National

MNA National Desk: The annual income of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is some Tk 1.52 crore, as per her affidavit submitted with the nomination paper to contest the 11th parliamentary elections from Bagura-6 constituency, reported news agency. Of the annual income, Tk 6,731,314 comes from rents of house/apartment/shops and others, while the rest Tk 85,09,813 from share, savings certificate/bank deposits. Khaleda Zia has only Tk 50,300 in cash and the amount of her deposited money in banks and financial institutions is Tk 47,785,267 as per the affidavit. The value of her jeep cars is Tk 4,865,000 and that of ...

MNA National Desk: One person was killed and over 200 people were injured in a series of clashes between two factions of Tabligh Jamaat for establishing control over Ijtema Maidan on the bank of the Turag River in Tongi on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Ismail Mondal of Meliapara village in Munshiganj district. Ismail was a follower of Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, top scholar of Indian Tabligh Jamaat, reported news agency. The clash broke out around 8 am when the supporters of Saad Kandhalvi tried to enter the Ijtema premises where the supporters of another India Tabligh Jamaat leader Maulana ...

MNA National Desk: Bangabandhu Peshajibi League, a wing of Bangladesh Awami League has formed a 201-member Election Management Committee. From a seminar titled as ‘Duties of Professionals in 11th National Election’ held at the conference room of Bangladesh ShishuKalyan Parishad, this committee was formed. Member of Awami League’s national committee member and president of Bhola district Awami League Mohammad Fozlul Kader Mojnu was present as the chief guest. Founder president of Bangabandhu Peshajibi League Dr Sarker Abul Kalam Azad was named as the ‘Convener’ and general secretary of the organization Sheikh Jamal Ahmed was named  as the ‘member Secretary’ of ...

MNA National Desk: Bir Protik Taramon Bibi has died at Kacharipara under Rajibpur upazila of Kurigram district. She died around 1:30am on Saturday, reported news agency. Earlier last week, she was taken back to Kurigram from Dhaka Combined Military Hospital (CMH). Taramon Bibi had been suffering from a cough and breathing problems for a long time. She had fought in Sector 11 under the leadership of sector commander Abu Taher. After the war, Taramon was awarded Bir Protik by the government. But her whereabouts were unknown and the award was never handed over to her. She herself remained unaware of ...

MNA National Desk: The High Court on Thursday ordered former Dhaka mayor and BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka’s son and daughter to surrender before lower courts within four weeks in a case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) for not submitting wealth statement. An HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukdar and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order rejecting their bail petitions. The ACC’s  assistant director Md Shamsul Alam filed the case with Ramna Police Station on August 29 and 30 in 2010, as Khoka’s son Ishrak Hossain and daughter Sarika Sadeque as they did not submit ...

MNA National Desk: BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas could not submit his nomination paper for Dhaka-9 constituency, reported news agency. Mirza Abbas alleged that his followers went to the office of returning officer timely on Wednesday with the nomination but they did not accept it. But the officers claimed, his supporters came to the office after 5pm. Abdus Salam, election officer for Dhaka-9, said “Abbas’s supporters came with the nomination paper at about 5:45pm. So, it was not accepted. Because, the submission time has ended at 5pm.” Earlier on Tuesday, the BNP leader has submitted his nomination paper for ...

MNA National Desk: BNP vice chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo, joint secretary general Moazzem Hossain Alal and Dhaka city (south) unit president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel did not submit respective nomination papers on Wednesday, the last for submitting nomination paper. Abdul Awal Minto collected two nomination forms- one for contesting in Feni-3 constituency himself, and another for contesting in Feni-1 seat as an alternative to Khaleda Zia’s nomination, said BNP chairperson’s media wing officer Shayerul Kabir, reported news agency. Moazzem Hossain Alal wanted to contest in the Barishal-2 constituency, while Habib-un-Nabi Sohel was expected to vie in the Dhaka-8 constituency. But none ...

MNA National Desk: Neither Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain nor his daughter Barrister Sara Hossain is going to participate in the 11th parliamentary elections. ‘Sir (Kamal) is not going to join the election as his physical condition is not well. Barrister Sara is also not going to take part in the polls on personal grounds,’ Gano Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury told news agency. He, however, said Dr Kamal Hossain will be involved in electioneering in favour of the Jatiya Oikyafront. ‘Sir said he would work for the alliance and keep necessary contributions to ensuring its victory in the ...

MNA National Desk: The European Parliament will not observe the upcoming general election in Bangladesh on December 30, the EU delegation office in Dhaka has said, reported news agency. The co-chairs of the European Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group made a statement in this regard. “The European Parliament will not observe this electoral process and consequently will neither comment on the process nor on the results that will be announced afterwards. Moreover, there will be no European Union Election Observation Mission.” It said no individual member of the Parliament has been mandated to observe or comment on this ...

MNA National Desk: A Dhaka court on Wednesday has sentenced 10 year’s imprisonment former Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka and three others for their involvement in corruption over Banani Super market car parking lease. The other convicts are Abdul Baten, president of DCC supermarket in Banani, Mahmudul Hassan Azad, its general secretary and AHM Tareque, manager of the market’s parking lot. Judge Mizanur Rahman Khan of Dhaka divisional special judge court issued the verdict around 11am in absence of Khoka. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on February 15 in 2012 against the four, accusing them of ...

MNA National Desk: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has handed over its certificates of nominations to 800 candidates for 240 of the 300 seats for 11th parliamentary elections scheduled for December 30. Party insiders say it is taking time to finalise its list of 300 candidates, in a preemptive move to counter any ruling party offensive to dissuade the opposition candidates or to distabilise their discipline. Until Tuesday, the BNP camp named around 800 candidates, said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. The alliance partners of the BNP including newly floated Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) and Jamaat-e-Islami, will ...

MNA National Desk: Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has been hospitalised after he became ill. The Jatiya Party chairman was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) on Tuesday morning, said his Press Secretary Sunil Shuvo Roy, reported news agency. He said Ershad has been suffering from serious pain in his knees and some other complications. Roy said their chairman needs to go to Singapore for his regular health checkup but is unable to due to the upcoming 11th general election.

MNA National Desk: The High Court today said a convict sentenced to more than two years in jail cannot contest the election, even if an appeal is pending. The court came up with the observation in line with Article 66 (2)(D) of the constitution. It said, the convict can only run for candidacy after a five-year term after completion of the jail term. The High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order while rejecting petitions filed by five BNP leaders seeking suspension of their conviction in graft cases, reported news agency. ...

MNA National Desk: Nine candidates of Nagorik Oikya, led by Mahmudur Rahman Manna, will contest the 11th general elections with BNP’s poll-symbol, “sheaf of paddy.” Manzur Quader, central leader of the party, confirmed this on Monday night. They will contest with BNP as Nagorik Oikya has no registration, reported news agency. It started distributing the nomination papers to the nominated candidates on Tuesday morning. The nominated aspiratnts are: Mahmudur Rahman Manna (Bogura-2), SM Akram (Narayanganj-5), Fazlul Haque Sarkar (Chandpur-3), Ad. Nazrul Islam (Mymensingh-2), Mobarak Hossain (Brahmanbari-2), Rabiul Islam (Satkhira-2), Shah Md Rahmatullah (Rangpur-1), Mofakhkharul Islam (Rangpur-5) and KM Nurur Rahman ...

MNA National Desk: Electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in Dhaka-6 and 13, Chattogram-9, Rangpur-3, Khulna-2 and Satkhira-2 constituencies in the forthcoming general election as picked by the Election Commission. The Commission chose the six parliamentary seats out of 48 around 5pm on Monday through an open lottery in presence of journalists. On Saturday, the EC decided to use EVMs in all polling stations of the six constituencies located in city and district sadar areas during the 11th parliamentary elections slated for December 30. However, BNP even on Monday placed a demand before the Commission that it must refrain ...

MNA National Desk: Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Sadek Khan, whose rivalry centring the Awami League’s ticket for Dhaka-13 constituency led to deadly clashes, have pledged to work for fetch victory of the party’s boat logo. A joint general secretary of the party and a former state minister, Nanak is not on the list of Awami League (AL) candidates. The party has chosen Sadek, the general secretary of its Dhaka Metropolitan (North) unit, for the constituency which consists of Mohammadpur, Adabor and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar areas. However, Nanak was elected MP from the seat in the last two elections, reported news agency.

MNA National Desk: BNP has started distributing nomination letters among its nominated candidates to contest in the 11th parliamentary elections. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir started the process handing over the nomination letters of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia to Bogura BNP president Saiful Islam for Bogura-6 and to her adviser Helaluzzaman Lalu for Bogura-7 at 3:15 pm. Mirza Fakhrul broke down into tears while handing over the nomination letters of Khaleda Zia and could not speak for a while at that time. ‘May Allah help her get released from jail so that she could take part in the ...

MNA National Desk: Awami League leader Professor Abu Sayeed, also a former state minister for information, has joined Gono Forum led by Dr Kamal Hossain. Prof Sayeed went to the Gono Forum office in Arambagh of the capital city at noon and joined formally. Professor Abu Sayeed collected the nomination papers from Gono Forum’s Arambagh office this afternoon, reported news agency. Professor Abu Sayeed had earlier bought nomination papers to contest the polls from Awami League but did not get the nomination. Shamsul Haque Tuku got the nomination for Pabna-1 from AL.

MNA National Desk: The Election Commission, or EC, is scrutinising 48 parliamentary constituencies for the potential use of electronic voting machines, or EVMs, on an experimental basis in the coming general election, reported news agency. Six of these seats will be selected for EVM use by lottery, said Election Commission Public Relations Joint Secretary SM Asaduzzaman said on Sunday. According to EC officials, the chief election commissioner, election commissioners, the EC secretary and other relevant officials have selected 48 seats that are eligible. The six seats will then be selected by random sampling. Though the seats are to be chosen ...

MNA National Desk: Four senior Awami League leaders have been left out from the nomination for the upcoming 11th general election, reported news agency. The leaders are Awami League joint general secretaries  Jahangir Kabir Nanok (Dhaka 13) and Abdur Rahman (Faridpur 1), organizing secretaries BM Muzzammel Haque (Shariatpur 1) and AFM Bahauddin Nasim (Madaripur 3). The party has nominated unit Awami League General Secretary Sadek Khan for Dhaka 13, Monjur Hossain for Fraidpur 1, Abdus Sobhan Golap for Madaripur 3, Iqbal Hossain for Shariatpur 1. Awami League has determined which of its candidates will contest the upcoming 11th general election ...

MNA National Desk: Awami League has determined which of its candidates will contest the upcoming 11th general election under the party banner, reported news agency. The party already started distributing letters to the nominees. The process began around 10am, on Sunday, at the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka. The nominees include Sheikh Hasina (Gopalganj 3 and Rangpur 6), Obaidul Quader (Noakhali 5), Mujibul Haque (Comilla 11), Dr Dipu Moni (Chandpur 3), SM Rezaul Karim (Pirojpur 1), Saifuzzaman Shikhar (Magura 1), Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapash (Dhaka 10), Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal (Dhaka 12), Sadek Khan (Dhaka 13), and Aslamul ...

MNA National Desk: Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Saturday said that police do not arrest anybody without any reason, reported news agency. The CEC told at a briefing after ending a meeting with executive magistrates at commission’s Agargaon office in the capital. “Members of law enforcer are working under EC. EC ordered the policemen. Police gave us commitment and are working according to our instruction,” Nurul Huda said. “The Commission has given directives to the police. The police have also made commitments to us. They’re working accordingly,” he said. Nurul Huda said the government does not give any ...

MNA National Desk: Though it will not send any observer team because of a lengthy preparatory process, the European Union (EU) will closely monitor the next national election in Bangladesh, reported news agency. The EU will be keeping eyes on the developments in the coming weeks, a diplomatic source said, adding that not sending an observer team does not mean that they are not going to follow the elections. Meanwhile, a delegation of European Parliament is scheduled to meet prime minister Sheikh Hasina at 6pm on Saturday, said an official. On the other hand, two election experts of the EU ...

MNA National Desk: Police forces have to work in coordination with small teams of armed forces to be deployed in each district during the 11th national elections, said Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, reported news agency. CEC told this during a special meeting of Election Commission on Thursday. Outlining 12 point-instructions, CEC said, “We did not ask anyone to collect information about voting officers visiting homes. Don’t do it. Voting officials get disturbed by this. We don’t want it.” “The people of the country expect that the commission will hold a fair election. So, we’ve taken all the necessary ...

MNA National Desk: The Election Commission today sat in a “special meeting” with the law enforcers to discuss their responsibilities ahead of the upcoming 11th parliamentary polls, reported news agency. The inspector general of police, metropolitan commissioners, deputy inspector general, and superintendent of police are attending the meeting that started at 10:30am at the Election Commission office. Yesterday, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin said that some special instructions will be given during today’s meeting, such as expediting the process of illegal arms recovery, increase monitoring of bordering areas among others.

MNA National Desk: The Armed Forces Day was observed across the country on Wednesday with due solemnity and enthusiasm marking the establishment of Bangladesh military during the Liberation War. On this day in 1971, Bangladesh Armed Forces comprising army, navy and air force came into being and launched an all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation forces. Since the country’s independence, the day has been observed as the Armed Forces Day every year. The day’s programmes started with the offering of special prayers in mosques of all cantonments, naval outposts and establishments and air force outposts after Fazr prayers seeking divine ...

MNA National Desk: Noted photographer Shahidul Alam was freed from jail on bail on Tuesday night. He walked out of Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj around 8:25pm after his bail paper reached the prison, said jailer Mahbub Islam On November 15, the High Court granted bail to Shahidul Alam in a case filed under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act for spreading ‘propaganda’ through his Facebook account during the student movement demanding safe roads. Earlier on October 7, the High Court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain within seven days as to why Shahidul Alam, also ...