Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has felicitated his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina for her party’s landmark victory in the January 7 election. The two leaders spoke over the phone on Monday (Jan 8) evening. “Spoke to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and congratulated her on her victory for a historic fourth consecutive term in the Parliamentary elections,” Modi tweeted at 7:08pm.   “I also congratulate the people of Bangladesh for the successful conduct of elections. We are committed to further strengthen our enduring and people-centric partnership with Bangladesh.”   Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League won the just-concluded election with a clear two-thirds majority, allowing it to retain power and form the government for the fourth consecutive term. Modi also expressed confidence that the historic and close ties between India and Bangladesh will continue to deepen in all areas of their irreversible partnership.    He affirmed that as a close friend and trusted development partner of Bangladesh, India will continue to support Bangladesh’s aspirations and growth.  Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma congratulated Prime Minister Hasina on her victory and was the first among diplomats to meet her in the morning.   He was followed by diplomats from Russia, China, Bhutan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Representatives of the Aga Khan Diplomatic Representatives also met her.  

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal estimated that 40% of voters cast their ballots in the 12th parliamentary polls on Sunday (Jan 7).   CEC said this while briefing journalists at the EC building in Dhaka around 5:30pm. “Although we are not sure yet, but on average the turnout was 40%,” he said at a press conference at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka this evening. “No major incident took place…no death occurred due to the election violence. Although there are allegations, we are looking into those.”   He added, “We will not claim that we performed well, but we tried hard.” The polls closed at 4:00pm.

Voting in the 12th national parliamentary election is underway on Sunday morning  (Jan 7) using ballot papers in 299 seats.  The voting started at 8am and will continue until 4pm without any break at 261,912 polling booths in 42,103 voting centres across the country. Election Commission (EC) source said, 11,96,89,289 voters, including 6,76,09,741 male, 5,89,18,699 female and 849 transgender, will vote to elect 299 members of parliament out of 300 as the EC earlier postponed the elections to Naogaon-2 due to independent candidate Aminul Islam’s death. A total of 1,970 candidates, including 1,534 from 28 political parties and 436 independents, are vying in the polls. Of the candidates, 266 from the ruling Awami League (AL), 265 from Jatiya Party (JaPa), 135 from Trinomul BNP, 66 from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD), 122 from National People's Party (NPP), 13 from Jatiya Party (JP) and 10 from Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh are contesting in the polls. A total of 90 female candidates, including from political parties and independents, and 79 from ethnic minority and other groups are vying in the polls. A required number of members of law enforcement agencies have been deployed across the country to ensure the security of the voters so that they can go to polling centres, exercise franchise and return home safely.  

President Mohammed Shahabuddin today (Jan 3) exercised his franchise through postal ballot for the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls slated for January 7 next, urging the countrymen to fulfill their civic duty by voting. "Let's vote ourselves and encourage others to cast vote," the president told the journalists this noon after casting his vote at the Credential Hall of Bangabhaban here.   President's wife Dr Rebeka Sultana also exercised her voting rights through postal ballot. President Shahabuddin said, "Voting is the democratic rights of the people. As a citizen, it is our duty to vote." The election will be held in a peaceful and festive environment with the participation of all, the president hoped.   According to the Article 27 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the head of the state is able to cast the vote through the postal ballot.   Registered voters, those are imprisoned or in legal custody, Bangladeshi expatriates and polling officers, can exercise their rights to vote through postal ballots in the upcoming general polls as well, according to the Election Commission Secretariat.   Four types of voters, who are unable to go to the polling centers, can exercise their rights to vote through postal ballots. This provision has been introduced since the 9th Jatiya Sangsad Election.   Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has campaigned to encourage voting through postal ballot in this year's parliamentary elections.   In an inter-ministerial meeting held recently, the EC directed all concerned, including the Bangladesh mission abroad, to encourage casting vote through the postal ballots.   According to the EC notification, a person, who is interested in exercising the rights to vote, has to apply to the returning officer of his constituency for a postal ballot paper.   The application must contain the voter's name, postal address and serial number of the voter list, it stated.   The Returning Officers will consider the postal votes received by them within the time limit and declare the final result after counting those votes.   The EC wants to popularize the issue of postal ballot by applying presidential vote.   President's Office Secretary Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin and Secretary (attached) Md Wahidul Islam Khan were also present on the occasion.

State Department says US will continue to engage with the government, opposition, civil society, and other stakeholders to urge them to work together for the benefit of the Bangladeshi people to ensure free and fair elections. The United States has reiterated its desire to see free and fair elections in Bangladesh, saying that it does not want to speculate the outcome of the upcoming general election.  "I'm not going to speculate on the outcome of the elections," US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters during a regular media briefing on 4 December. "I will say what we have said a number of times before," he added.  Miller said the US will continue to engage with the government, opposition, civil society, and other stakeholders to urge them to work together for the benefit of the Bangladeshi people to ensure free and fair elections. He said the US also wants to see that elections are conducted in a peaceful manner. The next national election is scheduled to be held on 7 January 2024. A fraction of BNP, the major opposition political party, has resorted to burning private and public properties, blockades, and hartals, and are boycotting the upcoming election although many of its own leaders are participating, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Election Commission received a total of 2,711 nomination papers against 300 constituencies across the country.  The nomination papers were scrutinized on December 1-4, 2023, and candidatures can be withdrawn by 17 December 2023.  The schedule for the 12th national parliamentary election was announced by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on 15 November 2023.    Source: The Business Standard

A total of 212 incidents of arson attacks recorded countrywide till 6:00am today since October 28. This information is confirmed by Md Shahjahan Shikdar, Deputy assistant director (media cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence on Tuesday (November 28). The Fire Service says, "Miscreants set fire to 5 vehicles in last 24 hours." However, 1 train compartment, 3 buses and 1 truck were damaged in the 24 hours. During this period, total 10 units of fire service and civil defense and 30 members of firefighting units had worked to douse the fires in the whole country. Furthermore, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) with its alliance partners have been observing countrywide blockade and dawn-to-dusk hartal in several times since October 28, for their demand on the cancellation of the 12th Jatiya Sangshad election schedule and the resignation of the ruling party Awami League government, alternatively they want to hand over the power to a poll-time-party-neutral caretaker government.

Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (23 November) urged BNP to participate in the 12th national election slated for January 7 to examine whom the people want to see in power. "Let's join the election to see how far one can run and to know whom the people want to see in power," she said. The prime minister was delivering her introductory speech ahead of AL's Parliamentary Nomination Board meeting at the party's Dhaka district office in city’s Tejgaon area to finalise the party's candidates of Rajshahi, Khulna and Rangpur divisions. She also sounded a note of warning against any move to foil the election. "Don't try to thwart the election. If do so, the consequence will not be good for anyone," she warned. The premier called upon other political parties to participate in the next election. "They (remaining other parties) who are in dilemma, I urge you all to take part in the election as there is no doubt that the next general election will be free and neutral," she said, welcoming the parties which announced to join the polls. The prime minister said she had given instruction time and again to make sure that the people of the country can vote freely. "We will hold the election to ensure people's rights to franchise. We will not interfere to this end. We want the election commission to hold free and neutral election," she said. She also said they don't need to steal the votes, as the people have confidence and trust in the Awami League. The international agencies surveys have also portrayed the same thing, she added. "So, we will take part in the election with self-confidence," she continued. She urged the countrymen to cast their votes in favour of their choice with self-confidence. "You can vote as your wish," she said. But, being president of the AL, Sheikh Hasina said, "I called upon the countrymen to vote for my party's electoral symbol Boat to give us another change to serve the nation." The prime minister said the BNP feared to join the election as they have none at the top of the party as their two top leaders have been convicted of corruption. She continued FBI had testified against Tarique and Canadian police gave deposition against Khaleda Zia for their involvement in corruption. The premier also delivered a witty remark saying BNP can join the next election to make business with selling nomination papers which they did in the past.   The prime minister said the AL electoral symbol "Boat" brought the country's independence, made Bangladesh self-sufficient in food production, reached electricity to every house, gave houses to every landless and homeless people, provided healthcare to every people's doorstep and made Bangladesh Digital. She said that the AL government has taken various measures to give the countrymen a modern and improved life. Sheikh Hasina said her government has been successful in its endeavor and the country has got the status of a developing nation. "If the boat remains in power, the people get peace and prosperity in their lives. This is the reality. So, vote for our candidates to give them chance to serve you," she added. The premier also said BNP destroyed country's electoral process by holding farcical yes/no vote and presidential election by military dictator Ziaur Rahman and her wife followed the path of her husband holding farcical elections including the February 15 of 1996. "The people of the country toppled the BNP government between one and a half month after February 15 farcical election," she said. She added the AL has established the rights of vote and democracy after a long struggle following the footprints of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The prime minister asked the countrymen to forge resistance against the hartal, blockade and arson violence. "Whenever you (people) witness any arson violence is being committed, capture the culprits and hand them over to police. We are not saying that you take law in your hands," she said. She continued if the people start resisting the arson violence, it must come to an end. The prime minister said she doesn't bother which big country is supporting them (their arson violence). "To me, my country is great. I am here to work for my country, not to serve any country," she said. The premier said there are some big countries who favour those who serve them. "If any country of their choice invades any country, they don't say it invasion," she said, adding that they even don't see any inhuman act carried out by the countries they favour. The AL's parliamentary nomination board held their first meeting to finalise their candidates for 300 seats across Bangladesh. The second and third meeting of the board will be held on Friday and Saturday next. The AL had sold 3362 nomination papers for 300 seats in four days from last Saturday to Tuesday at party's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue which means on an average 11 forms were sold for each seat. The AL has earned a total of Taka 16.81 crore by selling the nomination papers as each of the form was sold at Taka 50,000.