National

MNA National Desk: The Jatiya Oikyafront will hold an emergency meeting in the afternoon today (Thursday), reported news agency. The meeting is scheduled to be held at Oikyafront’s central office in Purana Paltan around 3:00pm. Later, the alliance convenor Dr Kamal Hossain ,in a press conference, will inform the outcome of the meeting.  According to a party source, he meeting will discuss the next course of action about the upcoming national election and to take final decision on the election strategy.

MNA National Desk: State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid Bipu has visited injured BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, at his Nayapaltan office, in Dhaka, reported news agency. Nasrul paid the visit to Gayeshwar, who is contesting the upcoming polls for Dhaka 3 constituency, around 11:30am on Wednesday. BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy was attacked during his election rally in Chunkutia, Keraniganj on Tuesday evening. He was admitted to Islami Bank Central Hospital in Kakrail after sustaining injuries in the incident.

MNA National Desk: Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir raised the demand at a news conference at the party chief’s Gulshan offices in Dhaka on Tuesday hours after an attack on senior party leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy. Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar is contesting for the Dhaka-3 (Keraniganj) constituency in parliamentary elections slated for next Sunday. He and no fewer than 15 of his supporters were injured in an attack by ruling party activists at Keraniganj earlier in the day, BNP leaders said. Supporters of his rival candidate the Awami League’s Nasrul Hamid Bipu denied the allegation claiming it was the ...

MNA NAtional Desk: Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina will join election campaign in three districts through a video-conference on Wednesday. “The prime minister will address election rallies in the districts of Chandpur, Kushtia and Naogaon today through a videoconference from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi here in the afternoon,” a Prime Minister’s Office source said. Earlier the Awami League president joined electioneering in Rajshahi, Joypurhat, Narail and Gaibandha through a videoconference on December 20. She also addressed election rallies in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Brahmmanbaria and Pirojepur on December 19 through a videoconference. The Awami League ...

MNA National Desk: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has said deploying the army will increase the confidence of voters and political parties in the election, reported news agency. The CEC said this to reporters after visiting a mock voting session—which used electronic voting machines— at Residential Model School and College, in Dhaka, on Monday. Huda also said: “The main purpose of deploying the army is to instil confidence among voters. I am requesting all political parties to avoid: debate, chaos, violence, and misunderstandings, among each other; only through electioneering should you get yourselves involved in the election.”

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the distribution of free textbooks for primary and secondary students for 2019, reported news agency. Hasina launched the distribution effort by handing new textbooks for 2019 to a few students at the Ganabhaban on Monday morning. She congratulated everyone for meeting the deadline for the textbook distribution. The Awami League government is distributing free textbooks to the students for the 10th consecutive time. At least 352 million free books will be distributed to 42.6 million students in educational institutions across the country on the first day of 2019 among festivities. Education ...

MNA National Desk: The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday said the 25 reported Jamaat-e-Islami leaders can be there in the election race as the Commission has no authority to revoke their candidatures since they are contesting the polls as BNP and independent candidates. “The High Court directed the Election Commission to dispose of the application filed for cancelling the candidacies of 25 aspirants, but the Commission has no legal jurisdiction to annul their candidacies,” said (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed. He came up with the announcement at a press briefing at Nirbachan Bhaban. Of the 25 candidates, Helal Uddin said ...

MNA National Desk: Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the people of Rangpur region to cast their votes for “boat” to complete the unfinished projects undertaken for the development of the northern region. “For the overall development of this region, we have undertaken so many projects… we have taken steps so that every road of this area is developed….we have to complete them, and for that we need your votes,” she said on Sunday. Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing an election rally at Taraganj Government Degree College ground in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district, reports ...

MNA National Desk: Tangail-4 independent candidate Abdul Latif Siddique on Sunday stepped aside from the election race protesting attacks on his election campaigns by his rivals. Latif Siddique went to the Election Commission in the city and informed it about his decision, reported news agency. Earlier in the morning, he made an announcement in this regard at his residence in the capital, according to his family sources. Before leaving the EC office, he distributed the copies of his statement among journalists to inform them about his decision. Latif Siddique was admitted to Tangail General Hospital after he fell sick on ...

MNA National Desk: Thousands of Awami League supporters have gathered on a college field in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur where Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will hold an election rally to seek vote. Sheikh Hasina, also the country’s prime minister, is expected to address the rally on the premises of Taraganj Degree College in the afternoon, according to our staff correspondent. Apart from this rally, she will attend another in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur, reported news agency.

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina reached in Sylhet on Saturday to join an election rally. She reached Sylhet Osmani International Airport around 10:55am, reported news agency. The prime minister will offer ziarat at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA), Hazrat Shah Paran (RA) and Hazrat Gazi Borhanuddin (RA). Sheikh Hasina will address an election rally at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa Ground at 2:30 pm

MNA National Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged the countrymen to re-elect the Awami League to keep up the country’s development spree and serve the people again. “We’ve already executed many projects in the country while many mega schemes are under implementation. So, I call upon the countrymen to continue the pace of uplift and give us another scope to serve the people again by casting votes for boat, the Awami League’s election symbol,” she said. The prime minister was addressing election rallies in Rajshahi, Joypurhat, Narail and Gaibandha through videoconferencing from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi in ...

MNA National Desk: Unidentified attackers in Munshiganj have fired a gunshot at the home of Mahi B Chowdhury, who is contesting in the election with the Awami League’s ‘boat’ symbol, reported news agency. The Bikalpadhara Bangladesh joint general secretary was out of home for campaign at the time of the attack at Mojidpur Doyhata village in Srinagar around 9pm on Wednesday. Police said they recovered a bullet casing from the scene after a bullet tore the window glass of an outhouse where Mahi often spends the night. No one was injured in the attack as Mahi and members of his ...

MNA National Desk: BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Enam Ahmed Chowdhury formally joined Awami League, reported news agency. He met Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban on Wednesday evening and joined her party, said PM’s deputy press secretary Ashraful Alam Khokan. Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, former chairman of the Privatization Commission, sought BNP’s nomination for contesting the forthcoming general election from Sylhet-1 constituency. However, the party chose BNP chief’s another adviser Khandaker Abdul Muktadir over him for the parliamentary seat. After retirement, Chaudhury joined the BNP in 1999 before the party won the 2001 election. ...

MNA National Desk: Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder protested the Chief Election Commissioner’s (CEC) comment on his stance regarding the level-playing field in the upcoming general election, reported news agency. The Election Commissioner read out the statement in front of the journalists at his office in the afternoon. In his statement, Mahbub Talukder said, “Chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda told a meeting in Rangamati that I’d told a lie by saying ‘I don’t think there’s anything like level-playing field’. “I’m strongly protesting at his statement. Through this statement he has hit the integrity of an election commissioner,” he told newsmen ...

MNA National Desk: Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmadon Wednesday said the Commission is considering to slowdown internet speed on the polling day of the 11th parliamentary election slated for December 30. The EC Secretary came up with the announcement while briefing officials related to the election result management at Election Training Center (ETI) in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban in the morning. However, the speed of the Internet will come to normal after 4:00 pm on the day for smooth communication. Besides, Chief Election Commissioner K M Nurul Huda urged the officials not to make any mistake while counting votes and ...

MNA National Desk: Tangail 4 (Kalihati) constituency independent candidate Abdul Latif Siddiqui has been taken to hospital on the fourth day of his hunger strike in protest to the attack on his motorcade, reported news agency. He was taken to Tangail General Hospital, with his consent, around 9:10am on Wednesday as his health was deteriorating. Latif Siddiqui was taken to the hospital under the supervision of cardiac specialist Mofazzal Hossain. On December 16, the independent candidate’s car was vandalized during his campaign in Tangail’s Gohaliabari area. On December 17, he announced to go on a hunger strike, in a letter ...

MNA National Desk: The panel led by Saiful Alam of Daily Jugantar and Farida Yasmin of Daily Ittefaq has swept the election to form the new executive committee of the National Press Club. Their panel bagged 13 out of the 17 posts of the committee through the polls held on Tuesday, reported news agnecy. Saiful was elected president with 621 votes, while Farida was elected general secretary with 569 votes. In the process, they beat their nearest rivals Shawkat Mahmud (431 votes) and Ilias Khan (406 votes). Senior journalist Omar Farroque was elected senior vice president with 442 votes, while ...

MNA National Desk: A total of 1016 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in different parts of the country, including the capital, ahead of the national election slated for December 30. BGB Pilkhana headquarters Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mohsin Reza confirmed the matter, reports news agency. The border guards were deployed at different parts of the country in the morning to assist administration to avert untoward incidents centring the polls, he said.

MNA National Desk: The High Court on Tuesday rejected the writ petition filed challenging the cancellation of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s candidature in three constituencies to contest the upcoming general election. The High Court on Monday adjourned for Tuesday the hearing. The one-member bench of Justice JBM Hassan on Monday passed the order following a petition by Khaleda’s counsels seeking time, reports news agency. Barrister Badudozza Badal and Barrister AKM Ehsanur Rahman stood for the BNP chief while deputy attorney general Motahar Hossain Saju represented the state. Khaleda’s counsels sought time, saying they could not yet prepare the affidavit of ...

MNA National Desk: Newly appointed US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Robert Miller today said there will be 32 US election observers in the country as the US Embassy will arrange a total of 11 teams in this regard. The US envoy also hoped that the next general election in Bangladesh will be credible and peaceful, reported news agency. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. Terming the Bangladesh-USA relations strong ones, he also mentioned that the USA wants to cooperate with Bangladesh in energy and education sectors. While describing the struggle of Bangladesh in establishing democracy, Prime ...

MNA National Desk: PM Sheikh Hasina will address different rallies in Dhaka, Sylhet and Rangpur division between December 21 and December 24 as part of the party’s election campaign. She will address a rally in the city’s Gulshan area on December 21 and will visit two shrines in Sylhet on December 22 in where will address an election rally as well, said an AL media release. Sheikh Hasina, also the Prime Minister, will visit Pirganj and Taraganj in Rangpur and join rallies there on December 23. The AL president will also address a rally in Kamrangirchar area of Dhaka on ...

MNA National Desk: The nation is celebrating the 48th Victory Day on Sunday. The country was liberated from the Pakistani occupation forces after a nine-month-long bloodstained War of Liberation on this day. Forty-seven years back on December 16 in 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and for the supreme sacrifice of three million people. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion. The day is set to be observed with programmes to pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for ...

MNA National Desk: Jatiya Oikyafront convener and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain on Saturday expressed his regret for his reaction to a journalist who wanted to know his position on Jamaat-e-Islami, reported news agency. Dr Kamal got angry with a female reporter when she asked him about Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s participation in the upcoming 11th national election despite the cancellation of its registration by the Election Commission. In a statement issued, Dr Kamal said, “All through my life I have spoken up for the freedom of the press and the rights of journalists. If my words hurt anyone, I sincerely ...

MNA National Desk: Oikya Front leaders have written a letter to President Abdul Hamid, seeking permission to meet him before the upcoming general polls, reported news agency. BNP Chairperson’s Press Wing Official Shayrul Kabir Khan confirmed the matter on Saturday. A 10-member delegation led by Dr Kamal Hossain would meet the president on December 17. A letter, signed by the BNP chairperson’s Private Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, was sent to the president in this regard on December 13.

MNA National Desk: A general dairy (GD) was lodged with Islamic University police station in Kushtia on Friday against Jatiya Oikya Front chief Kamal Hossain on allegation of threatening journalists, reported news agency. Acting editor of Bangla daily Bangladesh Shomoy Mostafizur Rahman, and also a professor of Folklore Studies department of the university, filed the complaint, said Raton Sheikh, officer-in-charge of the police station. In his GD, Mostafizur Rahman alleged that Dr Kamal Hossain, after paying tributes at Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in the capital’s Mirpur area, threatened journalists when one of them asked him whether there was any connection of ...

MNA National Desk: Jatiya Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain’s motorcade came under attack near the Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial in the capital’s Mirpur yesterday, reported news agency. At least 25 people were injured in the attack carried out allegedly by ruling party men around 9:45am when the eminent jurist was returning home after paying tribute to the martyred intellectuals, alleged leaders of the opposition alliance. Seven to eight cars were vandalised, they said. Armed with rods and sticks, some supporters of Aslamul Haque, Awami League candidate for Dhaka-14 constituency, attacked Dr Kamal’s car after he boarded it at the memorial’s main ...