The High Court today directed the Election Commission to allocate BNP’s election symbol “Sheaf of Paddy” to its four candidates in place of other four rival contenders who were earlier allocated the same symbol.
Kamrun Nahar Shirin will get “Sheaf of Paddy” in place of Monjurul Islam Bimal for Natore-1, Abdul Hamid Dabliu will get “Sheaf of Paddy” in place of SA Kabir Jinnah for Manikganj-1, Mostafizur Rahman will get “Sheaf of Paddy” instead of Khalek Chowdhury for Naogaon-1 and Masuda Momin will get “Sheaf of Paddy” in place of Abdul Muhith Talukder, Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Sazu told The Daily Star.
He said Monjurul, Jinnah, Khalek and Muhith cannot contest the December 30 election following the HC orders, he said, adding that they can, however, move appeals before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC orders.
The HC stayed for three months the EC’s decisions to allocate “Sheaf of Paddy” to Monjurul, Jinnah, Khalek and Muhith and issued separate rules asking the EC and government to explain in four weeks why the EC’s decisions should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the orders and rules following separate writ petitions filed by Kamrun Nahar, Abdul Hamid, Mostafizur and Masuda challenging the EC’s decisions.
The writ petitioners said in their petitions that BNP nominated them first for contesting the December 30 general election.
But the EC allocated “Sheaf of Paddy” to their rival candidates in violation of the Representation of People’s Order (RPO), they said in the petitions.
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Expressing concern over alleged harassment, intimidation and electoral irregularities in the December 30 election, Norway has called for a transparent investigation into the allegations.
“Norway is concerned about credible reports of harassment and intimidation, as well as the presence of serious obstacles to a level playing field throughout the election process. We deplore the violence and tragic loss of life during the campaigning period and on election day,” said Marianne Hagen, state secretary at foreign affairs ministry.
“Given the significant number of claims of irregularities, it is essential that these are investigated fully and transparently by the proper authorities.”
In a statement on Thursday, she said Norway commends the many Bangladeshis who exercised their democratic right to vote on election day, and welcomes the opposition's decision to contest the election for the first time in 10 years.
Hagen added, “Our countries' good and longstanding relations are based on mutual respect and the pursuit of common interests.
“Norway will continue to work with the government and the opposition, as well as other stakeholders, to further advance the democratic and economic development of Bangladesh.”
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BNP’s top policymaker Nazrul Isalm Khan today claimed that the government is obstructing the environment of free and fair national election.
BNP leaders and activists are still getting obstructed, Khan, chairman of the party’s election management committee, said at a press conference.
The court has cancelled the candidacy of 16 BNP contestants after the election commission gave them validity, he said. The declaration came at the last moment.
“There was no time to give replacement candidates. The EC has conspired to gift those 16 constituencies to Awami League,” he alleged.
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The High Court today granted anticipatory bail for eight weeks to actors Rafiath Rashid Mithila and Sabnam Faria in a case filed against them over fraud -- for their involvement with e-commerce platform Evaly.
The HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Atoar Rahman granted them bail following two separate petitions filed by them seeking anticipatory bail in the case.
The accused petitioners appeared before the bench for bail during hearing of the petitions.
On December 4, am aggrieved customer of Evaly -- Saad Sam Rahman -- filed the case with Dhanmondi Police Station against nine people including Evaly CEO Mohammad Rassel, Chairman Shamima Nasrin, musician Tahsan Khan, and actors Mithila and Faria.
The other accused in the case are: Akash, Arif, Taher and Md Abu Taish Kayes.
According to the case, celebrities Tahsan, Mithila and Faria were in different positions at Evaly. Because of their presence and their various promotional talks, Saad Sam invested Tk 3,18,000 in Evaly.
The plaintiff alleged that he was deceived because of the promotional talks of the celebrities.
Tahsan was the Goodwill Ambassador of Evaly, and Mithila was associated with Evaly as the face of the company's lifestyle products. Faria joined as Chief Public Relations Officer.
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Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal's defeat by a huge margin in the Ducsu polls has sent a strong message to the BNP, just five months ahead of the national election, political analysts say.
Chhatra Dal, considered to be one of the major student bodies which had earlier won Ducsu polls in 1990 during the anti-Ershad movement, failed to secure any of the 28 posts in this year's election.
Meanwhile, the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel swept the DU election, winning 23 of 28 posts -- the student body's biggest success since the country's independence.
The analysts say the loss ahead of other major student union elections warrants drastic re-organisation of the JCD, which traditionally plays a vital role during national elections.
"BNP had built strong momentum, but the loss in the Ducsu polls has significantly undercut it. The setback has left many party activists disheartened. The scale of Chhatra Dal's defeat is deeply disappointing."
— A senior BNP leader speaking anonymously
Political observers cited organisational weaknesses, prolonged absence from the campus, the age gap between leaders and general students, and ineffective hall-level campaigning as the key reasons behind the defeat.
"This is not merely a student union election -- it carries a powerful message for the upcoming national polls," said Prof Mojibur Rahman of Dhaka University's Institute of Education and Research.
"General students could not trust BNP and Chhatra Dal. Many believed that if they voted for Chhatra Dal and helped them win, it would ultimately strengthen the BNP -- something they did not want, as the party was already involved in various unethical activities. This fear worked against them."
The Ducsu polls were held after last year's mass uprising that toppled the Awami League regime. With Chhatra League absent from the contest, the biggest beneficiary turned out to be Shibir.
For BNP, the failure of Chhatra Dal not only hurt its image among students but also raised new challenges for the party at the national level, said party leaders and experts.
Political analysts said if BNP fails to take lessons from this defeat, the consequences will be massive in the days ahead.
Prof Al Masud Hasanuzzaman of Jahangirnagar University's government and politics department said, "The Ducsu polls offer a lesson for the BNP. The way the party had been thinking about the upcoming election may now change, prompting them to reflect and prepare accordingly. In this context, the BNP must act with strategic considerations in mind."
The impact of the Ducsu polls will not remain limited to the university; it will spread across the country's political landscape. Jamaat and its student wing have shown that BNP is now their main rival, said both Hasanuzzaman and Mojibur.
Political analysts agreed that Jamaat has gained new momentum, and BNP must pay more attention to this reality.
"The victory of Shibir will infuse huge energy into Jamaat. Of course, this is good news for them. BNP must move forward by considering these matters," Hasanuzzaman added.
The analysts said extortion by party members, business grabbing, and infighting have already put BNP in an image crisis, which was also reflected in the Ducsu polls.
A BNP leader, wishing not to be named, said, "Public perception is very important in politics. The result of the Ducsu election has had a significant impact on people. There is no difference between Chhatra Dal's defeat and BNP's defeat."
Mojibur stated that the result has triggered public reactions, which are likely to influence the upcoming national election.
"Shibir leaders are now in the spotlight after winning Ducsu posts. When the national elections come, they will return to their areas and use their positions to seek votes. This is certain to have an impact on the election," he said.
Two BNP Standing Committee members said they are working to rebuild the party's image by strengthening the organisation and taking action against those involved in controversial activities.
"BNP had built strong momentum, but the loss in the Ducsu polls has significantly undercut it. The setback has left many party activists disheartened. The scale of Chhatra Dal's defeat is deeply disappointing," said a senior leader, requesting anonymity.
Dhaka North City BNP Convener Aminul Haque said, "I think this is a big lesson for the BNP. In the coming days, we will move forward by finding out our organisational weaknesses."
According to Prof Mojibur, BNP's intellectual group is very weak, and the party does not even feel the need to strengthen it.
"BNP and Chhatra Dal talk big and bring out processions, but the results are there for all to see. The party must now focus on strengthening its organisational base."
At a programme in Chattogram, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas yesterday alleged that Shibir won the Ducsu polls by colluding with the Awami League, whose political activities are banned.
Talking to The Daily Star, another Standing Committee member, Khandaker Mosharraf, insisted that the outcome would have no effects on national polls or politics.
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BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said their party will not accept the proportional representation (PR) system of election as people of Bangladesh are not familiar with it.
"We have clearly said we will never accept the PR system because the people of this country are not used to it. They do not know or understand it," he said while talking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after returning home from Thailand.
Fakhrul said the PR system prevents voters from electing their representatives through direct voting.
"The people of Bangladesh want elections as it is the only way to overcome the political and economic crises the country is facing," he said.
The BNP leader said their party is in favour of a free and fair election as per the traditional system.
In the PR system, Fakhrul said, voters do not know for whom they are casting their votes. "That cannot be acceptable."
Regarding Ducsu elections, the BNP secretary general said they hope the polls will be held fairly and properly with everyone's participation.
On August 13, Fakhrul and his wife Rahat Ara Begum went to Thailand's Bangkok, for follow-up eye treatment.
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