Upazilla election: Awami League's 'No' to symbol, MPs want to support candidate



Ruhul Amin, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Upazilla election: Awami League's 'No' to symbol, MPs want to support candidate

Upazilla election: Awami League's 'No' to symbol, MPs want to support candidate

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On the occasion of the upcoming upazila elections, the two-phase election schedule has already been announced. Awami League has announced not to give party symbols in this election to be held next month. However, MPs including local activists are informing the center about their support for specific candidates even if they do not give symbols.

They put this proposal in the meeting of central leaders with leaders and activists of Rangpur division and Chattogram division at the central office of Gulistan last Saturday and Sunday.

The upcoming sixth upazila parishad election will be held in four phases. The Election Commission has already announced the schedule for a total of 313 upazilas in two phases for this election of 495 upazila parishads. According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, in the first phase, the election of 152 upazilas will be held on May 8. After that, the election in 161 upazilas of the second phase will be held on May 21. The third and fourth phase elections will be held on May 29 and June 5.

Awami League has started discussions with grassroot leaders and activists in view of the elections. Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the party, sat with the leaders and activists of Rangpur and Chattogram divisions last Saturday and Sunday as part of the exchange of views with grassroot leaders and activists. There, he said that everyone should vote for their favorite candidates in an open environment, but the leaders and activists present expressed fear of increasing conflict and demanded that a candidate should be supported from the party even if they did not give symbols.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said to the leaders and activists in an exchange meeting with the leaders and activists of Rangpur division on Saturday (March 30), I am an MP, I will influence the election, I will obstruct the entire process to win him if there is one of me, this cannot happen. The purpose for which this election is opened cannot be disturbed under any circumstances.

At the beginning of the meeting, contrary to the attitude of the general secretary of the party, the top leaders of the party, the district and upazila members proposed that even if the party symbol is not given in the upazila parishad election, one should be given party support. It is known from reliable sources that the top leadership of grassroot held this opinion in the meeting of Chattogram division held on Sunday the next day. In the meetings, grassroot leaders expressed fear that if a single candidate is not given, then divisions in the grassroot will increase. Awami League's votes will be divided, as a result, Jamaat and other parties can take advantage.

Chattogram Awami League leader Abdus Salam commented that 'everyone will worry about the upazila elections' and said that it is being said that MP-ministers or district Awami League leaders will not worry about the upazila elections. The headache is not visible, cannot be seen. Everyone will be worried. Let it be. Earlier also upazila elections were held without party symbols, but there the party supported one. Then there was organizational discipline. Now if five-seven people stand for the post of chairman in an upazila, the MP will support one. District Awami League leaders will support separately. This will further damage the organization.

Commenting that the upazila parishad elections will be free and fair, Awami League joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim told Barta24.com that we will not hold elections with party symbols, that is our decision. There will be participatory elections; we want it, people want it. As a people's party, Awami League has withdrawn its symbol to meet the expectations of the people. Popular that he will get elected. We want popularization to be verified, participatory elections, beautiful elections.

Mentioning that we will congratulate those who will be elected, he further said that if Awami League leaders and activists want to vote for a good person, if they agree to vote, then there is no obstacle here. But we don't want to allow nepotism to influence me to make my brother-son or the MP to make his son, brother-in-law, relative, sister-in-law. If anyone wants to do anything to create disunity within the party, we will not allow it.

In response to the question whether the elections without symbols will cause division within the Awami League, the joint general secretary of the Awami League told Barta24.com that it will not cause division. He who is popular will be elected by popular vote. Those who are running for influence in this upazila election, if anyone wants to establish his own occupation by making own man (chairman) he will fail. The success of the election will be established only through his failure.

   

The rain came, the much awaited rain of relief...



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: barta24.com

Photo: barta24.com

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It will rain today (May 2); Met Office said. The waiting started in the morning. In the sweltering heat of the day, the bells tick and remind us that it will rain on May 2; much wanted rain.

The rain that will wash away the heat wave fatigue, lethargy. Summer brings a message of calmness to nature by reducing the frenzy of the sun. The torrential rain in Chattogram in the morning intensified the wait. On the streets, in the office-court, in the net world; A question - when it rains everywhere?

Then came the relief news; In the evening, some areas of the capital have seen rain! Then the question is where the rain is? Finally the rain came, the much awaited rain of relief…. It came with flashes of lightning and thunder. Due to the gust, torrential rains drenched the capital. Raindrops have come as a relief in the midst of scorching sun and heat.

It rained in different areas of the capital on Thursday (02 May) at 12:15 pm. But it didn't last long, even though city life got some temporary respite from the scorching heat.

It can be seen on the surface, the intensity of rainfall was high in the beginning, but it has gradually decreased. It is now drizzling. As the rain of tranquility after the prolonged heat wave, a breath of relief has come to public life from the breath of heat.

Soon after the rain started, many expressed their relief on social media. Expressing relief on the news of rain, a young woman named Faria wrote, "Allah finally.. rain, Alhamdulillah what a beautiful wind of peace!"

A young man named Robin said, the long wait for rain has come to an end. It feels so good. But if it rained for a while, the weather would be cold.

Afsana Azad Tama, a resident of Khilkhet, came down the road with her relatives after many days of rain.

Meanwhile, it has been seen on social media that a small child has fallen into the sijdah of Allah in the calm rain in the Badda area of the capital!

Monwar Hossain, meteorologist of the Department of Meteorology, said that there may be rain in some places of Dhaka Division on Friday as well. However, he said that there is little chance of rain in the capital.

Earlier, the Meteorological Department had predicted rain. According to that forecast, rain has occurred in some parts of the country including Chattogram apart from Dhaka today.

Incidentally, for the past one month, a severe heat wave has been sweeping over Bangladesh. Day and night temperatures are almost the same due to the intensity of the sun. As a result, even if the sun goes down, the suffering of people does not decrease. Everyone is seen panting in the heat even at night.

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Allegation of blank firing against former MP Bodi



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Cox’s Bazar
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Former MP Abdur Rahman Bodi has been accused of firing blank gun shots in front of the gathering of candidates for the upcoming sixth upazila parishad election and Teknaf upazila chairman Nurul Alam.

The incident took place on Thursday (02 May) night in Huaikshong Paschim Maheshkhali Para area of Teknaf.

Chairman Nurul Alam said, today I had a meeting with members and seniors in Cambodia Para, Huaiyong Paschim Maheshkhali Para. There suddenly 20-30 people including former MP Bodi and Zafar chairman came to our side and fired 2 rounds blankly.

Upazila Chairman Nurul Alam said that Abdur Rahman Bodi himself shot with his pistol. He said, I am now going to complain to the police about the matter.

To know about this matter, the former MP called Bodi's mobile phone several times, but he did not receive it, so it was not possible to take a statement.

However, the candidate with whom it is alleged that Abdur Rahman Bodi was shot, spoke to the candidate Zafar Alam on the mobile phone. He said, Bodi Bhai was with me. Nothing of the sort happened. Since his (Nurul Alam) brother Nurul Bashar lost the national elections, Bodi has been maligning his brother. Zafar Alam said that this is also such a disgrace.

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Sons, daughters and wives are 'relatives' in upazila elections: Prime Minister



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in the definition of 'relative' in the upazila elections, 'What is the family formula - one's son, daughter and wife! There is no family outside of this! We want the election to be free of influence! People can vote freely!

The Prime Minister said all this in response to a question at a press conference after her visit to Thailand at the Prime Minister's official residence, Ganabhaban, on Thursday (May 2) at 11:30 am.

The Prime Minister said that many of the families of Awami League had already been elected in one place for a long time. The one who became an MP, may have been the union or upazila chairman's wife long before him. But it's right, in one place he gave his wife, in another place he gave his son, that's not right! Activists should also be evaluated. I will take everything myself, I will not keep anything for my leaders and workers, that is not possible!

She said, everyone is contesting in the election, it means making the election meaningful.

Referring to the boycott of some parties, Sheikh Hasina said that many political parties are boycotting the elections. Why reject! Because they are not able to choose. If you want to do 'Parliament Election', you have to show the people who will be the next leader or Prime Minister! If you don't have a suitable leader, then you have to find someone. I did not make an election, that's the reality! That is what is happening in our country! If the accused is shown to the people, the people will not accept it. If you want to do politics, you have to take risks!

The Awami League president said, "After '75, I was not allowed to come to the country. Rehana did not even get a passport! The war criminals who were tried by the Father of the Nation, the convicted convicts who were released and allowed to do politics, are the ministers, advisors, in power. Murderers in power! I returned to the country in that state. My life was in danger. I got hit again and again but I survived. This is the problem of many. Why did I survive after trying to kill so many times!

Commenting that there has been 'development' because Awami League has come to power, she added that Bengalis have been given the opportunity to stand tall or speak in the world. Earlier, when I heard the name, I used to say 'poor', 'beggar caste', whether I was able to get rid of that bad name or not, that is the big thing!

The Prime Minister said that elections are being held in many other countries. We will see how the people there vote. We will see that too. Our effort is to make the process more public and transparent!

We have constituted the Election Commission by making law for the first time. Financially it was dependent on the Prime Minister's Office. I made it autonomous from there. I have made a separate budget.

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Milton Samadder granted remand for 3 days



Special Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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The court granted 3-day remand to the chairman of Child and Old Age Care Ashram Milton Samaddar in the case of making a fake death certificate by fraud.

On Thursday (May 2), Milton was brought before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court by the police. After that, DB Police SI Kamal Hossain applied to take him on seven-day remand for proper investigation of the case.

After the hearing, Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain granted his three-day remand.

In the remand application of the police, it is said that the arrested accused has given 50 death certificates through fake fraud for a long time. He opened a medical service institution called Child and Old Age Care Center and pretended to be a peddler of humanity and pushed them to death without providing treatment and services to anonymous, heirless persons, children and disabled people. The police applied for remand to find out the correct information regarding the dead and to investigate whether the accused has any other motive.

The first case was filed against him for forging death certificates. Then another case was filed against him for beating people in the torture cell of his ashram. Recently, another case has been registered against him under the Human Trafficking Act.

Earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Detective (DB) police arrested Milton Samaddar in a raid in Mirpur area of the capital on Wednesday (May 1) night.

Recently, various misdeeds of Milton Samddar were published in the media. Since then, a storm of criticism started with him on social media. The victims also opened their mouths. However, Milton Samadder denied all the allegations made against him by interviewing some media.

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