The Election Commission (EC) today sent a letter to the parliament secretary for taking necessary preparation to organise the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected lawmakers of the 11th general election.

EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said this while talking to reporters at the EC office today.

The MP-elect will take oath at the oathroom of the parliament at 11:00am tomorrow, sources at the Parliament Secretariat confirmed.

Yesterday, the commission published the gazette with details of 298 MPs with the EC’s approval.

According to the article 148 (2A) of the Constitution, the newly elected members of parliament will be obliged to take oath within three days after the publication of election results through official gazette, or else their memberships will cease to exit.

The new cabinet may take oath on Sunday.

In the December 30 parliamentary election, the AL-led Grand Alliance won 288 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad against the BNP-led Oikyafront's seven. 

Three independent candidates also became victorious.

The election in Brahmanbaria-2 was suspended as voting at three polling centres was suspended over violence. Polling in those centres will be held on January 9.

Polls in Gaibanda-3 were rescheduled for January 27 following the death of a candidate.  

The United Kingdom has urged the Bangladesh authorities for a full, credible and transparent resolution of all complaints related to the conduct of the December 30 general elections.

“While I welcome the participation of all opposition parties in these elections, I am aware of credible accounts of obstacles, including arrests, that constrained or prevented campaigning by opposition parties, and of irregularities in the conduct of elections on polling day that prevented some people from voting,” said British Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field.

He came up with the comments in a press statement yesterday following the announcement of the unofficial results for the 11th Parliamentary Elections in Bangladesh.

“I deplore the acts of intimidation and unlawful violence that have taken place during the campaign period, and am deeply concerned by the incidents that led to so many deaths on polling day. My thoughts are with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones,” the British minister said in the statement.

Terming free, fair, peaceful, and participatory elections essential to any functioning democracy, Minister Field said, “It is vital for the government and all political parties to now work together to address differences and find a way forward in line with the interests of the people of Bangladesh”.

Mentioning that the UK has a broad and important partnership with Bangladesh, and a significant Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK, Mark Field added, “We will continue to support the people of Bangladesh in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous, and democratic future”.

Condemning violence in Bangladesh, the United Nations has urged all sides to show restraint and ensure a peaceful post electoral environment in the country.

The USA and the European Union have also denounced violence over the just concluded parliamentary elections, and called for addressing all electoral complaints in a peaceful manner.

Welcoming the participation of all major political parties in the general election for the first time in 10 years, they said it was a positive development which reflected aspirations of people for democracy.

The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement on Monday said, “The United Nations is aware of violent incidents and reports of irregularities in the Bangladesh general election.”

The UN regretted the loss of life and injuries sustained by candidates and voters during the electoral campaign and on the voting day, it said.

US STATEMENT

The US in a statement yesterday commended the Bangladeshis who voted in the election as well as the decision of all major opposition parties to participate.

“The United States remains deeply invested in the future of Bangladesh and its democratic development. The United States is Bangladesh's largest foreign investor, largest single-country market for Bangladeshi exports, and home to a large community of Americans of Bangladeshi origin,” said Robert Palladino, deputy spokesperson of the US state department.

However, it expressed concern over reports of harassment, intimidation, and violence in the pre-election period saying that those incidents made it difficult for many opposition candidates and their supporters to meet, hold rallies, and campaign freely. “We are also concerned that election-day irregularities prevented some people from voting, which undermined faith in the electoral process.”

He said his country strongly encourages all parties to refrain from violence and request the EC to work constructively with all sides to address claims of irregularities.

“Bangladesh's impressive record of economic development and respect for democracy and human rights are mutually reinforcing, and we look forward to continue working with the ruling government and opposition towards advancing these interrelated goals,” reads the statement.

EU STATEMENT

The EU said the mobilisation of voters and the participation of the opposition in the polls reflected the people's aspirations for democracy.

“However, violence has marred the election day, and significant obstacles to a level playing field remained in place throughout the process and have tainted the electoral campaign and the vote,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement yesterday.

Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy of the EU, in his statement said the relevant authorities should now ensure a proper examination of allegations of irregularities and commit to full transparency in their resolution.

A female ready-made garment worker was allegedly raped at Rupganj in Narayanganj early Friday.

The 22-year-old was raped in Khadun area of the upazila while returning home from work, said Muhammad Abdul Huq, officer-in-charge of Rupganj Police Station.

The victim lodged a case with Rupganj Police Station against three -- Sumon, 23, Nahid, 22, and Hasin, 22, -- on Friday, he added.

Quoting the case statement, the OC also said one of the three accused raped the victim. Two others assisted.

Hearing her scream, locals rescued the victim and sent her to home.

Police sent the woman to Narayanganj General Hospital for tests and were trying to arrest the accused.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, police arrested a man for allegedly raping a six-year-old indigenous girl at Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur.

The arrestee is Rubel Tirki, 30, of Parbati-Krishnapur village in the upazila.

Rubel allegedly took the girl, a grade one student, to a sugarcane field offering her sugarcane and raped her, said police.

Hearing her scream, locals rescued the victim and took her to Pirganj Upazila Health Complex. Rubel escape, police added.

Later in the day, locals held the accused and handed him over to the police.

A case was filed in this connection with Mithapukur Police Station on Thursday afternoon. Police sent him to jail on the same day after placing him before court, said Zafar Ullah, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Meanwhile, detectives in Noakhali yesterday arrested a man in connection with a case filed over the gang-rape of a woman in Subarnachar upazila on December 31.

The arrestee is Henju Majhi, 29, said Zakir Hossain, inspector of Detective Branch in the district.

On information, a team of DB police conducted a drive in Cumilla's Daudkandi upazila and arrested Henju in the morning, said Zakir, also the investigation officer of the case.

He had been hiding since the incident, he said.

With Henju, 11 people have been arrested over the gang-rape.