature is not valid,” Khokhon argued.
“The EC is being whimsical regarding Khaleda Zia’s nomination,” he alleged.
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US does not favour any particular political party, Ambassador Peter Haas said today (August 10, 2022).
He said that holding fair and transparent elections is a difficult task and all stakeholders need to play their roles towards that.
"It is not possible to hold fair and transparent elections if the Election Commission, political parties, lawmakers, media and civil society do not play their roles properly," Haas said.
He was addressing the launching of an e-learning platform called "Politics Matters" – www.politicsmatters.com.bd – at an event in a Dhaka hotel.
USAID's 'Strengthening Political Landscape' project, implemented by Democracy International, launched the platform to bring political knowledge and skills to the fingerprints of Bangladeshi political leaders and enthusiasts across the country.
Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Central Joint Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Jatiya Party Presidium Member Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary and Democracy International Chief of Party Dana L. Olds also spoke at the event.
Dr Hasan Mahmud said all parties have responsibility for a fair election.
For fair elections, there is a need to avoid boycotting elections, negative politics and use of violence, he said.
The minister said he hopes that the next national election will be free and fair with the participation of all political parties.
Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said grooming and development of political parties is crucial for better politics.
It is not only those who have money, political family background or muscle power who should join politics. Common people need to be trained and be engaged in politics for proper public representation, he said.
Shamim Haider Patwary said all parties have to take responsibilities for the current situation where people are worried if there will be a fair election.
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BNP today said that the party's Chairperson Khaleda Zia is unwell once again.
"Khaleda Zia is very unwell. If she is not given better treatment, her life will be at risk," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Addressing a discussion in front of Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, the BNP leader said, "We told you (government) repeatedly to release her (Khaleda). I am calling for allowing her to go abroad for better treatment, before it's too late"
The 76-year-old former prime minister was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and she needs to be taken abroad immediately to an advanced health centre for proper treatment, he added.
Khaleda has been suffering from arthritis, diabetes, as well as dental and eye complications. She was admitted to the hospital on November 13 and moved to the CCU the following day, nearly a week after she was discharged from the same healthcare facility.
Khaleda was sent to jail on February 8, 2018, in a corruption case. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she was given temporary release on certain conditions on March 25, 2020. The term of her release has been extended five times so far. The release was conditional that she will stay in her Gulshan residence and cannot leave the country.
Fakhrul also urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to apologise publicly for her remark on "pushing Khaleda into the river from the Padma bridge".
"You issued a death threat to Khaleda Zia. She is the most popular leader to the country's people, and was never defeated in any election," he said, adding that it is unthinkable that such an "irresponsible" comment came from a prime minister.
"People in any civilised country will not tolerate such a remark. We ask you (PM) to offer an apology to people for your remark," he said.
Issuing warning, the BNP leader said otherwise people will oust the government.
BNP's Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of press club protesting what they said the prime minister's "indecent" comment on Padma Bridge involving Khaleda.
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BNP this morning staged a three-hour token hunger strike in the capital demanding its Chairperson Khaleda Zia's unconditional release from jail and advanced treatment abroad.
The programme formally began around 11:20am in front of the party's Nayapaltan central office.
Photo: Amran Hossain
As part of its countrywide programme, BNP's Dhaka south and north city units organised the programme, attended by party senior leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
BNP leaders and activists holding banners, festoons and placards joined the programme.
The token hunger ended at 2:00pm.
Photo: Amran Hossain
Besides, a similar programme was being held in all district towns and metropolitan cities across the country.
On October 9, BNP held rallies across the country, including in front of its central office in the capital, to press home the demand.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the 78-year-old former prime minister, has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka under the supervision of a 15-member medical board since August 9.
Khaleda has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.
On September 5, Khaleda's brother Shamim Iskandar submitted an application to the government to take her abroad for treatment, but it was turned down.
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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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Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed, Orchid Chakma, Prabir Das, Amran Hossain, Sk Enamul Haq
A presiding officer brings out the ballot papers for a voter who uses a wheelchair at Dania College centre in the capital's Jatrabari. Many people with disabilities faced difficulties casting votes as most of the centres were not disabled-friendly.
A police team outside a voting centre in Narayanganj.
Shamim Osman, AL's candidate for Narayanganj-4, sips a cup of tea while exchanging greetings with voters outside a polling centre in Dharmaganj area.
Two first-time voters show off their ink covered thumbs after voting at Avoy Bonodini High School in the capital's Rajarbagh.
Urdu-speaking voters make their way to a voting centre at Dhaka Residential Model College in the capital.
A crowd gathers outside the polling centre at Madhubagh Madrasa in the capital after the Awami League men shut the gate and refused to let anyone in.
Voters checking their phones for their voter numbers at Ali Ahmed Majumder School and College in Dhaka's Goran. Many were turned away after failing to find the number.
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