Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on the UK to help the forcibly displaced Rohingya repatriate to their homeland Myanmar.

She said this during a courtesy call on UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Affairs Anne-Marie Trevelyan at Ganobhaban on Wednesday (May 8) afternoon.

The Prime Minister said that the number of Rohingyas is increasing day by day which has become a burden for Bangladesh.

When the United Kingdom's Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Trevelyan raised the issues of education, training and employment for the Rohingyas in the Cox's Bazar camp, Sheikh Hasina said, the camp is overcrowded. So it is impossible to ensure these facilities in the camp. However, she said, the government has built a house with all facilities for the Rohingyas in Bhasanchar Island.

Facilities in Bhasanchar include housing, healthcare services and employment opportunities, she said.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh urged Britain to invest more in Bangladesh. She said that she offered Britain a place in the special economic zone established in Bangladesh for direct investment for mutual benefit.

Bangladesh may sign a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) with Britain to bring back illegal Bangladeshi migrants to Britain.

Sheikh Hasina said, we want no one to go abroad illegally. For this purpose we have declared zero tolerance.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said that 30 to 40 percent votes were cast in 139 upazilas in the first phase of the sixth upazila parishad elections.

He told this information to the media men in the election building on Wednesday (May 8) afternoon.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said that the first phase of the election was held today in 139 upazilas. According to the information we have received from various sources, the elections have been fairly free, fair and peaceful. A few sporadic incidents have occurred. Some clashes have resulted in some injuries. There have been limited irregularities in a few centers. We have taken immediate action polling has been suspended in two centers.

The CEC said the administration, police, law and order enforcement forces were alert enough. They were quite diligent in their duties. They performed their duties with professionalism. Because of that the situation was good enough. According to the information received from our control room, 34 incidents have occurred. 25 people were injured and 37 people were arrested. These incidents happened outside the polling station.

Regarding low voter turnout at polling stations, the CEC said voter turnout could be between 30 and 40 percent. Polling rate may be low due to morning rain and paddy harvesting season. I learned that the voters did not come to the polling station as they were harvesting paddy. In addition, stormy rain has occurred in some places.

He also said that more voters in this election would have been better. But we count who got more votes. My point is to see whether the voting was done, whether the voters were able to come, whether they were able to vote, whether there was any irregularity anywhere. We have done our duty.

Regarding low voter turnout, he said, maybe the turnout was low due to monsoon season, paddy harvesting.

Polling in 139 upazilas in the first phase of the sixth upazila parishad election will be held on Wednesday. Voting will start from 8 am and continue till 4 pm. The Election Commission has already completed all the preparations to hold the upazila elections in a free, fair and peaceful environment.

According to EC sources, in the first phase of the election, out of 139 upazilas, 22 will be held by EVM and the remaining by ballot. A total of 1,635 candidates are competing in this phase. Among them, there are 570 candidates for the post of chairman, 625 for vice chairman and 440 for the post of female vice chairman. In the first phase, 8 candidates for the post of chairman, 10 candidates for the post of vice chairman and female vice chairman have already won unopposed.

According to the EC, all three posts of five upazilas were elected unopposed. So there will be no need for elections in those five upazilas. The upazilas are Hatia of Noakhali district, Sadar upazila of Munshiganj district, Sadar upazila of Bagerhat district, Parashuram of Feni district and Shibchar of Madaripur district. The EC has suspended the elections in three upazilas of the hill district Bandarban as the operation of the joint forces is ongoing.

Polling station security

EC decided to deploy law and order forces in consideration of important centers and general centres. Accordingly, 17 law enforcement officers will be deployed in general centers and 18 or 19 law enforcement personnel in important centers. Besides, 19 law enforcement officers will be deployed in general centers in remote areas and 20 or 21 law enforcement officers in important centers. Considering the size of the upazila, the number of voters and the importance of the polling station, 2 to 4 platoons of BGB will perform duty in each upazila.

The Coast Guard will act as a mobile and striking force in the islands of the coastal area. Mobile and striking forces of police, RAB, BGB have been deployed for the security of voters. Ansar battalions will be deployed as mobile/striking force in polling stations for two days before polling, polling day and two days after polling for a total of five days.

According to the EC, there are 14 thousand 610 BGB members, 41 thousand 530 police and 11 thousand 883 police mobile teams in the field for voter security. Also, there are 29 thousand 220 members of the police in the striking force and other duties. On the other hand, two thousand 648 members of RAB and one lakh 59 thousand 874 members of Ansar are engaged.

Meanwhile, 400 executive magistrates are engaged to ensure compliance with the election code of conduct. And there are 139 judicial magistrates.

Measures to prevent intrusion

The Election Commission has taken several steps to control the traffic in the upazilas where polls are held on election day. Accordingly, a ban has been imposed on the movement of taxicabs, microbuses, pickups, trucks, launches, engine-powered boats and other vehicles in the respective constituencies from 12:00 pm today, tomorrow, Wednesday, to 12:00 pm on the polling day. Besides, motorcycle movement has already been stopped. The ban will remain in force till Thursday midnight.

From the announcement of the schedule to three days before the polling, one magistrate will be employed in each upazila to enforce the code of conduct and protect and prevent law and order, and one executive magistrate for each of the three unions from three days before the polling to the day after the polling. Besides, one judicial magistrate will be deployed in each upazila from two days before the polling to two days after the polling.

Total polling stations

In the first phase, 3 crore 14 lakh 68 thousand 102 voters will exercise their right to vote in 81 thousand 804 polling booths of 11 thousand 556 centers. Among them there are 1 crore 60 lakh 2 thousand 224 male, 1 crore 54 lakh 65 thousand 690 female and 188 Hijra voters.

Regarding upazila elections, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said that although there is an opportunity for upazila elections on party symbols, the candidates are fighting independently as there is no party nomination. It will be a competitive election. Due to the local government vote, we are trying our best to prevent the spread of influence of ministers and MPs. Some actions have been taken due to the spread of influence.

CEC said that the situation at the field level is being inquired every day talking to the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendents of Police. It should be ensured that the election is free and fair. The message has been given to the concerned including the Returning Officers that no one can enter the polling station and there should be no irregularities especially on the election day.

The Election Commission has decided to hold polling in 476 upazilas out of 495 upazilas of the country in four phases. In some of these upazilas, the election has been postponed due to complications in the case of declaration of schedule and the death of a valid candidate. The remaining 19 upazila parishads have not yet had their elections; the constitutional body said that voting will be held in all those parishads later.

Meanwhile, according to the schedule announced by the EC, polling will be held in 139 upazilas in the first phase on May 8, in the second phase in 160 upazilas on May 21, in the third phase in 112 upazilas on May 29 and in the fourth phase in 55 upazilas on June 5. In the first phase, 22, 24 in the second phase, 21 in the third phase and two upazilas in the fourth phase will be conducted in electronic voting machines (EVM). 

Dhaka University (DU) Department of Mass Communication and Journalism  finding prima facie evidence of sexual harassment and emotional abuse against Prof. Nadir Junaid, the matter has been referred to the University's Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell for further investigation and the University Syndicate has suspended Prof. Nadir from all administrative and academic activities until the investigation is completed.

The report of the inquiry committee was submitted at the university's syndicate meeting on Tuesday (May 7) evening. The report stated that the allegations of sexual harassment and emotional abuse against him were found to be prima facie true. Several syndicate sources confirmed this information on Tuesday night.

According to Syndicate sources, the fact finding committee constituted to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment and mental harassment against Prof. Nadir has submitted its inquiry report. It has been mentioned that the prima facie case has been found there. Based on the report, the matter has been referred to the University's Sexual Harassment Prevention Cell for further investigation. Professor Nadir has been relieved of all academic and administrative duties pending the conclusion of this investigation and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Cell has been given two months to investigate.

It is to be noted that the students of MCJ gave a three-day ultimatum to the university to report the progress of the investigation of the allegations brought against Professor Nadir in a press briefing last Monday morning. Syndicate sources said, "Professor Nadir Junaid has written to the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the University stating that the students are holding press briefings to put pressure on the University administration and the Syndicate."

Incidentally, on February 10 this year, a female student of the department complained of sexual harassment and emotional abuse against Professor Nadir. On February 11, another female student of the department accused him of covering up the incident of verbal sexual harassment. On February 28, a female student of a university in the capital also accused him of sexual harassment and emotional abuse. In view of the complaint, the University Syndicate formed a three-member fact-finding committee to look into the allegations of sexual harassment and a three-member fact-finding committee to look into the allegations of collapsing results on March 3 and asked them to submit a report within two weeks. Also, on February 7 this year, the students of the 12th batch of the department have accused Professor Nadir Junaid of collapsing due to personal anger.