The Election Commission yesterday said the authorities concerned have taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of voters by appointing a sufficient number of polling officials, judicial and executive magistrates and law enforcers.

The number of voters expected to cast their votes for today's polls is 10.42 crore.

“All necessary efforts have been taken so that voters can safely exercise their voting rights and safely go back home,” said EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, adding, “Voters are going to give their mandate tomorrow [today].”

While briefing foreign election observers and journalists, who came to Bangladesh to cover the polls, he said there were still a few stray incidents that had taken place in some areas, but there were no serious violations of the code of conduct or any serious electoral offence.

However, he said these small casualties could not affect the election. “The overall situation is still friendly for election.”

He claimed that the European Union “expressed their satisfaction over the election atmosphere and thus, they did not send observers”.

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque, who was present at the briefing, replied to some queries of the observers.

Urging the foreign observers to follow the guidelines prepared for them, Helal said election observers can be regarded as judges and that observation is a vital part of fostering democracy around the world.

He told the observers and journalists that for the first time all the 39 registered political parties are participating in the election and the number of candidates -- 1,861, including 128 independent ones -- has also exceeded all previous records.

To conduct the election, he said the EC appointed returning officers (ROs), who are the chief electoral officers in their respective constituencies. The ROs will be given assistance by sufficient officers. Presiding officers will be conducting voting events in polling stations.

The EC has also appointed a sufficient number of magistrates, both executive and judicial, and deployed a sufficient number of different law enforcement agency members, including from the army, navy and air forces.

The EC Secretary said that 64 deputy commissioners and two divisional commissioners have been appointed as ROs and the number of assistant ROs is 582. The number of presiding officers is 40,183, assistant presiding officers 207,312 and polling officers 414,624.

He said the EC has deployed a total of 1,328 executive magistrates. Of them, 652 for trials of code of conduct violations and 676 will be working with law enforcement agencies.

Apart from that, the EC has deployed 244 judicial magistrates for 122 electoral inquiry committees, each consisting two judicial magistrates. 

Helal further informed observers and journalists that the total number of law enforcers deployed for election duties is 608,000.

The break up is: Police - 121,000, Ansars - 446,000 and Village Police - 41,000, Army - 414 platoons, Navy - 48 platoons, Coast Guard - 42 platoons, BGB - 983 platoons, RAB - 600 platoons and mobile and striking force - 2000 platoons. Each platoon has 30 law enforcers.

Ballot papers, voters list, ballot boxes, EVMs (in six constituencies) and all other election materials have been sent to the ROs in polling stations by yesterday evening.

Intra-party feud and selection of "wrong candidate" caused the ruling Awami League to suffer a humiliating defeat in Tuesday's mayoral polls in Rangpur city, said local politicians and civil society members.

Around a dozen AL leaders had vied for the party ticket to compete for the post over the last few years.

Though Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia lagged behind, AL high-ups chose her to run in the election as the party candidate.

"Dalia was not capable enough to rally the party rank and file behind her. She doesn't even have much communication with the locals. As a result, many voters didn't vote for her," a local AL leader said, preferring anonymity.

Jatiya Party candidate Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa scored a resounding victory in Tuesday's polls and was re-elected the mayor.

Dalia was in the fourth position by polling only eight percent of the vote. AL rebel Latifur Rahman Milan ended up with more votes than hers.

While Dalia was a member of the immediate past AL Central Working Committee, Milan was former vice president of Rangpur city Kotwali AL.

As per electoral rules, a candidate's security deposit will be forfeited in favor of the government if the candidate fails to bag one-eighth of all the valid votes. Seven of the mayoral candidates, including Dalia and Milan, lost their security deposits.

Talking about Dalia's loss, some local politicians alleged that around a dozen party leaders, who were trying to get the party ticket, did not cooperate with her at all.

A Rangpur AL leader, seeking anonymity, said, "Rangpur Awami League activists were disappointed with the party's nomination. They couldn't dare to protest publicly, and instead opted not to work properly in Dalia's favour. This also contributed to her defeat."

Tuhin Wadud, political analyst and professor of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, said, "Awami League is the largest political party in Bangladesh. But it failed to unite and organise the party activists in Rangpur. Dalia also has poor connections with the grassroots."

Contacted, Tushar Kanti Mandol, general secretary of Rangpur city AL, admitted that a rebel candidate getting more votes than the party candidate is a major factor in the defeat. 

"Dalia also didn't get enough time to reach the common people in the short period for campaigning."

Contacted, Rezaur Rahman Raju, general secretary of Rangpur district AL,  said, "We will hold a meeting within a couple of days to analyse the reasons behind the defeat and the overall election results." 

Dalia could not be contacted over the phone yesterday for comments despite repeated attempts.

Regarding JP candidate Mostafa's win, Khandaker Fakhrul Alam Banju, convener of Rangpur chapter of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik, a civil society platform, said, "Mostafa was a stronger competitor than Dalia. He spent the last few years organising his party activists and was able to reach the common people."

Tuhin Wadud observed that Mostafa built a good image among the people over the last few years and that contributed to his victory.

Contacted yesterday, Mostafa said his party's chain of command was strong and all the JP activists worked hard for his victory.

Mostafa, running with JP's electoral symbol, "plough", got 146,798 votes and his closest rival, Amiruzzaman Pial of Bangladesh Islami Andolon, got 49,892.

AL rebel Milan got 33,833 votes, considerably higher than Dalia's 22,306.

Five others ran for the Rangpur mayoral post.

With 426,470 voters in the city, the turnout on Tuesday was 65.91 percent.

This was the third election since the city corporation was formed in 2012.

The first was on December 20 that year, in which an AL candidate was elected mayor.

JP's Mostafa had won the second polls in 2017.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu today said those who were expelled from the party spread the fake news that Raushan Ershad declared herself chairman of the party.

"There was no such incident in Jatiya Party and there is no scope of this happening," he told The Daily Star.

Sources close to Raushan, the party's chief patron and leader of the opposition in parliament, said that she made no such announcements. 

Chunnu said the expelled people had used the name of Raushan to make up the fake news.

"I already talked with JP leaders who were said to have signed a letter [expressing no confidence in incumbent Chairman GM Quader] to Raushan Ershad and they told me that they hadn't signed any such letter," Chunnu also said.

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Raushan Ershad 'declares herself chairman of Jatiya Party': press release

According to the party's charter, there is no scope for anyone to become chairman of JP as per his or her will, neither can anyone relieve any leader from the party in such a manner, he said.

Earlier today, two press releases on two Whatsap groups, where Jatiya Party news is disseminated, said Raushan had declared herself the Jatiya Party Chairman. 

The Daily Star was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the press releases. 

GM Quader is currently in India on a three-day visit, and is scheduled to return today. 

Jatiya Party unveiled its nominees for 287 constituencies yesterday.

The JP said it did not get any nomination seekers for a handful of constituencies and party ticket winners for the rest would be announced later.   

It said it left Mymensingh-4 vacant for Leader of the Opposition and JP Chief Patron Raushan Ershad, who is yet to collect her nomination form.

Raushan's son Rahgir Almahe (Saad Ershad) MP and opposition chief whip Moshiur Rahman Ranga also did not collect nomination forms for the January 7 national election.

JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu made the list public at a press conference at the JP chairman's Banani office.

The unveiling of the list widened the gap between JP Chairman GM Quader and Raushan, said a number of JP leaders.

Quader is the MP from Lalmonirhat-3. But this time, he will run from Rangpur-3, where Saad Ershad is the incumbent MP.

Rangpur-3 was JP founder HM Ershad's constituency. After his demise, his son Saad Ershad was elected in a by-election.

Quader will also run from Dhaka-17 while his wife Sherifa Quader will take part in the election from Dhaka-18.

HM Shahriar Asif, a relative of Quader, will run from Ranpur-1. Ranga is the incumbent there.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Saad Ershad yesterday said he wanted party ticket for Rangpur-3, but the leaders loyal to the party chairman did not give him the nomination form.

"They [Quader and his followers] actually want to wipe out the names of HM Ershad's family members. You can visit my electoral area and ask the locals how many development works I have implemented there," he said.

A JP leader loyal to Raushan said the opposition leader has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to discuss the elected-related issues.

"We are now waiting for the prime minister's decision regarding the conflict between Raushan Ershad and GM Quader over nominations," the JP leader told this correspondent wishing anonymity.

Golam Moshi, political secretary to the opposition leader, told The Daily Star last night that they were "forced out of the electoral race" which might lead to another split in the JP.

Asked about not naming any candidate for Mymensingh-4, Chunnu at the press conference said, "Raushan Ershad is the honourable chief patron of our party. Showing respect to her, we have not fielded any candidate for that seat."

About not nominating Saad Ershad, he said the lawmaker did not collect and submit the party's nomination form.

On the issue of Ranga, the JP leader said he was expelled from the party. "How will he get Jatiya Party ticket?"

Regarding the Raushan-Quader conflict, Chunnu said, "If there is any differences between them, it is their family matter. But we don't have any dispute with her in the party."

Although Chunnu said they have named candidates for 289 seats, in fact the figure was found to be 287.

"We have named more than one candidates in some seats due to intra-party conflict in those constituencies," he added.

The JP has named two candidates each in 10 constituencies.

Asked about not nominating Rustum Ali FarajiMP of Pirojpur-3, Chunnu said although he had been involved in the party for long, they now doubt his loyalty.

The main opposition party in parliament has nominated eight women, including Salma Islam (Dhaka-1).

Chunnu said the JP was assured of a free and fair election. "If the election is free and fair, we will have majority in parliament and assume power."

Ending all speculation, Jatiya Party has announced that it will run in the general election as it has assurance from different stakeholders that the polls will be free and fair.

JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu made the announcement at a press conference at the party chairman's Banani office yesterday.

The declaration came two days after a delegation of JP leaders, loyal to party Chief Patron Raushan Ershad, in a meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan raised the concern that their participation in the polls hangs in the balance as party Chairman GM Quader was yet to make the final decision in this regard.

Chunnu yesterday said the party has completed almost all preparations for the January 7 parliamentary polls.

"We have always said that we want an environment of trust which would enable voters to go to the polling stations and cast their ballots freely.

"We have been assured by all the stakeholders concerned, including the Election Commission, that the polls will be free, fair, and acceptable, and the voters will be able to exercise their franchise freely," he said.

Chunnu said the JP chairman trusted the assurance and decided to run in the election.

"On the instructions of the party chairman, I am officially announcing that Jatiya Party will participate in the election."

Responding to a question, the JP secretary general said the party will not join any electoral alliance, and that it will field candidates in all 300 constituencies.

"We will not go for seat-sharing with any other party. We hope that we will be able to put up a strong contest in all 300 constituencies," Chunnu said.

Meanwhile, the JP has sold a total of 1,510 nomination forms over the last three days. The party started selling nomination papers on Monday.

The party earned Tk 4.53 crore from the sales of nomination forms at Tk 30,000 each, Mahmud Alam, joint office secretary of JP, told The Daily Star.

Opposition leader Raushan, her son Rahgir Almahe Ershad and other JP leaders loyal to Raushan were yet to collect nomination papers, said party sources.

The sale of nomination forms will continue till 4:00pm today.

After interviewing the nomination seekers from November 24 to 26, the JP will make public the final list of its nominees on November 27.