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Waiting withbated breathnEmran Hossain
The members of Hindu community in
Satkhira are waiting with bated breath
as the 10th general elections begin to-
day, amid the oppositions threats of a
civil war if elections are held without
their participation.
Several thousand Hindus from Sat-
khira have left their homes since com-
munal violence started in the district in
the aftermath of a death sentence given
to war crimes convict and Jamaat-e-Is-
lami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee
on February 28.
Those who returned after the deploy-
ment of army are now afraid the elec-tions would provide little respite for
them unless violence is contained once
and for all.
About three dozens of people have
died since last February.
Govinda Lal Sarder, who returned
home on December 25 after over two
weeks of stay in India, said he was hes-
itant to disclose the news of his return
fearing backlash.
Very few people know that I came
back. I might have to leave again if the
PAGE 2 COLUMN 6
Polling offi cer killed;centres torchednAshif Islam Shaon
Violence by miscreants against the
national elections left one dead yes-
terday. About 100 polling centres were
burnt down, as were polling materials.
At least 20 polling offi cials and law en -
forcers were injured.
Assistan t Presiding offi cer of
Thakurgaon 1 constituency ABM Ju-
baidul Islam, 45, was beaten to death
by miscreants in Thakurgoan on Satur-
day night. He was a laboratory demon-
strator at Salondar Degree College.Thakurgaon Assistant Deputy Com-
missioner Mohammad Muksed said the
incident took place at the Raipur poll-ing centre that came under attack by
miscreants.
At least 10 others were injured in the
attack and were admitted in a hospital
in Thakurgoan.
The attackers also hurled petrol
bombs in a number of polling centres in
Thakurgaon. Sadar upazilas Bholajan
Madrassa polling centres Presiding Of-
ficer Kutub Uddin and Jhargaon Regis-
tered Primary Government School cen-
tres Assistant Pres iding Offi cer Rezaul
Karim were burned in the attacks.
In Moulvibazar, unknown assailants
stabbed Assistan t Pres iding Offi cer
Md Selim at Borolekha upazila around
7:30pm.
We assume that the Jamaat-Shibirmen did this, said Tofail Ahmed, SP of
Moulvibazar.
An attack by Jamaat-Shibir cadres
left 10 policemen, an Ansar member
and a driver injured at Samoskati vil-
lage, a stronghold of Jamaat-Shibir, un-
der Monirampur upazila in Jessore last
night. The law enforcers came under
attack while patrolling in a vehicle with
Ansar members in the area.Police said the Jamaat-Shibir men
hurled bombs at the vehicle and then
attacked with sharp weapons. All mem-
bers of the team were injured. The con-
dition of Ansar member Mohsin and
driver Khaliq was critical, police said.
Jamaat-Shibir activists snatched vot-
ing materials from eight polling centres
in Sadallapur upazila in Gaibandha at
gunpoint. Pre siding offi cer of Tajnaga r
Government Primary School Sabdar
Rahman said Jamaat-Shibir men held
them hostage at gunpoint, snatched the
voting materials and set fire to them.
In Rajshahi, a group of 12-15 BNPJa-maat activists in a sudden attack blasted
PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
nJulfikar Ali Manik andMohammad Al-Masum Molla
With the 10th national parliamentary
elections starting from 8am today, the
biggest challenge of bringing the elec-
torate to vote centres and holding polls
peacefully looms large amid the ongo-
ing violence and the oppositions vow
to resist.
Todays polling scenario including
the voters turnout will be the most
significant issue to observe peoples re-sponse to the polls a determining fac-
tor in measuring the strength of the gov-
ernment that will be formed through
the election without participation of themain opposition BNP and its allies.
The opposition BNP also held an
election on February 15, 1996 which
was boycotted by the then opposition
Awami League, Jatiya Party and Ja-
maat-e-Islami.
17 years after that election, similar
polling is being held today.
In the February 15 election, the
Election Commission had announced
26.5% voters turnout and that govern-
ment lasted less than a month.
The present EC has also expressed
concern over the low turnout of voters
in todays polls, violence in polling cen-
tres and burning of ballot papers.
Rashed Khan Menon, a minister of
present election-time government,
who is one of the 153 candidates elect-
ed uncontested, told the Dhaka Trib-une last night over phone, If there is
a low turnout it will leave a kind of im-
pact, but the government cannot create
a political vac uum.
Future political scenario will de-
pend on how the oppositions behave,how soon they reach an understand-
ing, Menon said, adding that, There
is a fear and a sense of insecurity pre-
vailing among voters, but in rural are-
as, I visited and saw a huge interest of
people to cast vote tomorrow. If theoppositions prevent them, this will be
a different issue.
Some opposition leaders believe
political and economic situation of the
country and movement of the opposi-
tion combine will determine the tenureof the new government.
PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
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JAMAATSHIBIR READYP3
BusinessB1 Four state-owned commercial banks
had to reschedule loans to the tune of
Tk3,700 crore in the first nine monthsof last year.
News3 The ruling AL has initiated belated
campaigns to convince maximum
voters to cast their votes amid fear that
voter turnout in the 147 constituencies
may appear embarrassing for it.
INSIDE
ARTS & LETTERS 7THE CASE FOR THE OPPOSITION 8 ITALIAN NAVY SAVES HUNDREDS 15 SERENA FIRES HER WAY
Security, turnout major challenges10th parliamentary polls start at 8am amid boycott by BNP and allies
Many ifs feature BNPsfuture plansnMohammad Al-Masum Molla
After having failed to resist the polls
despite giving several ultimatums to
the ruling party and months of violent
street protests, main opposition BNP
and its allies are now heading into an
uncertain future.
Some senior leaders of the party have
said the truth is that they have very little
idea about how many more days they
will have to carry on with the move-
ment and get some results out of it.
On the eve of the polls day, the par-
ty claimed that there would not be any
violent resistance in the areas where
voting was taking place because it had
successfully mobilised public opinion
against what it said were one-sided
farcical polls.
With non-stop blockades already in
place, the party is planning to contin-
ue the movement to mount pressure
on the new government to be formed
after January 5 to arrange for another
polls under a neutral administration at
the earliest possible time.
One leader said the political and
economic situation in the country and
the effectiveness of the oppositions
movement would determine the length
of the new governments tenure.
Another leader said the idea now
was to keep the movement on and wait
for the government to make the firstmove for a compromise.
The party also believes that it will not
be possible for the government to stay
in power for too long because the move-
ment has spread across the country.
Leaders said their main challenge
now was to continue the movement
despite the government oppression.
We cannot fight against police and
RAB or any other force because we are
PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
8/13/2019 Print Edition: 05 January 2014
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News2 DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, January 5, 2014
Waiting with batedPAGE 1 COLUMN 1
situation turns volatile again, said
Govinda, during an interview with the
Dhaka Tribune on December 29.
Govinda said as many as 1,000 peo-
ple, mostly Hindus, had left the country
through Bhomra land port on the day he
and one of his acquaintances left. There
were some Awami League activists too.
The number of people leaving their
homes increased in November andDecember when over 16 people were
killed in violence as Satkhira remained
virtually cut off from rest of the coun-
try because of a Jamaat siege.
Most of them have not returned
yet. Many are waiting in anticipation of
a political reconciliation, which seems
highly unlikely at this moment.
Those stuck in India are having diffi -
cult times because of their lack of prepa-
ration for a long stay, Govinda said, adding
he himself had to change his addresses
four times and travel frequently. Many
went there without legal documents.
Those who stayed back are keeping
an eye on the situation in the country.
Any sign of normalcy and then would
return straight home.
Swapna, a resident in Kolaroa upazi-
la, described how Jamaat-Shibir activ-
ists were bearing down on the Hindus.
Hindu women have to suffer b ully-
ing almost on a daily basis. There is al-
ways someone telling them: Who split
your forehead, dear Boudi [referring
to the red line married Hindu womendraw on their head]? Do you want us to
help you get across the river to India?
She said in order to avoid being bul-
lied she had stopped drawing her mar-
riage symbol and wearing attires typi-
cal of a Bangalee Hindu woman.
Is it a sin to be born in Bangladesh?
My fathers home is in Noakhali and fa-
ther-in-law lives in Chittagong. I hear it
[torture] is the same with the minority
people everywhere.
She recalled the horrific nights when
the Jamaat-Shibir men went to Hindu
houses and asked parents to hand over
their daughters to them. There is no
way to deal with such insanity."
Govinda and Swapna are two of a
community that had been waiting for
a stable situation with bated breath.
The elections would not mean any-
thing to them unless order is restored
in the district. l
Many ifs feature BNPs future plansPAGE 1 COLUMN 3
a democratic party. We have built a
public opinion against voting and our
election resistance committees around
the country have been working hard to
this end, Mohammad Shahjahan, joint
secretary general of BNP, told the Dha-
ka Tribune.
Shahjahan is now at his home in
Noakhali, working to discourage the
people in his area from voting.
We have campaigned at every
house to discourage the voters. We willdo the same tomorrow, Shamsuzzoha
Khan, president of Naogaon district
BNP, told the Dhaka Tribune.
However, our Bogra correspondent
Hasibur Rahman Bilu reported that the
local leaders and activists of BNP had
not done anything like that. They re-
sorted to widespread violence to scare
the voters and keep them away fromthe polling centres.
When asked who were torching poll-
ing centres and attacking law enforcers
and election offi cials, BNP chairper-
sons adviser Osman Farruk said no
opposition man was involved with the
violence. The common people are ex-
pressing their anger by attacking the
electoral activities because they have
been robbed of their voting rights.
Media reports suggest that at least
88 polling centres around the country
have been torched allegedly by opposi-
tion activists in the two days before the
elections.
Leaders believe that they have been
successful with their all-out efforts to en-
sure poor voter turnout to make the elec-
tions controversial, from an early realisa-
tion they will not be able to prevent the
government from holding the elections.
The government is overseeing the
elections unilaterally. This election has
already lost its credibility both interna-
tionally and nationally. Today people
will boycott the polls to say no to the
government. It is not possible to stay in
power forcefully, Farruk said.
The BNP-led 18-party opposition
combine have deviated several times
from its initial stance, which it adopt-
ed in 2011 after the Awami League-led
government annulled the caretaker
government system through the 15th
amendment to the constitution.
Last year, the party dropped the
caretaker and started pressing the
government for a neutral polls-time
arrangement. Soon after, the opposi-
tion parties said they would not accept
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina
as the head of the polls-time cabinet.
Opposition leader Khaleda Zia even
came up with her own formula of an
interim government, which she said
could be formed with former members
of past caretaker governments.
The call for resisting the polls came
up only after they failed to avert an-
nouncement of schedule for the elec-
tions that they had already boycottedand 153 candidates were elected unop-
posed soon after. l
Polling offi cer killed; centres torchedPAGE 1 COLUMN 3
10 crude bombs and two petrol bombs
at Baya Government Primary School
polling centre.
Two police constables on duty at the
polling centre sustained splinter inju-
ries. Police detained two BNP activists
with several crude bombs from the spot,
said Hafizur Rahman, Offi cer-in-Charge
of Shah Makhdum police station.
In Chittagong miscreants torchedballot papers and other election mate-
rials in Satkania upazila. While carry-
ing ballots and other election materials
for Sadaha Adarsha Mahila Madrasa
polling centre, two pickup vans were
burned down in Fakirhat area.
In Rangpur over 30 miscreants at-
tacked Damur Chakla Dewan Saleh
Madrasa polling centre with sticks andsnatched ballot papers and ballot boxes
from the centre around 7pm.
Presiding Offi cer Asad Ali and two
Ansar and VDP members were injured
in the attack.
In Comilla BNP activists in Mono-
horganj upazila hijacked five ballot
boxes from a polling centre. In Tangail
over 30 miscreants attacked Simla Pub-
lic School polling centre in Gopalpur
upazila and snatched away over 1700
ballot papers this evening.
Two Ansar members were injured
when attackers exploded a petrol bomb
during the attack. Miscreants also
stormed into the Khamarpara Govern-
ment Primary School polling center in
Gopalpur upazila around 7:00pm and
snatched away all 2869 ballot papers
from there, said Tanzina Islam, upazila
nirbahi offi cer in Gopalpur upazila.
Polling centres, mostly schools,
have been burnt down across the coun-
try since Friday.
The arson attacks increased after
the announcement of a 48-hour hartal
on Friday night, alongside the nonstop
country-wide blockade, by the oppo-
sition 18-party alliance that has called
upon the nation to resist the elections.
By 11am yesterday the miscreants had
burnt down more than 88 polling cen-
tres in at least 32 districts including the
capital. They also set fire to election ma-
terials, including ballot papers, in Chit-
tagong and Gaibandha in the afternoon.
In many places, schools books, fur-
niture and classrooms were burnt to
ashes.
In the Jamaat dominated district
Satkhira, miscreants torched two poll-
ing centres at Godaghat Government
Primary School in broad daylight.
Police said the incident took place
around 11am.
In the capital, miscreants torched
two schools at Gaunia and Mollartek in
the morning. Locals and law enforcers
doused the fire before the flames could
spread.l
Security, turnout biggest challengesPAGE 1 COLUMN 4
Mohammad Shahjahan, joint secretarygeneral of BNP, said the government
would have to come to the path of com-
promise soon after the election as it would
not be able to run the country in this way.
The protesters of todays polls already
set fire to around 100 polling centres of
18208, torched ballot papers in different
places including the capital that deep-
ened the sense of fear among voters to
think twice before going to vote centres.
At least one assistant presiding of-
ficer of a polling centre in Raipur of
Thakurgaon was killed and a few oth-
ers were critically injured in separate
incidents of attacks last evening.
Some protesters also launched an
attack on some policemen in in the dis-
trict and took away their arms.
Many other challenges remain in the
147 constituencies where vote will be
cast from 8am to 4pm today.
A 55-year-old man at Joypur village
of Monirampur upazila in Jessore said
he voted in all general elections since
he became a voter.
His identity is withheld for security
concerns as he has decided not to ex-
ercise his franchise in todays election.
I am from the Hindu community
living in a village where the minority
houses were set afire by Jamaat-Shibir
activists, who are against the election,
said the man who always voted for
boat, except once, when he voted a
Jamaat candidate for the candidates
personal reputation for being honest.
If I go to polling centre for casting
vote, their (Jamaat-Shibir) men will
identify me as an Awami League man,
said the man.Yet, if he does not go to vote, there
are chances that he will draw wrath
from the AL men for siding with Ja-
maat-Shibir.
It is a dilemma he had never faced,
and now he had been keeping his cell-
phone switched off most of the time.
Our reporters and correspondents
in the constituencies described similar
picture from many other districts.
But there might have some excep-
tions in some constituencies where
some ruling alliance candidates mayface a head-to-head ballot battle for
having strong independent candidates
who were once in the ruling alliance.
Dhaka-7 (Lalbag-Chakbazar-Kotow-
ali-Bangshal area) constituency is like-
ly to be one of those as former AL law-
maker Haji Selim is contesting the polls
as an independent candidate against
an AL top leader Dr Mostofa Jalal
Mohiuddin. The contest between the
two crated a contesting atmosphere
which might inspire voters to go to
polls center.
But a usual festive mood during the
polls was absent in most o f the constit-
uencies, rather fear gripped the voters.
Who will ensure our security if
anything untoward happens, Hamidul
Islam Chowdhury, a voter of Habiganj
3 constituency, told the Dhaka Tribune.
People are afraid. We will not go to
the polling centres.
A different scenario was there in Go-
palganj. The Dhaka Tribune observed
a changed atmosphere at the eleventh
hour in Gopalganj constituencies be-
cause of the opposition leader Khaleda
Zias remarks on December 29 on Go-
palganj, which is the home district of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Khaleda said the name of Gopalganj
would be changed. People of Gopalganj
reacted to her remarks angrily.
Following the remarks, people from
all walks of life in Gopalganj have been
gearing up for giving a sharp reply to
the comment through ballot.
They are also planning to cast more
than 95% vote. That is why it can boost
the number of total casting and ensurethe higher percentage of the co untrys av-
erage vote casting, according to conver-
sation with some locals and AL leaders.
We have already made committees
for every centre to ensure a big turn-
out of voters. If any committees fail to
bring in more than 90% vote casting,
they must be held accountable, Ma-
habub Ali Khan, joint secretary to the
district unit Awami League told the
Dhaka Tribune.
Meantime, grass roots BNP formed
election-resistance committees for ev-
ery polling centre in all 147 constituen-cies as per the direction of BNP Chair-
person Khaleda Zia.
Some BNP leaders said these
committees had been working to dis-
courage voters from going to polling
centres.
They would do the same thing to-
day, added the leaders.
(Zahidul Islam contributed Report-
ing from Gopalganj and Emran Hossain
from Jessore) l
EC unsympathetic inencouraging votersnUdisa Islam
People in different social medias ex-
pressed their discontent with the Elec-tion Commissions campaign to urge
the voters for casting their votes in the
10th parliamentary elections.
Before every polls, the EC starts cam-
paigning for a free and fair election
through television advertisements af-
ter the declaration of election schedule.
However, such type of campaigning to
raise awareness among the people was
almost absent this year.
This time, a text message was sent
by Govt Info that says: Selling votes
is equivalent to selling conscience. Do
not sell your vote.
All security measures have been tak-
en. Cast your votes fearlessly. [Vote
Bikri to Bibek Bikri, Bhote Bikri Korben
Na. Nirbachone Sarbik Nirapotta Nis-
chit Kora Hosse. Nirvoye, Nirbighne
Vote Dite Kendre Jaben.]
On condition of anonymity, a senior
offi cial of t he EC said the tex t message
has been sent to everybody, regardless
of whether they would vote or not.
When asked why the campaigning
was being carried out at the eleventh
hour, he said it had been done in right
time.
On the other hand, many people
viewed that such text messages were
meaningless to almost half of the to-
tal voters as they would not cast their
votes. A total of 153 constituencies will
not see any election this year, as lone
candidates of those seats had been
elected uncontested.
One Saif Uddin updated his Face-
book status that says: I have no right
to cast my vote. In this situation themessage from EC is a farce to me.
Another Facebook status update by
Mouli Parvin, who became voter for
the first time, says: I want to choose
my candidate. But I have to accept the
candidate who was selected by AL. EC
can be more sensitive to send this type
of text. What will I do with this mes-
sage?l
Dhaka candidates busy withcounter-resistance plansnUdisa Islam
Sahara Khatun, one of the former tele-
communications ministers of Awami
League government, spent a busy day
yesterday planning counter resistance.
The 10th national elections are
scheduled to begin in the morning to-
day, under an ongoing hartal by the op-
position alliance, which has vowed to
resist the polls at all costs.
Sources said Sahara was busy the
whole day with political activists,
chalking out plans for the election day.
She reportedly gave instructions to her
supporters to resist if anybody wanted
to create obstacles for voters trying to
reach polling centres.
Some Awami League activists were
also borrowed out from other areas to
her co nstituency.
Compared to her campaigns in the
2008 elections, Sahara has done al-
most nothing this time. In 2008, she
started her campaigning one month
before election and in the last 10 days,
she went to different wards every day
and campaigned from early morning to
night. She also attended at least eight
to 10 meetings daily.
Many residents of her constituency,
Dhaka 18, said they did not see her or
any other known face from her cam-
paign come seek votes. Others said she
was most likely to win as they did not
even know the other candidates.
In her constituency, Sahara attend-ed only a big rally when the prime
minister went to Rabindra Sarani near
Azampur bus stand in Uttara.
Like Sahara, some other Awami
League candidates also spent their last
day chalking out plans to create a suit-
able environment so that voters feel
safe at the polling centres.
Awami League candidate Kamal
Ahmed Mojumdar of Dhaka 15 told
the Dhaka Tribune he had planned to
counter any efforts to stop the election.If anybody tries to create obstacles
for voters we will resist them. All o ur sup-
porters are ready to resist them, he said.
When asked whether this count-
er-resistance might create a violent
situation, he said, We will counter the
opposition to give security to voters.
Ekhlas Uddin Molla, an independent
candidate from Dhaka 15, said he was wor-
ried about the environment of poll centres.
Both the Awami candidate and the
opposition are threatening to resist each
other. Those who are contesting inde-
pendently like me, are afraid, he said.l
AL activists to guardpolling centresThe move comes as a warning to the BNP-led opposition
nEmran Hossain Shaikh andMushfique Wadud
Supporters of the ruling Awami League
will guard polling centres alongside law
enforcement agents to prevent any vio-
lence and ensure voter turnout during
todays parliamentary polls.
Party sources said strict orders
were given to party leaders and activ-
ists all over the country to resist any
attempts to attack polling centres or
intimidate voters.
All associate bodies of AL, includ-
ing Jubo League, Chhatra League and
Shechhashebak League, have already
taken preparations, including guard-
ing polling centres, to ward off any-
one who might try to foil the polls, thesources said.
In a warning to the BNP-led oppo-
sition alliance that is boycotting the
polls, AL advisory council member To-
fail Ahmed told a press briefing yester-
day: All preparations for the elections
have been taken. Elections will be held.
Elections cannot be foiled by burning
polling centres.
The presence of voters will be the
same as before. Our party men will
assist the voters to reach the poll cen-
tres, AL organising secretary Khalid
Mahmud Chowdhury said.
Dhaka City AL general secretary Mo-fazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya told
the Dhaka Tribune: AL leaders and
activists will be guarding poll centres
along with the law enforcement agen-
cies.
While visiting Awami League elec-
tioneeri ng offi ces at L albagh in Old
Dhaka, party leaders and activists were
seen discussing ways to ensure security
and bring voters to the polling centres.
Of the nine city constituencies
where voting will be held today, the
Dhaka 7 seat is expected to be well-
fought as a rebel candidate is vying
against the party nominee to win votes
from residents of Lalbagh, Chawkba-
zar, Kotwali and Bangshal.
The two aspirants are Haji M Selim,
joint secretary of Dhaka City AL who is
running as an independent, and Mosta-
fa Jalal Mohiuddin, the AL nominee.
Meanwhile, Chhatra League and
Juba League members were seen taking
position yesterday outside different
polling centres in the capital to
prevent possible attacks by opposition
supporters.
Activists of the ruling partys student
and youth wings said they would con-
tinue guarding the polling centres until
all the votes were cast and counted.
Gazi Sarwar Hossain Babu, organ-
ising secretary of Juba League Dhaka
Metropolitan (south), along with about
50 supporters, was seen visiting polling
centres in Dhaka 6.
During stops at Kabi Nazrul Is-
lam College and Government Shahid
Suhrawardy College, Sarwar assured
the polling o ffi cials tha t his follow ers
would ensure security of the centres aswell as the voters.
Ruling party activists were also seen
standing guard around polling centres
in Dhaka 4 constituency.
Khalilu r Rahman Patawari , offi cer in
charge of Sutrapur police station, said
they had taken necessary security mea-
sures in the area so that voters can cast
their votes without any problem. l
BGB on high alert
along bordersnTribune Report
Security has been tightened along the
border ahead of the 10th National Par-
liament Election to prevent violence atthe polls.
Border Guard Bangladesh members
are on high alert to prevent illegal infil-
tration into to the country, as security
agencies suspect outsiders might cre-
ate violence around the polling centres.
Lieutenant Colonel Imam Ahsan, cap-
tain of 28 BGB in Satkhira, said the EC is-
sued an order to keep an eye on borders.
He added that a huge area was
brought under a security blanket, so
that no culprits would be able to trans-
port any explosives to create violence
on Election Day.
Shahidul Islam, immigrati on offi -
cer-in-charge of Bhomra, said they have
a list of crimina ls, and the offi cials have
been checking every passengers pass-
port, so that no criminal can escape.
CQK Mostak Ahmed, home secre-
tary, said the BGB was asked to keep
alert with strict security measures in
the border areas centring the 10th Na-
tional Parliament Election.
The home secretary said the borders
were sealed-off, but restrictions havebeen imposed because of the elections.l
The polling centre at Nondongachhi Kalabipara Model High School in ruins after miscreants burned it on Friday night DHAKA TRIBUNE
'I have no right to cast my vote.In this situation the messagefrom EC is a farce to me,' saysa voter
8/13/2019 Print Edition: 05 January 2014
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Fear of uncontested fake votesnMohammad Al-Masum Molla
Traditionally, polling agents of con-
tenders challenge each other and also
suspicious voters to make sure that no-
body casts fake votes during elections.
But this year, because of the opposi-
tion boycott, there will not be any poll-
ing agent at the centres to challenge
the agents of those candidates, who are
contesting the elections.
Experts have said the ECs main
challenge will be ensuring a healthy
voter turnout and give the polls credi-
bility amid apprehension that the rul-
ing parties the only contenders this
time may adopt unfair means.
They said ensuring credibility was
also mandatory for the Awami League-
led ruling combine because of the op-
position boycott and the absence of
reputed international observers.
One way of doing that could be
showing substantial voter presence
although until a day before the elec-tions, many voters from different
social classes were undecided about
going to the polling centres fearing vi-
olence, experts said.
Torching of polling centres and
attacks on law enforces and election
offi cials on th e eve of the election day
would only reinforce the prevailing
fear, they said.
In a video clip that has reached jour-
nalists via the agent of an independent
candidate in the Jessore 1 constituen-
cy, Awami League leader Afil Uddin
can be seen telling his supporters: Do
not leave the field vacant. A hundred
of our [Awami League] supporters will
be present at every voting centre. They
will go to the booths to cast vote and
queue up again for voting once more.This will go on over and over again. It
will create an impression among ob-
servers and journalists that many vot-
ers have gathered to cast their votes.
Afil is the uncontested-elected law-
maker from the Jessore 2 seat who had
been campaigning for his fellow party
ticket-holder in the Jessore 1 constitu-
ency.
Usually, the polling agents of con-
tenders challenge a voter if they sus-
pect something fishy. But it will not be
possible to perfectly identify the voters
from their pictures only, Rokhsana
Khondker, steering committee mem-
ber of the Election Working Group, told
the Dhaka Tribune.
Since there is no opposition side
in these elections, challenging of fake
voters will not take place at the polling
centres, former election commission-
er Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain
told the Dhaka Tribune.
Hossain also said to what extent it
would be pos sible for the elec tion offi -
cials to remain neutral would be a big
question because the ruling party lead-
ers had been desperate to show huge
voter turnouts. l
3NewsDHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, January 5, 2014
Tarique: Do notwait for anydirectivenMohammad Al-Masum Molla
In a rare video address to the nation
from exile, opposition leader Khaleda
Zias eldest son Tarique Rahman, also
senior vice-chairman of BNP, urged
people to rise above petty interests
and put in all-out efforts to resist to-
dayus farcical polls.
The five-minute video that was cir-
culated in social media yesterday, was
not his first. A similar message was cir-
culated during the last national councilof BNP in 2008.
Tarique has been living in London
since 2008.
Before going into exile, he had
promised that he would not get in-
volved in any political activity. How-
ever, last year, Tarique elaborated his
future plans in a programme in London
marking the launching of a book writ-
ten by him.
He was arrested in 2007 in the anti-graft
crackdown of the then military-backed
caretaker government. Before going
to London, he secured bail in all the
16 cases filed against him. Recently, a
Dhaka court acquitted Tarique from a
major money-laundering case.
Branding the ongoing movement
as the one for restoring democracy,
Tarique said in the video message: It
is time to wage all-out efforts. No more
waiting for any direction.
From today the only target is to re-sist the autocratic government and the
farcical polls at any cost burying the all
small differences.
Claiming that his mother Khaleda
Zia had been placed on house arrest,
Tarique hinted that the law enforcers
might have to face trial in future for
what he said was going against the
people of the country by siding with
the autocratic government.
Pointing fingers at a neighboring
country, Tarique said the relations with
that country could have been one of
mutual welfare and understanding.
But [certain] political elements are us-
ing the relations to serve their narrow
personal and party interests.
The BNP senior vice chairman also said
the deep crisis prevailing in the country
had posed a question whether the consti-
tution was for the people or whether the
people were for the constitution.
Tariques message comes only a day
after Khaleda Zia had issued a state-
ment on Friday asking people to join
in boycotting and resisting the farci-cal polls. l
Jamaat-Shibir ready to foil electionsnTribune Report
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has in-
structed all i ts party offi ces across th e
country to resist people from going to
their respective polling centres, said
sources in the party.
The Jamaat-Shibir activists would
remain active on the field to foil the
polls for the sake of saving Islam, said
a leader of the party.
Meanwhile, more than 100 polling
centres were reportedly torched yes-
terday until 9pm.
A number of Jamaat leaders claimed
the activists were going door to door toconvince voters not to go to the polling
centres to cast votes for saving Islam
and democracy.
The central committee has in-
structed our leaders and activists to
coordinate with BNP activists and take
position at the polling centres where
Jamaat has strong connections, a Ja-
maat leader told the Dhaka Tribune
wishing anonymity.
The central committee of Jamaat
had instructed its activists to form
poll resistance committees with BNP
in all the constituencies at zilla, thana,
upazila, union and wards to foil thepolls, however, many of the Jamaat ac-
tivists were yet to form such commit-
tee, according to the sources
The Jamaat-Shibir men also have
threatened to make a list of those who will
go to the polling centres in several constit-
uencies including Satkhira 1, an area con-
sidered to be stronghold of Jamaat.
In last few days, the main opposition
parties including BNP and Jamaat went on
a rampage to thwart the one-sided 10th
parliamentary election to be held today.
Fourteen-party alliance candidate
in Satkhira 1 Mostafa Lutfullah alleged
that some Jamaat activists hiding faces
behind masks brought out a procession
in Jalalabad area in Satkhira 1 on Friday
night. They chanted slogans against
the election.
The local administration did not
take any step against them even after
being informed, he said.
Independent candidate of the same
constituency SM Mojibur Rahman al-
leged that Jamaat men had been threat-
ening voters in different areas for not
going to the polling centres.
He demanded that law enforcement
agencies be more active in the vio-
lence-prone areas.
Many people from the minor com-
munities have already left Satkhira sa-
dar in the wake of the violence broken
out by Jamaat in Satkhira 2 in February
last year.
Still Jamaat-Shibir activists are
threatening the minorities and those
who have left are yet to return to their
homes out of fear, said a leader of Hin-
du-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad
on condition of anonymity.Another 11-party candidate Mir Mo-
staque Ahmed and independent can-
didate Saiful Karim demanded the law
enforcement agencies to pay special
attention to Jamaat-dominated areas.
The supporters of liberation war
will go to the polling centres if assur-
ance is given by the local administra-
tion, Mostaque said.l
AL campaignsto save facenKamran Reza Chowdhury and
Emran Hossain Shaikh
The ruling Awami League has initiat-
ed belated campaigns to convince the
maximum number of voters to cast
their votes amid fear that voter turnout
in the 147 constituencies may appear
embarrassing for it.
It has now become a key test for the
ruling party to ensure at least over 50%
turnout that would help the govern-
ment to consolidate its authority after
the polls. Around 48% of the total vot-
ers will exercise their franchise today
as polls would not be held in 153 seats
where the candidates has been elected
uncontested.
In 1988, voter turnout was 51.8%
while it was 26.5% during the February15, 1996 elections when there were no
polls in 10 constituencies.
The grassroots leaders are not in-
terested in campaigning in the BNP
strongholds including Bogra and great-
er Noakhali districts where the AL lead-
ers are either in hibernation or assem-
bled in groups to protect them from the
attacks of the BNPJamaat activists.
The AL leaders in other areas have
been working hard to attract the voters
through door-to-door campaigns just
to get at least 50% turnout. They are
said to be arranging transportation fa-
cilities for the voters and have pledged
to protect them from attacks of the op-
position men.
But the voters are hesitant to go to
the polling centres.
The AL leaders in the 147 constitu-
encies were not active until the partys
central leadership asked them to con-
duct campaigns mainly to increase the
voter turnout.
Subrata Das Shimul, AL general sec-
retary of Dakkhinbagh union of Barole-kha, Moulvibazar, told the Dhaka Trib-
une that they had been campaigning
in the villages and asking them to turn
up at the polls centres. The union has
around 19,000 voters.
Voting takes place in two out of the
four seats in the district.
Dakkhinbagh falls within Moulviba-
zar 1 constituency where the AL has
nominated Shahab Uddin as its can-
didate against the Jatiya Partys (JaPa)
Ahmed Riyaz Uddin.
We will go to every house tomor-
row [Sunday] for increasing the num-
ber of voters as the BNPJamaat has
been intimidating the people. Besides,
we will provide rickshaws for the vot-
ers to reach the polling centres, said
Subrata, whose shop was raged by the
opposition activists recently.
He said: I think we will be able to
cast 60% votes against the partys tar-
get of 50%.
Faruk Ahmed Chowdhury, general
secretary of Jamalpur district AL, ad-
mitted that the people were in severepanic in his area.
We have been trying to allay the
fear of the voters belonging to the
pro-liberation forces. We have arranged
transportation facilities for them too.
Our target to see casting of up to 60%
votes, he told the Dhaka T ribune.
He said the party had been mobilis-
ing the workforce as the BNPJamaat
voters would not come to the polling
centres.
Bringing more people to the polling
centres will be better for the party and
the government. Therefore, we have
initiated the move to encourage the
voters, Abdul Malek, general secretary
of ALs Naogaon district unit and can-
didate from Naogaon 5 seat, told theDhaka Tribune.
He said the local leaders had been
asked to go to every house and pursue
them to cast their votes.
Elections would take place in three
constituencies out of six in the district,
a BNP-dominated area.
The situa tion is ve ry diffi cult fo r
the ruling party in Bogra and greater
Noakhali, two strongholds of the oppo-
sition BNP and Jamaat.
The AL leaders have been very in-
active there as the party has no candi-
date in the two of seven constituencies
where voting is set to take place.
Our leaders are not enthusiastic
about the votes here as we have no
party candidates [for Bogra 7 constit-
uency]. The Jatiya Party candidate will
get our votes. Let us see how we can
increase the voters presence, Azam
Khan, president of Gabtali (BNP found-
er Ziaur Rahmans village) unit of AL,
told the Dhaka Tribune.
The situation in Kahalu and Nan-
digram (Bogra 4) constituency issimilar to Gabtali, say the ALs grass-
roots leaders.
Nazrul Islam, president of the ALs
Joylashkarpur union under Daganbhu-
iyan upazila in Feni, said the upazi-
la-level leaders had not passed to them
any instruction to increase turnout.
They [the upazila AL] have formed a
bahini [team] which will work for taking
voters to the polling centres. Please ask
them, how they will do that. They have
not arranged any vehicular facilities for the
voters, Nazrul told the Dhaka Tribune.
He said the AL and its front organi-
sations had been working in favour of
JaPa candidate Rintu Anwar in Feni 3
constituency.
Jyonti Rani Sardar, women affairs
secretary of the ALs Dakop upazila,
Khulna, told the Dhaka Tribune that
the Khulna 1 constituency (Dakop-Bati-
aghata) had not witnessed any violence
as it was a Hindu-dominated area.
AL candidate Panchanan Bishwas
is facing immediate past MP Noni Go-
pal Mondal (independent) and JaPasShunil Shubho Roy.
Hopefully, we will see 75% vote cast
in our constituency. All the candidates
are doing their campaigns peacefully,
said. Out of the total 1,08,000 voters in
Dakop, around 60,000 are Hindus.
Shahriar Alam, AL candidate for Ra-
jshahi 6 seat, said he had ensured that
the voters get rickshaw vans to reach
the voting centres.
Besides that, our workers will cook
food tonight [Saturday] around the
polling centres so that no attackers can
harm the centres. Again, our ward-level
workers have been campaigning door-
to-door, he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Our correspondents report that the
turnout in Faridpur 4 seat and three
others in Gopalganj districts is likely
to be higher following opposition chief
Khaleda Zias remark about the name of
Gopalganj. l
Many voters indifferent in Tukus seatnAbu Bakar Siddique, from Pabna
A large number of voters at Pabnas
Bera and Santhia upazilas have ex-
pressed their unwillingness to cast
ballots in todays parliamentary polls,
saying the one-sided election meant
nothing to them.
This is not a national election, rath-
er it should be called as the election of
Awami League where the main contest
is between an incumbent and a former
Awami League MP, said Mohammad
Shafi, a resident of Dowlatpur village
of Santhia upazila, which is known as a
hub of Jamaat-e-Islami because former
ameer of the party Motitur Rahman
Nizami hailed from there.
The reluctance to vote is evident in
the absence of festive election mood in
the Pabna 1 constituency, which con-
sists Bera and Santhia upazilas.
Shafi also said the common people
had no interest in the kind of elec-tion which had no future, adding that
everybody except a few party men
were busy with their livelihoods.
Regarding popularity among the
voters, independent candidate Prof
Abu Sayeed was leading the race ahead
of incumbent lawmaker Awami League
candidate Shamsul Haque Tuku.
Talking to over a hundred people
in the constituency, the Dhaka Trib-
une found that most were uninterest-
ed about the polls. Many of the locals
however said if they were to vote, they
would choose Sayeed, who was a for-
mer state minister for information.
If the election turns out to be fair, I
hope Abu Sayeed will be elected, said
Joynal Abedin, a voter from Nakaliavillage. He however added that the re-
sults were uncertain as Shamsul Haque
Tuku the incumbent state minister
for home controlled the law enforce-
ment agencies.
The locals also claimed that they
were refraining from supporting the in-
cumbent lawmaker because he served
his own interest instead of serving the
people.
He [Tuku] did nothing for the lo-
cality, rather Tuku engaged himself
to earn wealth in different ways, said
Mobarak Hossain, a tea-stall owner at
Koromja Bazar of Bera, adding that Say-
eed was far better than Tuku.
Tuku did not bear the weight to be a
lawmaker, another voter Faruk Hossain
from Sharisha village claimed. People vot-
ed for Tuku in the previous election be-
cause of the wave of change promised by
the Awami League and because Sayeed
the lawmaker elected in the 1996 elections
did not get AL nomination, he added.
However, some workers of Tukus
electio n offi ce were seen yeste rday
morning to persuade people to cast
vote for the candidate.
On the other hand, Sayeed ex-
pressed concerns of failing in his elec-
tion bid, as the local police were alleg-
edly working on behalf of Tuku.
Three o ffi cers-in-c harge of B era,
Santhia and Ataikula police stations
were closed on Friday by a special or-
der from the Election Commission, fol-
lowing allegations from Sayeed.
The supporters of Sayeed were also
reportedly harassed by Tukus fol-
lowers in different ways including the
filing of lawsuits, Ishrafil Alam, a sup-
porter of Sayeed said.
With the election race lacking any
opposition candidate, including formerJamaat chief Nizami who was twice
elected lawmaker from the constituen-
cy in 1991 and 2001, rumours suggested
that the opposition activists secretly
supported Sayeed because they want-
ed Tuku to fail.
Rais Uddin, secretary of Bera upazi-
la unit of BNP, however told the Dhaka
Tribune that they were boycotting the
election and would no way support an-
ybody from Awami League.
Mostafizur Rahman Firoz, acting
ameer of Santhia upazila Jamaat, also
denied allegations of extending sup-
port to any candidate, and said no Ja-
maat worker will join the polls. l
RESULTS OF ALL PARLIAMENTARY POLLS AT A GLANCE
Election Year 1973 1979 1986 1988 1991 1996 (15 Feb) 1996 2001 2008 2014
Parties 14 29 28 8 75 41 81 54 38 12
Candidates 1, 209 2 ,547 1,9 80 1,192 2,787 1,450 2,574 1,939 1,567 390 [in 147 seats]
Unopposed 11 11 0 18 0 49 0 0 0 153
Turnout(%) 55.6 51.3 66.3 51.8 55.5 26.5 75 75.6 87.13
Winner AL BNP JP JP BNP BNP AL BNP AL
ALfights itselfin 30 seatsnEmran Hossain Shaikh
There will be tough competition in 30
seats in the 10th parliamentary elec-
tions today, among Awami League can-
didates and the partys rebels. Central
leaders and ministers like Matia Chow-
dhury and Kazi Jafar Ullah are going
head to head against fellow party lead-
ers in the polls.
The 104 independents contesting in
the elections are mostly Awami League
leaders, and at least seven of them are
current and former MPs. Around 70
Awami League nominees are facing re-
bel candidates.
Voters said Awami League presidi-
um members Kazi Jafar Ullah, Mostafa
Jalal Mohiuddin, Agriculture Minister
Matia Chowdhury and State Minister
for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku were
the ones facing the toughest competi-
tions from rebels.Jafar Ullah is facing independent
candidate Mujibur Rahman Chowd-
hury alias Nixon Chowdhury at Farid-
pur 4 constituency.
Matia Chowdhury, party candidate
for Sherpur 2, is facing Badiuzzaman
Badsha, Chairman of Nalitabari upazila
and vice-president of Krishak League.
Former AL MP Haji Mohammad
Selim is vying as an independent against
Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin in Dhaka 7.
State Minister for Home Shamsul
Haque Tuku facing former state minister
Abu Sayeed, known as a reformist in the
party, in Pabna 1. In Narail 2 and Satkhira 1,
ruling ally Workers Partys candidates are
facing Awami League rebel c andidates.l
Cylinder blast kills 1nKailash Sarkar
A housewife was killed and a youth in-
jured in gas cylinder explosion in East
Daniya of Jatrabari area in the capital
last night.
The deceased was identified as Jos-
na Begum, 35, wife Mosharraf Hossain
alias Phoolchan.
Jatrabari Police Station Offi cer-in-
Charge Rafiqul Islam said Josna had
fallen victim while she had been coming
out from the 2nd floor of her building.l
But [certain] politicalelements are using therelations to serve their narrowpersonal and party interests
8/13/2019 Print Edition: 05 January 2014
4/21
News4 DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, January 5, 2014
City High Low
Dhaka 22.5 13.5
Chittagong 25.6 15.0
Rajshahi 22.3 08.5
Rangpur 20.5 11.4
Khulna 22.8 11.6
Barisal 22.8 10.2
Sylhet 24.9 11.0
Coxs Bazar 24.5 15.5
PRAYER TIMES
Fajar 5:22am
Sunrise 6: 41am
Zohr 12:04am
Asr 3:49pm
Magrib 5:25pm
Esha 6:46pm
Source: IslamicFinder.org
WEATHER
Dry weather likely
nUNB
Weather may remain dry with partlycloudy sky over the country until 6pm
today.
Light to moderate fog might occur
over the country during midnight till
morning, Me t Offi ce said.
Night and day temperature may
remain nearly unchanged over the
country. The sun sets in the capital at
5:25pm today and rises at 6:43am to-
morrow.
Countrys highest temperature 25.6
degree Celsius was recorded at Chit-
tagong and lowest 6.6 degrees at Ch-uadanga yesterday. Highest and lowest
temperatures recorded in some major
cities yesterday were:
38 injured as RMG workers-police clashnTarek Mahmud, Chittagong
At least 38 people, including eight po-
licemen, were injured in a clash be-
tween readymade garment workers
and police near the Chittagong Export
Processing Zone yesterday.Police and local sources said work-
ers had vandalised two RMG factories
Section Seven and Section Apparels
five vehicles, and torched a motor-
cycle at the CEPZ intersection around
10am. They were demanding the im-
mediate implementation of the newly
announced wage board.
Arifur Rahman Arif, inspector (in-
telligence) of Industrial Police in Chit-
tagong, told the Dhaka Tribune that
around 8,000 RMG workers locked into
clashes with the police when they tried
to disperse the agitated workers. Eight
policemen had sustained injuries dur-
ing the clash, he added.
The situation was brought undercontrol after additional police from the
EPZ police station went to the scene and
fired blank rounds and conducted ba-
ton charges, Mostak Ahmed, additional
deputy commissioner of Port Zone of
Chittagong Metropolitan Police said.
The workers claimed that at least 30
of them received injuries because of
the police action.
Later, RMG factory owners, the
workers b ody, offi cials f rom Bang la-
desh Export Processing Zone Authori-
ties and law enforcement agencies
conducted a meeting and decided to
implement the new wage board for
workers bywithin January 9, the ADC
said.
After receiving the assurance, the
workers withdrew their demonstration
around 1:30pm. l
AL man violatesdomestic help
nOur Correspondent, Rajbari
A domestic help was allegedly raped by
a local Awami League leader in Rajbari
district on Saturday.
Sources said Siraj Mandal, 45, sonof Tasel Mandal in Barabanglot village
under Koshbamajail union of Pangsha
upazila had raped the maid while she
had been working in his house. Siraj is
the AL joint- secretary of the union.
When contacted, Pangsha Police
Station Sub-inspector (SI) Nizam Uddin
confirmed the incident.
Police sources also said the house
help had been working in the house of
Siraj for a long time and he tried to de-
velop an illicit relation with her.
Locals formed a human chain in
front of Pangsha Press Club protesting
the incident. l
Arson in pollingcentre shatterschildrens dream
nOur Correspondent, Lakshmipur
Students of Rosulpur Primary School
under Ramganj upazila of the dis-
trict became heartbroken as their new
books were burned to ashes yesterday.
According to sources, activists of
18-party alliance allegedly set fire tothe school at night in order to foil to-
days election as the school was select-
ed as polling center.
The fire burned 1,100 books, six
pairs of benches and a chair.
The fire also shattered dreams of the
students as they did not get new books
in their new classes.
The teachers were supposed to pro-
vide the books among the students on
January 2 as they had to attend train-
ing sessions for todays election. But
they could not provide the books as the
school was torched.
Arafat Hossain, a fourth-grade stu-
dent of the school, went to the school
with the hope for getting new books.But he became heartbroken because of
the incident.
Nusrat, Minhaj, Shampa, Pria and
others echoed Arafat.
Sahena Akter, Abul Kalam, Anwar
Hosain, Jahanra Begum, guardians of
the students, also expressed frustra-
tion over the incident.
Nurunnahar, the headmistress ofthe school, said We have become dis-
appointed likewise the students as we
could not provide the books among
them.
Deputy Commissioner AKM Miza-
nur Rahman, Police Superintendent
Abul Foyej, district Primary Education
Offi cer Nurul Islam a nd upazi la Pri-
mary Ed ucatio n Offi cer Nabir Uddin
visited the spot.
Distric t Primary E ducati on Offi cer
Nurul Islam says a demand letter has
been sent to the directorate seeking
books and benches.
We hope we can provide the stu-dents with new books within a couple
of days, he says. l
Dhaka 17 voters unaware ofcandidates, symbolsnAbu Hayat Mahmud and
Md Sanaul Islam Tipu
The residents of Dhaka-17 constitu-
ency, which comprises the posh neigh-
bourhoods of Banani, Gulshan and
Dhaka Cantonment, have no interest in
the one-sided 10th parliamentary polls
and most voters of the area said they
would not go out to vote today.
Many voters told the Dhaka Tribune
yesterday evening that they had no in-
formation on the candidates vying for
the seat or their election symbols.
The voters also claimed that the
candidates did not run adequate cam-
paigns or meet with the locals. Some
also said they had no idea that polls
would be held in their area or where the
polling centres were.
Polls are being held in our area? Idid not know, said Jubaida Begum,
owner of a tea stall at Banani Road 17.
Even if the polls are held tomorrow, I
will not go to vote.
Since the incumbent lawmaker and
Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad withdrew
his candidature, three new aspirants
have entered the race.
The new faces on the ballot paper in-
clude Abdul Latif Mallick of Jatiya Party
(Manju) with bicycle symbol, SM Abul
Kalam Azad of newly-floated Bangla-desh Nationalist Front with television
and independent candidate MA Hannan
Mridha, whose symbol is football.
The ruling Awami League did not field
any candidate as it had earmarked the
seat for Ershad, while the BNP-led op-position parties are boycotting the polls.
The candidates who are running,
meanwhile, seem to have failed to cre-
ate much enthusiasm among the voters.
In every (past) parliamentary elec-tion, I have gone to vote with special
interest. But this year, I will not go to
the polling centre as I have no interest
in the one-sided polls, said Ashique
Anowar, a school teacher and Banani
resident. The polls have not obtained
support from all over the world, so how
can I go to cast my vote?
I know another election will be
held within a little time just after the
polls tomorrow, so why should I go to
cast my vote spending my vehicle fuel
for this one-sided polls? he added.Ashique also said he did not know
the names nor the symbols of the three
new candidates. None of the candi-
dates and their supporters came to my
house with voter slips and leaflets like
in previous po lls, he added.
Md Dulal, an electrician who lives
inside the cantonment, said he would
not be going to the polling centre for
fear of possible violence.
Belal Hossain, a resident of Gulshan
1, also said he would not cast his ballot
this time, although he had voted in al-
most every national election from 1991
to 2008. l
Rajshahi votersconfused, panickednMohammad Jamil Khan,
from Rajshahi
The voters in Rajshahi divisions two
constituencies Rajshahi 3 and Ra-
jshahi 6 allege that the opposition
supporters are threatening them not goto the polling centres today while the
Awami League candidates have been
asking them to exercise their f ranchise
fearlessly.
Moreover, the persistent incidents
of violent clashes and attack on poll-
ing centres to thwart the polls have put
them in a dilemma about the voting.
According to distric t Election Offi cer
Saiful Islam, there are 3,19,698 voters
in Rajshahi 3 constituency and in Ra-
jshahi 6 election area, it is 2,73,000.
The number of female voters is almost
half. The polls will be held at 180 poll-
ing centres in the two seats.
In both the constituencies, the AL-
nominated MP aspirants are ahead of theircontending independent candidates.
Reports of threatening the voters
came from Bagha and Charghat area.
Police said they were receiving com-
plaints from Nimpara, Halua, Patiakan-
di, Bagubagha, Chatari and Monipur
union saying they were instructed notto go to cast votes.
Confirming the incident, Khandokar
Golam Mortoza, offi cer-in-c harge of
Charghat police station, told the Dhaka
Tribune that they were trying to trace
the criminals.
Many among the Hindu communi-
ties of the area are also in fear. Pulak
Chowdhury, a resident of Bagha area,
said they had been frightened over
the reports of attack on polling centres
across the country. Moreover, some
people cut down trees and attacked
our houses in Habashpur area recently
but no one had the courage to file any
cases, he told the Dhaka Tribune.
If we go to cast votes and anything
happens to us, who will take the re-
sponsibility? Pulak asked.In this regard, Abul Khayer, offi cer-in-
charge of Bagha police station, told the
Dhaka Tribune that patrol teams were
active in the area while the joint forces
had also been deployed. He claimed thatthe situation was under control.
Meanwhile, some voters think about
casting the ballots or else they would
be marked as activists of any political
party opposing the polls.
Abdu Sabur, a resident of Bagha area,
told the Dhaka Tribune: We fall in
traps. If we do not go to poling centres
then the Awami League will treat us asBNP men while if we vote, the BNP will
treat us as Awami League supporters.
Local AL leaders said they were pre-
pared to ensure a peaceful election.
Abdus Salam, president of ALs Mo-
honpur upazila unit, told the Dhaka
Tribune that the activists and leaders
would be present on the streets. If
anyone tries to create any barrier for
the voters, the party activists will help
the law enforcers taking action.
Aspirants hopeful
In the two seats of the division, both
the strong candidates belong to the
Awami League and they hope to win
the polls.
According to district returning of-
fice, AL-nominated Shahriar Alam is
participating in the polls with boat
symbol from Rajshahi 6 seat while for-
mer ruling party lawmaker Raihanul
Haque as independent candidate with
butterfly as his election symbol.Contacted, Shahriar told the Dhaka
Tribune: I have worked in the area for
the last five years and the people also
love me so much. Learning all these
about me, Prime Minister Sheikh Ha-
sina has given me the nomination.
He hoped that the voters would re-
ject those who were working for their
personal interests and took their posi-
tion against the AL.
In Rajshahi 3, district AL President
Meraz Uddin Mollah, who was elected
as an MP in 2008 elections, is contest-
ing as independent candidate since the
party nominated Ayne Uddin.
Meraz, told the Dhaka Tribune: I
have sacrificed many things for the party
and worked for the development of the
area. Despite these, the party did not give
me the nomination. For this reason, on
request of the local people, I am partici-
pating in the polls as an MP candidate.
He asked the people to exercise their
voting rights not considering the elec-tion symbol of the candidates but their
activities.l
Postal ballot ignorednMohosinul Karim and
Rabiul Islam
Ignorance surrounding the postal ballot
voting system, added with the Election
Commissions lack of initiative to pub-
licise the procedure, is causing at least
600,000 elec tion-rel ated offi cials an d
many expatriates to be deprived from
their voting rights every election year.
Voting through a normal process
is not an option for most of the public
servants, law enforcers, teachers and
other offi cials , who are involve d with
the election process and are deputed to
different places away from where theyare enlisted as voters.
Bangladeshi missions abroad are also
in the dark about the postal ballot vot-
ing system, while most of the 80 lakh
Bangladeshi expatriates are not voters.
According to Deputy Commissioner
of Dhaka Shaikh Yusuf Harun, the Elec-
tion Commission has a provision of tak-
ing postal votes by sending postal bal-
lots to the intereste d offi cers or persons.
The postal ballot is sent to an in-
terested person, after they submit an
applic ation to the returni ng offi cer of
the concerned area 15 days prior to the
election date. The applicant will thenresend the ball ot to the return ing offi -
cer after casting his vote confidentially,
the Dhaka DC said.
The returni ng offi cer will s end the
postal ballot to the EC and it will be
counted for the aspirants for whom the
offi cer or person wil l give their vote, he
added.
We are yet to receive a single ap-
plication. Nobody is interested to give
such votes as most of them are not
aware about the system. They would
be interested, if the commission takesany initiative to create public aware-
ness in this regard, the Dhaka DC said.
Deputy Secretary Piyar Mohammad
said: Though they have an option to
cast their votes by postal ballots, most
of the offi cers are not int erested to do
it. There is no publicity in this regard.
As a result, around 600,000 voters can-
not cast their votes every election year.
Senior Assistant Secretary Nurul
Karim Bhuiyan, who is now in Patuakh-
ali on election duty, said: I have never
heard that any offi cer applied to any re-
turning offi cer for ca sting his vot es by
postal ballots. I am also not interested
to do so.
Asked about publicity surrounding
postal ballots, the EC Secretary Mo-
hammad Sadique refused to comment
saying he was very busy.
Lack of awareness about the postal
ballot system also failed to create en-
thusiasm among expatriates living
abroad.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE
Mohammad Imran said: We have not
received any letter from Bangladeshi
expatriates for giving vote by post.I have no knowledge about postal
ballot and we have no such activities,
Labour Counsellor to Riyadh Emdadul
Hoque told the Dhaka Tribune.
Shajahan Bhuiyan, a Bangladeshi ex-
patriate in Saudi Arabia, sa id: We are not
voters and the government has not made
us voters, which is our big demand.
Mohiuddin Babul, a Bangladeshi
businessman in South Africa, said: We
do not know anything about postal
ballot.l
A number of ballot boxes stacked at MA Aziz Stadium premises in Chittagong under police surveillance yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE
UP chairmanmurdered
nTribune Report
Awami League leader and acting chair-
man of Dhamalia union parishad in
Dumuria upazil of Khulna was killed
yesterday.Locals said acting chairman Sha-
hidul Islam came out of his residence
around 11:30am as some people called
him out. Miscreants shot him there and
fled from the scene. Locals rushed him
to Khulna Medical College Hospital but
Shahidul succumbed to his injuries on
the way to hospital.
Local AL activists detained Shohan,
a Shibir activist, in connection of the
killing. They handed him over to po-
lice. Later he died in a c ross-fire. Police
recovered arms, bullets and bombs
from the spot.
Offi cer-in-C harge of Dumuria polic e
station Shah Mohammad Awlad Hos-
sain said Shohan informed police thatsome fellow members were waiting in a
field named Napitar Math. Police went
to the spot and the miscreants opened
fire. Shohan shot dead on the spot. Two
police members were injured in the
cross-fire.l
CHT people take onchallenge to cast votenAdil Sakhawat
People in CHT areas are facing prob-
lems to reach polling centres as it takes
a long time to reach the voting stations
crossing the bumpy roads from their
abode.
The voters are in a festive mood
about polls though they have to face
trouble to reach polling centres.
Mrinal Kanti Tripura, independent
candidate of Khagrachhari told the
Dhaka Tribune, As this area is veryimpassable, voters will face trouble toreach the voting stations. They have to
approach the centres on foot only.
Many voters have already gone to
their relatives houses, close to polling
centres, the day before polls only to
cast vote, he said.
About the pre-election violence,
Mrinal told the Dhaka Tribune his
family were detained by the United
Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) men
two days before polls and later released
following negotiations with them.
Voters in Rangamati are also in a fes-
tive mood ahead of the election, butthose living in the inaccessible areas
came near polling centres the day be-
fore polls.
Independent candidate Ushatan Taluk-
dar of Rangamati alleged that the vot-
ers had been facing harassment by the
UPDF members.
Ushatan also alleged that Awami
league activists were continuously
threatening his agent in the area.
My supporters were more than
other candidates in this constituency,
he said. l
Garment workers of Section Seven Garment Factory stage demonstration yesterday,
demanding salaries under new structure DHAKA TRIBUNE
'As this area is veryimpassable, voters willface trouble to reach thevoting stations. They haveto approach the centres on
foot only,' says Khagrachhariindependent candidate
8/13/2019 Print Edition: 05 January 2014
5/21
4
171
17
192
2175
18
299
300
298
97
1
108
3
99
104
2
6
98
7
5
4
118
9
46
11
114
52
224
44
8
47 232
25
165
10
273
109 113
80
3648
86
12
70
83
271
64
82
92
28
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27
62
94
33
60
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43
90
23
242
34
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26
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39
279
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69
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236
122
16042
76
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239
75
228
107
237
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226225
233157
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6872
89
238
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277
116
297
110
88
49
29
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214
294
24
22
146
66
59
137
296
56
111
272
112
105
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158147
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169
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230
227144
130 159
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67
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291
50
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289
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267
292
256
283
161
295
251
265
152
244
154
141
249
290
202
229
125
257
162
246
193
3
253
133
203170
153
259
172
281
260
282
263
201
252
250
248
167
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255
288
266269
206
20405
274
199200
284
254
195
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176
287
178
101
286
286 285
287
100
7
186
187188
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180
182
184
179
177
Special 5DHAKA TRIBUNE Sunday, January 5, 2014
004 Thakurgaon-2
007 Dinajpur-2
013 Nilphamari-2
015 Nilphamari-4
017 Lalmonirhat-2
019 Rangpur-1020 Rangpur-2
023 Rangpur-5
026 Kurigram-2
027 Kurigram-3
033 Gaibandha-5
034 Joypurhat-1
035 Joypurhat-2
036 Bogra-1
037 Bogra-2
038 Bogra-3
040 Bogra-5
041 Bogra-6
043 Chapainawabganj-1
045 Chapainawabganj-3
046 Naogaon-1
047 Naogaon-2
051 Naogaon-6
052 Rajshahi-1
053 Rajshahi-2
055 Rajshahi-4
056 Rajshahi-5
058 Natore-1
059 Natore-2
061 Natore-4
062 Sirajganj-1
063 Sirajganj-2064 Sirajganj-3
065 Sirajganj-4
067 Sirajganj-6
069 Pabna-2
071 Pabna-4
072 Pabna-5
076 Kushtia-2
085 Jessore-1
087 Jessore-3
093 Narail-1
095 Bagerhat-1
096 Bagerhat-2
097 Bagerhat-3
102 Khulna-4
103 Khulna-5
104 Khulna-6
107 Satkhira-3
108 Satkhira-4
112 Patuakhali-2
114 Patuakhali-4
115 Bhola-1
118 Bhola-4
119 Barisal-1
123 Barisal-5
124 Barisal-6
126 Jhalkathi-2127 Pirojpur-1
128 Pirojpur-2
130 Tangail-1
132 Tangail-3
133 Tangail-4
136 Tangail-7
137 Tangail-8
140 Jamalpur-3
146 Mymensingh-1
147 Mymensingh-2
149 Mymensingh-4
150 Mymensingh-5
153 Mymensingh-8
154 Mymensingh-9
160 Netrokona-4
161 Netrokona-5
162 Kishoreganj-1
163 Kishoreganj-2
165 Kishoreganj-4
166 Kishoreganj-5
167 Kishoreganj-6
169 Manikganj-2
170 Manikganj-3
173 Munshiganj-3
175 Dhaka-2
176 Dhaka-3181 Dhaka-8
182 Dhaka-9
183 Dhaka-10
184 Dhaka-11
185 Dhaka-12
186 Dhaka-13
187 Dhaka-14
192 Dhaka-19
193 Dhaka-20
194 Gazipur-1
195 Gazipur-2
196 Gazipur-3
198 Gazipur-5
202 Narsingdi-4
203 Narsingdi-5
205 Narayanganj-2
206 Narayanganj-3
207 Narayanganj-4
208 Narayanganj-5
209 Rajbari-1
210 Rajbari-2
211 Faridpur-1
212 Faridpur-2
213 Faridpur-3
218 Madaripur-1
219 Madaripur-2220 Madaripur-3
221 Shariatpur-1
222 Shariatpur-2
223 Shariatpur-3
225 Sunamganj-2
227 Sunamganj-4
229 Sylhet-1
231 Sylhet-3
233 Sylhet-5
234 Sylhet-6
237 Maulvibazar-3
238 Maulvibazar-4
239 Habiganj-1
246 Brahmanbaria-4
248 Brahmanbaria-6
250 Comilla-2
255 Comilla-7
256 Comilla-8
258 Comilla-10
259 Comilla-11
260 Chandpur-1
261 Chandpur-2
262 Chandpur-3
263 Chandpur-4
264 Chandpur-5
265 Feni-1266 Feni-2
268 Noakhali-1
269 Noakhali-2
270 Noakhali-3
271 Noakhali-4
272 Noakhali-5
275 Lakshmipur-2
276 Lakshmipur 3
278 Chittagong-1
282 Chittagong-5
283 Chittagong-6
284 Chittagong-7
285 Chittagong-8
287 Chittagong-10
291 Chittagong-14
294 Coxs Bazar-1
295 Coxs Bazar-2
296 Coxs Bazar-3
NO VOTINGMap of Constituencies
VOTING001 Panchagarh-1
002 Panchagarh-2
003 Thakurgaon-1
005 Thakurgaon-3
006 Dinajpur-1
008 Dinajpur-3
009 Dinajpur-4
010 Dinajpur-5
011 Dinajpur-6
012 Nilphamari-1
014 Nilphamari-3
016 Lalmonirhat-1
018 Lalmonirhat-3
021 Rangpur-3
022 Rangpur-4
024 Rangpur-6
025 Kurigram-1
028 Kurigram-4
029 Gaibandha-1
030 Gaibandha-2
031 Gaibandha-3
032 Gaibandha-4
039 Bogra-4
042 Bogra-7
044 Chapainawabganj-2
048 Naogaon-3
049 Naogaon-4
050 Naogaon-5
054 Rajshahi-3
057 Rajshahi-6
060 Natore-3
066 Sirajganj-5
068 Pabna-1
070 Pabna-3
073 Meherpur-1
074 Meherpur-2
075 Kushtia-1
077 Kushtia-3
078 Kushtia-4
079 Chuadanga-1
080 Chuadanga-2
081 Jhenaidah-1
082 Jhenaidah-2
083 Jhenaidah-3
084 Jhenaidah-4
086 Jessore-2
088 Jessore-4
089 Jessore-5
090 Jessore-6
091 Magura-1
092 Magura-2
094 Narail-2
098 Bagerhat-4
099 Khulna-1
100 Khulna-2
101 Khulna-3
105 Satkhira-1
106 Satkhira-2
109 Barguna-1
110 Barguna-2
111 Patuakhali-1
113 Patuakhali-3
116 Bhola-2
117 Bhola-3
120 Barisal-2
121 Barisal-3
122 Barisal-4
125 Jhalakathi-1
129 Pirojpur-3
131 Tangail-2
134 Tangail-5
135 Tangail-6
138 Jamalpur-1
139 Jamalpur-2
141 Jamalpur-4
142 Jamalpur-5
143 Sherpur-1
144 Sherpur-2
145 Sherpur-3
148 Mymensingh-3
151 Mymensingh-6
152 Mymensingh-7
155 Mymensingh-10
156 Mymensingh-11
157 Netrokona-1
158 Netrokona-2
159 Netrokona-3
164 Kishoreganj-3
168 Manikganj-1
171 Munshiganj-1
172 Munshiganj-2
174 Dhaka-1
177 Dhaka-4
178 Dhaka-5
179 Dhaka-6
180 Dhaka-7
188 Dhaka-15
189 Dhaka-16
190 Dhaka-17
191 Dhaka-18
197 Gazipur-4
199 Narsingdi-1
200 Narsingdi-2
201 Narsingdi-3
204 Narayanganj-1
214 Faridpur-4
215 Gopalganj-1
216 Gopalganj-2
217 Gopalganj-3
224 Sunamganj-1
226 Sunamganj-3
228 Sunamganj-5
230 Sylhet-2
232 Sylhet-4
235 Moulvibazar-1
236 Maulvibazar-2
240 Habiganj-2
241 Habiganj-3
242 Habiganj-4
243 Brahmanbaria-1
244 Brahmanbaria-2
245 Brahmanbaria-3
247 Brahmanbaria-5
249 Comilla-1
251 Comilla-3
252 Comilla-4
253 Comilla-5
254 Comilla-6
256 Comilla-8
257 Comilla-9
267 Feni-3
273 Noakhali-6
274 Lakshmipur-1
277 Lakshmipur-4
279 Chittagong-2
280 Chittagong-3
281 Chittagong-4
286 Chittagong-9
288 Chittagong-11
289 Chittagong-12
290 Chittagong-13
292 Chittagong-15
293 Chittagong-16
297 Coxs Bazar-4
298 Parbatya Khagrachari
299 Parbatya Rangamati
300 Parbatya Bandarban
8/13/2019 Print Edition: 05 January 2014
6/21
Art everywhereThere are few beer waysto discover a place than throughits popular art. In Bangladesh,
some of the nicest arsc stuffis very accessible. Its on display
on the countrys roads, where
rickshaws, autos and trucks aredecorated in a beauful manner.
From A to Z: What I love about Bangladesh
BaulBaul is a musical tradion that can be found in both India andBangladesh. The music, played by a group of musicians called fakirs,is fascinang and deeply spiritual. Lalon Fakir, a mysc who lived in
the 19th century and called himself a fakir, is the most important
player of bauls. Lalon Fakirs teachings transcend tradional Hin-duism and Islam, which makes him an important figure for people
regardless of religion.
Civil societyBangladesh has made a quite an impressive journey in thepast decade. Much of this is courtesy to Bangladeshs civil society,which is innovave, hardworking and does much of what the stateis neither able nor willing to do. Between 2000 and 2010, poverty
levels went from 49% to 32%, and life expectancy has jumped to 69
years. Bangladeshis now live four years longer than Indians acrossthe border, who are twice as rich.
DhakaSo many things can be said about the Bangladeshi capital. Itscrowded, polluted, noisy and impossible to get around. But its alsoa fascinang place. Somehow, there is as much love as there is non-
stop acvity. The alleyways lead to curious places, the markets are
filled with anything and everything. And its inhabited by some ofthe most friendly, helpful and generous capital-dwellers Ive ever
come across.
EntrepreneurshipWith a populaon of more than 160 million, sharing a small
geographical space which lacks in infrastructure and facilies, Ban-
gladesh is a place where people create their own opportunies.Finding ways to do that requires a lot of invenveness and imagina-
on, and ge ng creave with very few resources.
Fanciful,kitschy
visualsMosques, pop stars, holypeople, colourful portraits.
You will not be bored.
GirlsBangladeshi girls deal with a whole different set of social
pressures. They are oen married off early and face more restric-
ons than their brothers and male friends. Public spaces remain
male-dominated territory. But things are changing. Much of Ban-gladeshs development has been female-driven, and women are
increasingly influencing decision-making, both inside and outsidethe family. The countrys schools now have more girls than boys a
reverse of earlier paerns. These are the girls of the future.
Houses made from stoneIn pastel colours.
IntensityIntense. I guess theres simply no other way to be for a countrythats one of the most crowded in the world.
KhichuriBangladeshis love their meat. They really do. But one dishthat is usually spared the meat treatment is khichuri: a simple
but ingenious dish made from rice and lenls. There are very fewthings that beat eang (with your hands, theres no other way)
a plate with warm khichuri in the morning, at a small communal
table overlooking the street life outside.
LungiWear it however you want, whenever you want.
Meetings, random onesIf you visit Bangladesh from abroad, your typical daywill probably look like this: Get up, put on your sandals, step
outside, and within a minute or two, youve met someone onthe street who wants to talk to you (using Bangla, broken En-
glish, perfect English, body language whatever). Oen, thissomeone is up for helping you out, inving you over, hearing
about your life, sharing stuff about her/his own life.
No wasteIf you dont buy into that consumerist idea that thingsare disposable and should be costantly replaced with a new, im-proved version Bangladesh is the place for you. If you didnt
reflect on your own use of the worlds resources before, you willstart to here.
PhotographyBangladesh has a rich tradion of photography, which in re-cent years has emerged as one of the most popular means of
visual expression in the country. Much of that is to the credit ofShahidul Alam, who first organised Chhobi Mela, the first photo
fesval of its kind in Asia, in 1999/2000. Since then, it has beenon every other year in Dhaka.
QuaysIf Bangladesh has a body, the rivers are her veins. Rivers
crisscross the country from north to south, and make importantroutes of connecon, traffi c and transportaon. Most towns and
cies, even the smallest villages, have their own quays or launchghats, where boats arrive and depart. Passing me at them is
great.
TagoreThe 19th century poet, author and musician RabindranathTagore is probably Bangladeshs #1 naonal symbol, even though
he was from the part of the Bengal that today belongs to India. In1913, he became the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize for Litera-
ture. He is also the only person to have wrien the naonal anthem
for two countries, both India and Bangladesh. His family was richand influenal and owned houses in many locaons, one of them is
a beauful spot called Shelaidaha, in rural Kusha.
Unexpected thingsA boy playing an arcade game (which I remember verywell from being a kid in the 1990s). A girl walking home in rural
Barisal. The old railway staon in Khulna. Beauty products anda cassee tape in a shop-window in Dhaka.
JENNY GUSTAFSSONis ajournalist from Sweden, who was
interested to visit Bangladesh to
see its people.
We wanted to go somewherenot brimming with tourists.
Bangladesh is so vibrant,because the people are always
doing something.
They say you dont know what
you got till its gone. Perhaps youalso dont know what you got till
youve seen it from an outsiders
perspective.When this article originally
appeared on Gustafssons blog, it
went viral on social media.Whether its the people, the
culture, or a sight as common as
girls wearing scarves, we forgetabout the beauty because we are
too focused on the problems.
Gustafsson has lived inLebanon and travelled around
the Middle East since 2009.