Chattogram: Touhidul Islam Farid (32) fired 28 rounds alone with a contract of Tk. 5,000 during the anti-discrimination student-public movement in Bahaddarhat area under Chandgaon police station in Chattogram city.

Deputy Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Md. Raish Uddin gave this information at a press conference at the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner's office on Saturday (November 23) afternoon.

Earlier, on Friday (November 22) at around 5:30 pm, Chandgaon police station of the city arrested him from Kamalnagar area of Sadar police station in Satkhira district.

There are 12 cases of arms, extortion, drugs and robbery against Touhid, including 5 murders. He is the son of Md. Sekandar of Manu Sawdagar house in Boro Pukurpar area of Shamsher Para under Chandgaon police station of the city.

Local sources and various media outlets said that Touhid is known as a follower of Esrarul Haque, a former councilor of Chandgaon ward of Chattogram City Corporation.

At a press conference, CMP Deputy Commissioner (Crime and Operations) Md. Raish Uddin said that based on secret information and with the help of information technology, Touhidul Islam, who opened fire on the anti-discrimination student-public movement, on Friday afternoon, was arrested from Kamalnagar area of Satkhira. He admitted to indiscriminately firing at the student-public movement with firearms in different areas of Chandgaon in the city.

Touhidul Islam said that he fired 28 rounds of bullets during the anti-discrimination student-public movement.

Md. Raish Uddin also said that the weapon used by Touhidul Islam is a Pakistani shooter gun and he has multiple weapons. An operation is underway to recover the weapons and bullets used by him. Touhidul's political identity has not been found. However, he is a professional terrorist and a robber. He has 12 cases of weapons, extortion, drugs and robbery against him in various police stations, including 5 murders.

After the press conference, arrested Touhidul Islam told reporters that former Chattogram City Corporation councilors Esrarul Haque and Mohiuddin Farhad made a contract for Tk. 5,000 to open fire on the student movement against discrimination. As per the contract, I had opened fire three to four rounds on the student movement against discrimination in the Bahaddarhat area on July 18

There is no alternative to early elections to establish the country and the rights of the people, said BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

He said these things while speaking as the chief guest at the district BNP conference at Chuadanga Town Football Ground on Saturday (November 23) afternoon.

At this time, Tarique Rahman said, all political parties are supporting this interim government. Elections are necessary to return power to the people of the country.

He said we had proposed 31 points of reforms two years ago for the development of the country. Reforms are an ongoing process. One will start, another will drag it out. Only if the interim government can organize fair and free elections, the people will be able to exercise their right to vote to elect their representatives.

Regarding the elections, he said, many people are wondering why we are repeatedly talking about elections. We believe that the interim government will be able to organize an election. As a result, the people's representatives who will be elected to the parliament will be able to decide through discussions in the parliament how to solve the problems of each sector of the country. All reforms can be implemented through a real and genuine election.

Addressing the leaders and workers, he said, "To take responsibility, you have to play a responsible role. To play a responsible role, you have to fulfill the expectations of the people around you. If you can fulfill these expectations, only then will people give you responsibility, otherwise they will think twice." Earlier, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the conference at 10:30 am on Saturday. BNP Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, BNP Central Committee Vice Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury, BNP Khulna Division Acting Organizing Secretary Anindya Islam Amit, BNP Khulna Division Joint Organizing Secretary Jayanta Kumar Kundu, Chuadanga District BNP Member Secretary Md. Sharifuzzaman Sharif, BNP National Executive Committee Information Secretary Azizul Bari Helal, among others, delivered speeches at the conference presided over by Chuadanga District BNP Convener Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu.

Election Reform Commission chief Badiul Alam Majumdar said several recommendations have been made, including direct election of the President, no candidate being elected unopposed, and return of no votes.

He said this after a meeting with senior journalists and editors of electronic media with the Electoral System Reform Commission at the Agargaon election building in the capital on Saturday (November 23) morning.

Badiul Alam Majumdar said that there has been a discussion about the direct election of the President. Some said that all elections are direct. Local government elections are supposed to be non-partisan, not parliamentary type.

He said that there has been talk of appointing the Election Commission on the basis of political consensus. The use of technology has come. The Reforms Commission is also thinking about this, especially with regard to expatriate voting. He also said that he will be elected if he gets the percentage of votes. Asked to bring back the No vote. It was also discussed that no one should be elected unopposed.

In the meeting, another member of the commission, Dr. Tofail Ahmed, said that the local government election should not be held before the national election. He also said that if the local elections go without completing the reforms, the reforms will be suspended.

At this time, the editors and senior journalists gave their opinion on the media experience, challenges and election commission reforms in the last 3 parliamentary elections and local government elections.

Dr. Tofail Ahmed, one of the members of the Electoral Reform Commission, believes that local government elections should be held before the national elections. However, he also said that if the commission's electoral roadmap for reforms is not completed before then, the reforms will be delayed.

Professor Tofail Ahmed said these things during a discussion with media personnel at the Election Building in Agargaon in the capital on Saturday (November 23).

He said that the country does not have a local government system. There is only a collection of a few institutions. The job of this commission will be to establish a local government system. He further said that bringing it to a parliamentary system is also being considered to reduce the cost of elections. But that must be done by implementing local government reforms.

Local government expert Tofail Ahmed said that Tk. 23 thousand crore was spent in the past local government elections. If the local government elections are held through the parliamentary system, it will cost Tk. 600 crore and will take less time.

Local elections should be organized like parliamentary elections, where the chairman will not be directly elected. Only councilors and members will be elected there. They will elect the chairman, he said.