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10:06 PM, December 28, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 10:09 PM, December 28, 2018

Govt obstructing polls environment: BNP

BNP’s top policymaker Nazrul Isalm Khan on December 28, 2018 claims that the government is obstructing the environment of free and fair national election. Photo: Collected

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BNP’s top policymaker Nazrul Isalm Khan today claimed that the government is obstructing the environment of free and fair national election.

BNP leaders and activists are still getting obstructed, Khan, chairman of the party’s election management committee, said at a press conference.

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The court has cancelled the candidacy of 16 BNP contestants after the election commission gave them validity, he said. The declaration came at the last moment.

“There was no time to give replacement candidates. The EC has conspired to gift those 16 constituencies to Awami League,” he alleged.

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Awami League in its election manifesto today pledged to form a National Minority Commission to ensure safety of the minority communities.

Laws that discriminate religious and ethnic minorities will be amended and the communities' property rights will be ensured within a fixed timeframe.

Moreover, steps will be taken to implement the sections of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord that have not yet been implemented, the party said in its manifesto.

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Five Awami League men were killed and over 350 AL supporters were injured since the polls campaign began, claimed HT Imam, co-chairman of Awami League Election Steering Committee, yesterday.

“Every moment we are getting information about attacks on our leaders, activists, and supporters by the BNP-Jamaat men. Hundreds of campaign offices have been vandalised,” he said at a press conference at the media centre of the AL central office.

Imam demanded that the Election Commission withdraw permission given to nine local election observer organisations. He said the organisations were set to send around 6,585 observers in 140 constituencies and most of the observers were activists of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

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

He claimed that Taleya Rehman, wife of journalist Shafik Rehman runs Democracy Watch, wife of BNP leader Moyeen Khan runs Khan Foundation, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman is founder of Light House, and pro-BNP Adilur Rahman is involved with Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad.

Talking to The Daily Star, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, executive director, Coast Trust, said, “HT Imam is a gentle man. But he misunderstood us.

“As a pro-Liberation War force, we have been cooperating with the pro-Liberation War government, Awami League.”

He also said BNP-Jamaat in 2008 and recently had complained against them “for favouring the AL”.

“As questions have been raised against us, we are considering not getting involved in election observation activities,” he added.

AL REQUESTS TO EC

A delegation of ruling AL yesterday urged the EC to allow journalists to use motorcycles during the election so that they could cover the polls better.

The delegation, led by AL central leader M Akteruzzaman, met EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

After the meeting, they told reporters that they also urged the commission to stay alert about criminals cloning phone numbers of EC and admin officials to misdirect field-level officers.

The BNP and Jamaat men were attacking AL activists and police and were using black money in their campaigns, the delegation claimed. They said

Jatiya Oikyafront and BNP-Jamaat were using black money to buy votes.

“We're demanding immediate arrest of all BNP-Jamaat cadres involved in terror attacks and violence … bring them to book … ,” Akteruzzaman added.

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Dhaka city dwellers are leaving the city for their home in masses ahead of the upcoming general election to be held on Sunday.

The home rush began yesterday, as the two weekends, today and tomorrow, make up an ideal three-day holiday to visit ancestral homes.

The photo was taken at Gabtoli Bus Terminal. Photo: Star/ Palash Khan

Because many of the dwellers are voters of their home districts, they must travel back to their home land to cast their ballot and exercise their franchise.

READ MORE: Festive atmosphere indeed!!

The photo was taken at Sadarghat launch terminal. Photo: Star/ Prabir Das

People were seen gathering on all the exit points of the city. Gabtoli, Kamlapur and Sadarghat were teeming with outbound people since this morning.

The photo was taken at Sadarghat launch terminal. Photo: Star/ Prabir Das

The home-goers are expecting to enjoy happy times with their near and dear ones along with exercising their democratic rights to vote.

The photo was taken at Airport Railway Station. Photo: Star/ Palash Khan

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The Election Commission yesterday decided to hold re-elections in three polling centres of Brahmanbaria-2 on January 9, as the polls there were suspended on Sunday.

In a notice, signed by EC Joint Secretary Forhad Ahammad Khan, the commission said that elections in three of the 76 polling centres were suspended following deterioration of law and order during Sunday's national election.

The centres were at Jatrapur Governmnet Primary School, Bahadurpur Governmnet Primary School and Sohagpur Governmnet Primary School.

During voting hours on Sunday, supporters of two candidates were locked in a heated argument after which voting was suspended in the three centres. The incident occurred around 11:00am.

EC officials said that the BNP candidate Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan was leading the polls in the constituency with 82,723 votes while independent candidate Moyeen Uddin bagged 72,564 votes.

The number of voters of the three centres was 10, 572, while the total number of voters in the constituency was 214,039.

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BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Inam Ahmed Chowdhury, who was nomination seeker of the opposition party from Sylhet-1, officially joined the ruling Awami League today.

He formally joined the ruling party after offering bouquet of flower to AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Gono Bhaban this evening.

A member of prime minister's press wing confirmed the development to The Daily Star.

Govt obstructing polls environment: BNP

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