Report in The Daily Star, Dec 01, 2023The upcoming national election is unlikely to be “participatory” and it is impossible to ensure public confidence in such an election, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said yesterday. TIB organised a press conference on “Political Commitments for Democracy, Good Governance and Integrity: TIB’s Recommendations” at its Dhanmondi office yesterday, according to a press release. TIB placed 76 recommendations for fostering democracy, institutionalising democratic values and practices, establishing an effective…
Posts published in “Bangladesh”
By Arun Bikash Dey in The Daily Star, Nov 30, 2023Although BNP and its allies have boycotted the next parliamentary elections slated for January 7 next year, candidates nominated by Awami League in 16 constituencies of Chattogram will not go uncontested. This time, they are set to compete against their own party members who would vie for the polls independently. Several AL leaders from Chattogram, who did not get party tickets for the 12th parliamentary…
Report in The Daily Star, Nov 29, 2023The confusion over the Awami League sharing seats with its 14-party allies is apparently clearing up as AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said his party will share seats with its alliance partners after observing the political situation. “The Awami League will have candidates in all 300 seats. But if there is a consensus, some seats will be left for the alliance members,” he told journalists at the…
Report in The Daily Star, Nov 29, 2023BNP needs to inform the Election Commission within the next two days if they want to join polls, said Election Commissioner Md Alamgir yesterday. Mentionable, the last date for submitting the nomination papers is tomorrow. The EC is open to adjusting the election schedule “within the constitutional limits” to facilitate parties who are still undecided to join the election, he said. “If necessary, we will reschedule the polls.…
By Rashidul Hasan in The Daily Star, Nov 29, 2023The rift between GM Quader and Raushan Ershad, the two most known leaders of the Jatiya Party, has put the parliament’s main opposition in serious trouble. Leader of the opposition and JP chief patron Raushan Ershad and her son Rahgir Almahe Ershad MP yesterday said they would not participate in the January 7 election under the leadership of party Chairman GM Quader. The main reason behind…
By Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary & Md Abbas in The Daily Star, Nov 28, 2023The Awami League has nominated several controversial incumbents for the January 7 parliamentary election. Some of them sparked outrage in the party for their unruly and aggressive behaviour while others hogged headlines for all the wrong reasons. Take the example of Shafiqul Islam Shimul, a lawmaker from Natore-2 since 2014 and also vice-president of Natore AL. In August 2015, Shimul and his…
By Mohiuddin Alamgir in The Daily Star, Nov 28, 2023Twenty-three of the 44 registered political parties, mostly ruling alliance members, little-known and recently-formed ones, have shown interest to take part in the January 7 national election until Sunday. They have also written letters to the commission in this regard. They are sending letters to the commission letting the latter know who will be signing nomination papers of candidates on behalf of their parties and whether…
By Mohammad Al-Masum Molla in The Daily Star, Nov 28, 2023Struggling to bring its oust-government movement to a climax, the BNP now plans to resist the January 7 parliamentary election. In order to press home its demands for polls under a non-partisan administration, the party has been enforcing hartals and blockades since October 29, the day after its rally was foiled following clashes and violence. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has announced the polls schedule, and…
Report in The Daily Star, Nov 28, 2023The cabinet yesterday approved in principle the draft Data Protection Act, which retains provisions for law enforcers to have unfettered access to citizens’ data. This was the first cabinet meeting since the announcement of the election schedule on November 15. Since the very first draft of the act, stakeholders have been pointing out that keeping the provisions for law enforcement without oversight is tantamount to shooting oneself in…
Report in The Daily Star, Nov 28, 2023Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the upcoming 12th parliamentary election should be free, fair, and credible for the sake of the country’s economy and future. It is unfortunate that some countries are trying to meddle in the polls, he said. “Other than a few exceptions, most countries are not truly sovereign. The way the US can command us, we can’t do the same to them,” the…
report in Prothom Alo, Nov 26, 2023Awami League (AL) has finalised its candidates in all 300 constituencies for the upcoming national election and is set to disclose the names on Sunday afternoon. According to sources, many familiar faces, including presidium member and former minister Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, might be dropped from the list of candidates. Multiple members of the party’s parliamentary board said the number of dropped candidates may reach 50, while some new leaders…