Police evicted protesters demanding fresh election under a non-partisan caretaker government in front of Jatiya Press Club this morning.

Around 40 to 50 people under the banner of ‘National Unity for Franchise and Good Governance’ formed a human chain around 11:00am demanding re-election under a neutral caretaker government, our staff correspondent reports from the spot.

However, police evicted the protesters soon after they gathered there and snatched their banner, said ABM Mostofa Amin, the convener of the platform.

“We cannot accept the kind of rigging that took place in the 11th parliamentary elections. We demand a fresh election be held under a non-partisan caretaker government immediately,” he said.

He alleged that police foiled their peaceful demonstration with a “logical demand”.

THE ELECTION RESULT

The Awami League-led Grand Alliance secured a landslide victory in the national election held on Sunday, December 30, winning in 288 out of 300 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad.

HOW WAS THE ELECTION?

Voting for the 11th parliamentary election ended peacefully in Dhaka; but was tainted with violence elsewhere across the country and cost the lives of at least a dozen people.

Reports of casualties came in from Cumilla, Chattogram, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangamati, Cox’s Bazar, Bogura, Noakhali, Narsingdi and Gazipur.

Allegations of vote rigging, election clashes, intimidation and irregularities came in from several other constituencies and capital Dhaka city.

Also, the election saw opposition candidates boycotting elections in at least 43 constituencies; 42 of who were Jatiya Oikyafront runners.

The Election Commission (EC) today sent a letter to the parliament secretary for taking necessary preparation to organise the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected lawmakers of the 11th general election.

EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said this while talking to reporters at the EC office today.

The MP-elect will take oath at the oathroom of the parliament at 11:00am tomorrow, sources at the Parliament Secretariat confirmed.

Yesterday, the commission published the gazette with details of 298 MPs with the EC’s approval.

According to the article 148 (2A) of the Constitution, the newly elected members of parliament will be obliged to take oath within three days after the publication of election results through official gazette, or else their memberships will cease to exit.

The new cabinet may take oath on Sunday.

In the December 30 parliamentary election, the AL-led Grand Alliance won 288 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad against the BNP-led Oikyafront's seven. 

Three independent candidates also became victorious.

The election in Brahmanbaria-2 was suspended as voting at three polling centres was suspended over violence. Polling in those centres will be held on January 9.

Polls in Gaibanda-3 were rescheduled for January 27 following the death of a candidate.  

With the Election Commission not being able to give the number of press passes it has issued for today's election, there are allegations that many ruling party men managed the cards.

On the other hand, journalists of some mainstream media houses in Cumilla and Lalmonirhat alleged that they did not receive their press passes. Cumilla correspondents of television channels Maasranga and Ntv did not get those either, they claimed.

EC secretariat and returning officers in every districts issue cards to media personnel before election and, by using the cards, journalists can enter the polling centers to collect information.

While visiting the EC secretariat around 4:00pm yesterday, a correspondent of The Daily Star found many people were still waiting there to get their “press pass” and “vehicle stickers”.

Regarding the number of cards the EC issued yesterday, SM Asaduzzaman, director (public relations) of the commission said, “It is not possible to give the number now. It could be told tomorrow [today].”

Wishing anonymity, a number of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists of Dhaka University told this newspaper that they had gotten blank press passes for the polls day.

“I have received around 200 press passes from a senior leader [of my organisation] who instructed me to fill the card with names of activists of different associate bodies of the ruling party.

I filled them up and, in the organisation category [of the card], I put names of different media houses at my will.”

Our correspondents from several districts also said they have heard such allegations. They said local ruling party men and even relatives of local top leaders allegedly obtained press cards using the names of so-called newspapers.

Meanwhile, several journalists from Cumilla said they did not get their pass cards until 8:00pm yesterday.

Masud Alam, local correspondent of Dhaka Tribune and Bangla Tribune, said, “Although, I am an active journalist, I did not get a press card but many post holders of local political parties obtained them.”

Imtiaz Ahmed, editor of local newspaper Ajker Cumilla, also did not get a pass.

“I am still trying to get a press card,” Imtiaz, also the local correspondent of Banglanews24.com, told our Cumilla Correspondent around 8:00pm yesterday.

In Lalmonirhat, local correspondents of Alokito Bangladesh, Naya Diganta, Sangram, and Jagonews were not given press cards until 8:30pm, reports our district correspondent.

Asked about the allegations, Asaduzzaman said the EC has already issued directives for press cards and, after proper verification, the cards were issued.

However, there are journalists who are also involved with politics and such allegations may arise in such cases, he added.