Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has asked the mobile operators and international internet gateways to be ready for immediate implementation of its instructions regarding internet speed and content from December 29 to 31.

The telecom regulator yesterday held two separate meetings with the mobile operators and IIGs at its office, but didn't give any specific directive to them in this regard, said meeting sources.

The BTRC asked the operators and IIGs to keep their offices open from December 29 to 31 round the clock. The 11th parliamentary election is slated for December 30.

According to a BTRC official, who was present at the meeting, the commission may instruct the mobile operators to downgrade internet speed to 2G from 3G or 4G as around 90 percent internet users go online through mobile operators.

Broadband internet service might be outside the purview of the government instructions due to its use in various business purposes, especially in banking activities, the official told The Daily Star requesting anonymity.

The meeting, chaired by BTRC Commissioner Rezual Quader, with the mobile operators was part of the regulator's preparation to implement instructions of the Election Commission. The operators are the main source of internet bandwidth for the country's 9.24 crore internet users.

The EC on Monday had asked the telecom regulator to make preparation for downgrading the internet speed to 2G from December 29-31.

It also directed the BTRC to be prepared for blocking social media, especially Facebook, and also some communication applications, if required.

The BTRC official said they asked the mobile operators and IIGs to promptly implement any instruction from the commission or the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre.

The mobile operators said they would implement any instruction if it came in black and white.

The IIG operators informed the BTRC that they were capable of implementing instructions on blocking websites within 30 minutes.

After attending the meeting, an IIG owner said they could block any specific website or internet link and bar the use of any communication application. The issues came up for discussion in the meeting.

On December 14, EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said they were considering downgrading the mobile internet speed to 2G from 3G or 4G.

The officer-in-charge of Kolaroa Police Station in Satkhira allegedly sought vote for Awami League's electoral symbol “Boat,” violating the electoral code of conduct.

“I, on behalf of the administration, want to say you one thing that you will cast your vote for the pro-liberation forces, for the 'boat' symbol,” the OC Maruf Ahmed said while speaking at a programme on Thursday.

A video clip of his speech went viral on social media where many people expressed their shock and dismay over the issue.

Narrating the incident, Habibul Islam Habib, a former BNP lawmaker and the Oikyafront candidate in Satkhira-1 constituency, submitted a written complaint to the Election Commission and demanded his immediate withdrawal.

“Some ruling party men, led by OC Maruf, have been carrying out violent attacks on the residents of BNP's leaders and activists for the last couple of days,” Habib told The Daily Star, adding that he had been staying outside of his constituency for the last few days due to security concerns.

“The minimum election atmosphere is even absent in Satkhira-1 constituency,” he said, adding that the local returning officer did not take any steps in this regard despite repeated appeals. 

OC Maruf, however, denied the allegation.

He told The Daily Star that he attended the programme for ensuring security and gave a welcome speech that was manipulated later by incorporating those words.

The video clip shows that Maruf asking all the audience to vote the AL-led government to power again for the continuation of the ongoing development.

 Merina Akter, assistant superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) in Satkhira said it was not appropriate for him to speak about politics.

District returning officer SM Mostafa Kamal said they already had informed the district superintendent of police to take steps against the police officer in question.

The number of local observers in the December 30 election decreased significantly as the NGO Affairs Bureau has not granted the No Objection Certificate to 15 Election Working Group members until yesterday.

Leaders of the Election Working Group (EWG), an alliance of 22 local organisations that monitor election, said at least three of the 15 who did not get the NOC have already said they would not monitor the election. The other 12 would have to reduce their number of observers drastically, as they would not get foreign funds.

In that case, the number of local observers will be around 17,100 although the Election Commission had approved 25,920 local observers of 81 organisations to monitor the election on Sunday.

“The NGO Affairs Bureau has given the NOC to seven of our members until Thursday,” EWG Chairman Abdul Awal told The Daily Star.

“Democracywatch, Coast Trust and Jagarani Chakra Foundation have informed us that they will not monitor the election,” he added.

He further said that the rest have taken the decision to reduce their number of local observers due to the lack of foreign funding.

Asked about the shortage of funds, Awal said development partners were losing interest in funding election observation missions across the world.

“This can be one reason,” he said.

Their priorities for Bangladesh are also changing. Many development partners are now channeling funds for the Rohingya refugees, he added.

Awal estimated that the seven organisations that got the NOC from the NGO Affairs Bureau would deploy around 5,700 local observers.

While the remaining twelve will deploy around 700 local observers even though they got the EC's approval for 9,300 observers, he added.

Executive Director of Jagarani Chakra Foundation Azadul Kabir and Assistant Director of Coast Trust Mostafa Kamal Akond said they were withdrawing from all election monitoring activities this time due to lack of funds and to avoid all debates and misunderstandings raised.

HT Imam, co-chairman of Awami League Election Steering Committee, on December 25, demanded that the Election Commission withdraw permission given to nine local election observer organisations, as most of the observers were “activists of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami”.

The organisations are: Democracywatch, Khan Foundation, Light House, Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad, Jagarani Chakra, Nobolok, Coast Trust, Shariatpur Development Society and Noakhali Rural Development Society.

EC Joint Secretary SM Asaduzzaman said they approved 25,920 local observers from 81 organisations to monitor the election.

These organisations applied for the approval of 34,671 local observers, according to EC sources.

Around 1.6 lakh domestic and 600 international observers monitored the 2008 election. About 2.18 lakh domestic and 225 international observers monitored the 2001 election.

However, the number of voters and polling stations are much higher this time than in 2008.

In the 2001 polls, 29,978 polling centres were set up for 7.50 crore voters. In 2008, there were 35,263 polling centres for 8.1 crore voters.

For Sunday's election, around 40,183 polling stations will be set up for more than 10.41 crore electorates.

Picking a comparatively new face for Jhalakathi-2 and attacks on the candidate have hampered the BNP's election campaign in the constituency, comprising Sadar and Nalchity upazilas.

The party also has to deal with a controversy over the role of the contender's father in the 1971 Liberation War.

The candidate -- Zeeba Amina Khan -- will vie with an Awami League heavyweight, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, in the December 30 polls.

Amu is criticised for not keeping in touch with the voters, said locals, adding that he would also have to face their anti-incumbency sentiments. 

However, the AL is vigorously campaigning on his behalf.

Visiting different areas of Sadar and Nalchity upazilas on Monday, The Daily Star correspondents saw AL leaders and activists conducting electioneering, using megaphones, holding rallies and bringing out processions. AL posters were seen hung almost everywhere.

In a sharp contrast, a district BNP office was found locked and only a few posters of its nominee were seen.

 "There were [BNP] posters in some areas of the town, but those were torn down. However, nothing will stop the BNP [from winning] here. It is waiting for the right time to get on the ground and campaign," said a party supporter in front of the office.

Monirul Islam Nupur, general secretary of Jhalakathi BNP, said they were not being able to campaign properly due to "repeated attacks on our candidate by Awami League men".

Alleged Chhatra League and Jubo League men attacked the motorcade of Zeeba on December 13. The BNP leaders and activists came under another attack the same day when they went to the Returning Officer's Office to lodge a complaint.

A similar attack took place in Nalchity two days later, Nupur said.

"Jhalakathi is a BNP stronghold. If we can cast votes freely until noon [on the voting day], we will win," he told The Daily Star.

After restoration of democracy in 1991, the BNP won in the constituency twice, the Jatiya Party once and Amu thrice (uncontested in 2014 and in bi-polls in 2000).

This time, the BNP had initially fielded Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto, an ex-MP, as its candidate but later nominated Zeeba, a member of the party's central executive committee.

The change came following demands by some local party leaders, who said Bhutto maintained no contacts with the voters in the last 10 years, said party sources.

Asked whether there was any division within the party over the candidate, Nupur said, "We all are united for the restoration of democracy. Bhutto will also join the campaign soon."

Another BNP leader, wishing anonymity, said they were facing difficulties as Zeeba was comparatively a new face. Besides, Bhutto used to get strong support from her upazila, Nalchity.

Amu and Zeeba are both from Sadar upazila.

The AL and its front organisations in the district denied the allegations and blamed BNP's internal conflict for the attacks.

Khan Saifullah Panir, general secretary of Jhalakathi AL, claimed they were getting good response from the voters.

He also said the BNP fielded a "daughter of a Razakar" and people would not vote for her.

On Amu being “aloof” from the voters, he said, "Amu comes to his constituency more than any other central leader of other areas and keeps a close contact with the people."

ZEEBA'S FATHER

Dulal Saha, former deputy commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad in Jhalakathi, alleged that Zeeba's father Akhter Uddin Ahmed was a Muslim League leader and he worked against the Liberation War.

Akhter was a member of AM Malik's cabinet in 1971.

"He fled the area after the war and went to Saudi Arabia via Pakistan," added Dulal, also an adviser to the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal central committee.

He said the Muktijoddha Sangsad of Jhalakathi in 2012 had sent a list of Razakars and other Pakistani collaborators to the International Crimes Tribunal. Akhter was named in the list, he said.

"As a freedom fighter, I can't accept the BNP's decision to field the daughter of anti-liberation person," he added.

Speaking to The Daily Star over phone on Monday, Zeeba said her father was not an "anti-liberation element". She said her father became a member of the AM Malek cabinet "to ensure security of the people".

Insisting that her father did not commit any crimes, Zeeba claimed that he got general amnesty declared by the Bangabandhu administration after the war.

According to records, out of 37,000 people sent to jail on charges of collaborating with the enemy, about 26,000 were freed following the amnesty declared on November 30, 1973.

Zeeba claimed that her father had been in Bangladesh until 1974.