Bangladesh: Violence mars poll in Bangladesh | The Hindu

The much-awaited Bangladeshi election was marred by violence as the eight hours-long voting closed at 4 p.m. with reports of low turnout because of panic among voters and widespread boycott by the opposition. Polling ended in all 147 parliamentary constituencies across the country amid attacks by the anti-poll activists which forced the Election Commission to suspend voting in at least 161 centres. A total of 390 candidates from the ruling Awami League-led alliance contested in the 147 constituencies where there was no formidable opposition. Interestingly, in many constituencies, the ruling party candidates faced formidable party rebels. The total number of polling centres was 18,208. The situation worsened from Friday night when opposition activists set on fire as many as 100 polling centres over 49 centres on Saturday and Sunday. They also beat a presiding officer to death in Thakurgaon .

Bangladesh: Premier rules out election cancelation | Arab News

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ruled out Thursday any last-minute cancelation of weekend elections that have been boycotted by the opposition, accusing her rivals of holding the country hostage. In a final address to the nation ahead of Sunday’s violence-plagued polls, Hasina accused opposition leader Khaleda Zia of shunning dialogue and rejecting an offer to share power in an interim administration. “We have tried our best to bring the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) into the elections,” Hasina, who is the leader of the ruling Awami League, said in a 40-minute televised address. “Zia spurned my offer for dialogue and instead chose the path of confrontation. “The Jan. 5 polls will be held in accordance with the constitution,” she added.

Bangladesh: Thousands take to the streets of Dhaka as Bangladesh election storm grows | The Independent

Fresh political violence broke out in the Bangladeshi capital on Sunday as thousands of protesters turned out on the streets of Dhaka to oppose forthcoming elections they denounced as fraudulent. Thousands of security officers attempted to quell the demonstrations that left two people dead. Twenty-one political parties, including an 18 party opposition alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have said they will not take part in the elections scheduled for 5 January, after their demands for the country to be run by a neutral caretaker government during the polls were denied. M Shahiduzzaman, a security analyst and a professor of international relations at the University of Dhaka, said the elections are not democratic or inclusive. The EU, the Commonwealth nations and the US have said they will not be sending observers to monitor the polls because they are not “credible”. “The crisis and the violence is likely to intensify,” warned Mr Shahiduzzaman.

Bangladesh: Protests against Bangladesh election turn violent | Reuters

Violent clashes erupted in Bangladesh on Sunday as opposition supporters took to the streets to protest against a January 5 general election which they are boycotting. The opposition says it will not take part in the vote unless an interim government oversees it and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina steps down. The boycott means more than half of 300 parliament seats will go uncontested, undermining the legitimacy of the election and making it highly unlikely it will do anything to restore stability in one of the world’s poorest countries. The leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Begum Khaleda Zia, called for a march on the capital, Dhaka, in defiance of a police ban to protest against what she calls the “farcical” election.

Bangladesh: Army deployed ahead of January elections | BBC

Tens of thousands of troops are being deployed across Bangladesh to try to prevent potential political violence ahead of next month’s elections. This comes as main opposition leader Khaleda Zia has urged her supporters to stage nationwide protests. She says she will boycott the 5 January general elections unless Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina quits and a neutral caretaker government is installed. Ms Hasina’s government has rejected the opposition’s demand. Caretaker governments previously oversaw elections, but Ms Hasina scrapped the arrangement in 2011.

Bangladesh: U.S. Won’t Observe Bangladesh Vote as Political Violence Spreads | Businessweek

The U.S. expressed disappointment with Bangladesh’s political leaders and joined the European Union in declining to send observers for next month’s election amid growing violence in Asia’s fifth-most populous country. With more than half of the seats in the parliamentary election on Jan. 5 uncontested, Bangladesh’s main political parties should redouble efforts to find a peaceful way to settle their disputes, Jen Psaki, a State Department spokeswoman, said in a statement yesterday. The move by the U.S. follows a decision by the European Union last week to refrain from sending observers until conditions allow for a transparent, inclusive and credible election. “The people of Bangladesh deserve the opportunity to elect their national representatives in a climate free of violence and intimidation,” Psaki said. “The nation’s political leadership -– and those who aspire to lead -– must ensure law and order.”

Bangladesh: Court disqualifies largest Islamic party from election | The Washington Post

A Bangladesh court has disqualified the country’s largest Islamic party from taking part in the next general election, saying it opposes secularism. The High Court panel ruled Thursday that the opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party’s regulations violate the constitutional provision of secularism. The ruling comes four years after a group of citizens filed a petition seeking to cancel Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission, saying the party wants to introduce Islamic Shariah law in the Muslim-majority country. Jamaat’s lawyer said it will appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court. The ruling came amid calls to ban the party for opposing the country’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh Election Commission considering bigger role for Electronic Voting Machines | bdnews24.com

The Election Commission is mulling over using the electronic voting machines in the national elections riding on its overwhelming success in the Comilla city polls. Bangladesh’s smallest city corporation went to the vote on Thursday without any ballot paper to mark the first full-fledged electronic election in Bangladesh. The electronic machines were experimentally used in Chittagong and Narayanganj city corporation elections.

Citizens Committee candidate Monirul Haque Sakku, an expelled BNP leader, claimed a landslide victory and became the first mayor of Comilla with 65,577 votes, while his nearest rival ruling Awami League-backed Afzal Khan got 36,471 votes. During the daylong ballot, where a total of 169,273 voters cast their votes at 421 polling booths of the 65 polling centres from 8am to 4pm, both voters and the contestants expressed their satisfaction with regard to the EVMs.

Bangladesh: Khaleda: No vote without army | bdnews24.com

The opposition will accept no election with electronic voting machines in use under a partisan government, BNP chief Khaleda Zia said, adding that army will have to be deployed in the upcoming election. “We will not accept any vote under the partisan government. We will not allow such elections in the country. Now they [the government] are conspiring two things, holding the polls without deploying army and getting the ballots on EVM,” Khaleda told a wayside in Jessore on Sunday, as part of her two-day road march to Khulna.

“We want to say that no polls without the army (deployment) will be allowed. The EVMs are vote manipulation machines. We do not accept them.” The BNP-backed candidate was withdrawn from the Narayanganj City Corporation mayoral race only seven hours before the vote on Oct 30 as the army was not deployed.

Bangladesh: No birds, animals or billboards in campaigns | bdnews24.com

The Election Commission has banned city corporation polls candidates from using billboards and live animal and birds in their publicity campaigns. “A sub-clause is being included into the electoral code of conduct to this end,” senior assistant secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat, Mohammad Forhad Hossain told bdnews24.com.

EC secretary Mohammad Sadique requested the law ministry to issue a circular on the matter in a letter sent on Monday. Out of the 68 symbols set to be allocated to mayor and councillor posts contenders under the local government election guideline, 12 are pictures of animals and birds – tiger, duck, butterfly, fish, crocodile, rabbit, parrot, deer, stork, cow, chicken and elephant.

Bangladesh: Narayanganj City Corporation election was largely peaceful, fair and free | Daily Star

Leaders of political parties yesterday said the maiden election to Narayanganj City Corporation was largely peaceful, fair and free. However, their opinions go different ways from there on with ruling alliance leaders praising the voters for exercising their franchise and opposition leaders bashing the government for “compelling” them to pull out of the race.

Parties of the ruling alliance claimed that the election has once again proved that a free, fair and peaceful election can be held when an elected government is in power, if all necessary arrangements are ensured and voters are enthusiastic. Opposition BNP leaders, however, claim that the government made it impossible for them to stay in the race and they have rejected the election.

Their ally Jamaat-e-Islami refused to even make any comment. Jamaat Assistant Publication Secretary Matiur Rahman Akand only said that they have nothing to say since the opposition alliance has pulled out its mayoral candidate.

Bangladesh: Shamim, Ivy back Electronic Voting Machines Taimur opposes | bdnews24.com

BNP-backed Taimur Alam Khandaker has altogether opposed use of Electronic Voting Machines in the Narayanganj City Corporation, Selina Hayat Ivy preferred it in three instead of nine centres while Shamim Osman went the whole hog for it. Ivy said she will make relatively fewer promises as she is against tall talks after Shamim Osman rattled off his successes when he was the Narayanganj-1 MP.

The war of words between Ivy and Shamim began in earnest in the televised debate, with Ivy firing the first salvo at her ‘elder brother’, saying he puts the party behind everything else. The people are behind me, the former Narayanganj municipality said during the primetime Election Commission debate. Shamim, on his part, said it is difficult to work without party support. “BNP did it first. We did it in response.”

Bangladesh: BNP fears unfounded, Election Commission to move ahead with Electronic Voting Machines | Financial Express

The Election Commission (EC) is moving ahead with its plan to introduce the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the upcoming elections, including the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) polls, despite the opposition BNP’s objection. “We’re moving ahead with the EVM project,” Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told journalists at the EC Secretariat office in the city Wednesday, reports UNB.

About BNP’s opposition to the EVM system that it’s a weapon to manipulate vote, he said there is no similarity with the system that was recently shown by them (BNP). “The EVM system we’re applying and going to apply is not used in Germany and the United States. And it won’t have any connection with the central server,” he added.

Bangladesh: Election Commission set to try electronic voting machines in 2013 polls | bdnews24.com

The Election Commission will be fully prepared to use Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the next general elections slated for late 2013. “Let’s see how much we can do,” chief election commissioner (CEC) A T M Shamsul Huda said on Wednesday. The current panel of commissioners runs its term on Feb 2012. The information minister on Tuesday informed parliament about the EC decision too.

Political parties in the recent dialogues with the EC suggested the EVM be introduced in phases. Opposition BNP, who did not join the formal talks, has been protesting the move fearing rigged elections.

Bangladesh: Election Commission planning to put electronic voting in place | bdnews24.com

Information minister Abul Kalam Azad has said that the Election Commission (EC) is considering introduction of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the next general election.

The information minister, who is assigned to answer questions related to the EC Secretariat in the House, said Tuesday the issue of EVM introduction in the polls of Dhaka City Corporation was also under consideration. Azad made the comment as he replied to a query from Netrakona-1 MP Mustaque Ahmed Ruhi during a question-answer session in the parliament.

Bangladesh: Last chance for Bangladesh National Party | The Daily Star

The Election Commission wants the cabinet division and three ministries concerned to do the administrative job ahead of the parliamentary polls in consultation with it.

Talking to reporters yesterday, Election Commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain said the EC has already suggested incorporating a provision in the Representation of People Order to that end. “We have proposed that the cabinet division and home, LGRD and public administration ministries consult the commission while discharging administrative duties,” Sakhawat added.

Bangladesh: Chief Election Commissioner frustrated over Dhaka City Corporation election delay | The Daily Star

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday expressed his frustration over the government’s dilly-dallying approach on holding the long overdue Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) poll.

“Government’s attitude indicates that they have no headache to hold the election,” he said during a dialogue with Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) on electoral reform at the commission’s secretariat in the city.

The last DCC election was held in early 2002 and its tenure expired on May 14, 2007. Election Commission (EC) already approached the government three times to hold the election but there was no satisfactory response, he said.

Bangladesh: Election Commission to distribute smartcard ID for voters | Financial Express

The Election Commission (EC) is often at the receiving end of strong criticism for its failure to conduct national elections properly. Such criticisms are generally made by the defeated candidates or political parties. The presence of ‘ghost’ voters on the electoral rolls and fake voting are common problems that the EC has been facing for decades. There were, allegedly, some other greater schemes, designed by powerful quarters in the past, to which the EC had become a party by default or by design.

The EC, at the initiative taken by the last military-backed caretaker government, prepared and distributed national identity cards (IDs) to all eligible voters and also printed electoral rolls carrying photographs of the voters before the last general elections. It was a huge task for the EC. But it could accomplish the task quite efficiently under a Tk. 5.7 billion project — large part of which was financed by the external donors — with the active assistance from the Bangladesh Army. The EC had undertaken in the early 1990s a voters’ ID card project but it was abandoned later, after wasting a substantial amount of money.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh Nationalist Party attacks Electronic Voting Machines, e-vote | bdnews24.com

Opposition BNP has attacked the electronic voting machine (EVM) as ‘a key tool to rig vote’ and said the government plans to introduce e-voting to doctor up election results. Acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inveighed against the EVM and e-voting at a workshop titled ‘Electronic Voting System’ organised by Centre for National Studies (CNS) at BRAC Centre Inn Auditorium at Mohakhali in the city on Tuesday.

“As part of its design, the government has abolished the caretaker government system through the 15th Amendment to the constitution. Their objective is to change public verdict by holding the next parliament election under the elected government.”

Fakhrul said the initiative to introduce EVM was a part of that government plot.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh abolishes caretaker government for elections | The Associated Press

Bangladesh’s Parliament on Thursday rescinded a 15-year-old requirement that general elections be overseen by nonpartisan caretaker governments — a move the opposition says could allow incumbents to rig the votes.

The ruling coalition of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pushed the constitutional amendment through Parliament with a vote of 291-1, well more than the two-thirds majority needed in the 345-member chamber. The opposition’s 38 members abstained. The caretaker system came under fire in 2007 after a military-backed caretaker government stayed beyond its mandated three months and delayed the voting by about two years.

Opposition lawmakers, however, argue the new rules will allow Hasina to steer the result of the next parliamentary polls due in 2014, and have vowed to protest the move by continuing a campaign of general strikes and street protests started this month.

Bangladesh: Electronic Voting Machines likely in N’ganj city polls | The Daily Star

The Election Commission (EC) plans to introduce electronic voting machine (EVM) experimentally in the Narayanganj City Corporation polls. The EC will hold the election within 180 days after formation of the corporation, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda said yesterday.

The government on May 5 declared the Narayanganj municipality as Narayanganj City Corporation and appointed its administrator on June 23 this year. As per the law, the election should be held before November 5.

The CEC said voters will get to know the system if it is introduced in different local government polls before the general election, which is due in 2014.

Bangladesh: Election Commission recast a big challenge in Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) has suggested holding one or two general elections under the caretaker government system until a strong Election Commission is formed.

“Reorganisation of the EC to make it acceptable to all after the present one will be a big political challenge,” party president Hasanul Haque Inu said during a dialogue with the EC on Thursday.

The leftist party also favoured phased introduction of electronic voting machine (EVM) in elections.

Bangladesh: Editors tell Bangladesh Election Commission: Don’t do E-Voting alone | bdnews24.com

Editors have urged the Election Commission to introduce electronic voting machine (EVM) in consultation with the opposition. They came up with their opinion in a views-exchange meeting with the Commission on Saturday.

The editors, however, said the opposition should not show any reservation against the voting technology before assessing it properly. They suggested the EC to put in more efforts to have a positive feedback from the main opposition to make its initiative fruitful.

Bangladesh: BNP won’t join Bangladesh election commission dialogue | The Daily Star

In a crucial meeting of party policymakers, the main opposition BNP last night decided not to join dialogue with the election commission (EC) on June 13. Sources said the party will inform the EC of their decision through a letter.

The party high command also decided to declare an agitation programme against the government move to bring amendments to the country’s constitution.

The formal announcement regarding hartal may come on Friday, said party insiders after the closed-door standing committee meeting at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office.

Bangladesh: Samyabadi Dal says yes, Janata League no to electronic voting in Bangladesh | The Daily Star

Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal ML yesterday supported introduction of electronic voting e-voting system in upcoming general election while Krishak Sramik Janata League opposed it saying the system is not enough to prevent vote rigging.

Leaders of the two parties expressed their opinions in seperate dialogues with Election Commission EC at its secretariat in the city as part of its ongoing dialogue with 38 registered political parties till July 14.

EC launched the dialogues on Tuesday for opinions on key issues like use of e-voting machine; Representation of the People Order; laws on demarcation of constituencies and appointment of election commissioners. Both parties stressed on the need for establishing a free and powerful EC to conduct a neutral election.

Bangladesh: Election Commission begins dialogue with Bangladesh political parties | The Daily Star

The Election Commission yesterday kicked off their elaborate dialogue process for reforms in the EC with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Jatiya Party (JP) expressing their support for introduction of an electronic voting system (EVS) in the next general polls.

As the main opposition BNP continued to shun it, both LDP and JP expressed their satisfaction with the electronic system at talks that lasted for over three hours.

… One of the main questions raised by the political parties was if there was any scopes to manipulate the casting of votes or cast fake votes using this system which the BUET professor said was not possible.

The EVS has been prepared locally under the joint collaboration of BUET and Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory.

Bangladesh: E-voting in next election says Bangladesh Prime Minister – opposition parties object | bdnews24.com

Electronic voting will be started from next general elections, says the prime minister. Speaking at a discussion at Bangabandhu Conference Centre on Tuesday, Sheikh Hasina said, “The Election Commission will be strengthened to return the people’s power to the people.”

“It is people who will decide as to whom they’ll hand over the reins of power,” she added. Hasina also noted that most of the South Asian countries use e-voting system in elections.

Bangladesh: BSD favours e-voting for Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

The Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal has said the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will bring a revolutionary change to the country’s electoral system.

“The system will play a vital role in conducting fair elections,” the party’s general secretary Dilip Barua said, while talking to the Election Commission on the EVM dialogue on Wednesday.

“We favour EVM. It is an epoch-making system. Bangladesh has to march forward with the pace of modern technology.”

Bangladesh: Prime Minister of Bangladesh for strong Electoral Commission and e-voting | The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reiterated her government’s plans to further strengthen the Election Commission (EC) and introducing electronic voting system in the country to hold free, fair and neutral elections in future.

“None would be able to cast more than one vote and snatch ballot boxes with the introduction of new digital system in polling process. Apart from Bangladesh and Pakistan, the electronic voting system has already been introduced in all countries of the subcontinent,” she said.

Bangladesh: Election Commission dialogue: LDP against e-voting in Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) at a meeting with the Election Commission has said they do not favour electronic voting system.

“The voting machine is useless without fingerprint. We urge not to waste public money by introducing this system,” LDP president Oli Ahmed said on Tuesday.

The EC started dialogue with 38 registered political parties on the issue with LDP being the first to join the talks at 10:15am on Tuesday.