Two thousands and fifty five aspirants have submitted nomination papers for contesting in the second phase of upazila polls. Election Commission additional secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath confirmed this information on Sunday (April 21). He said, 'Today was the last day to submit nomination papers in 160 upazila polls of the second phase. In the election, 730 aspirants filled nomination papers for the post of chairman, 763 for the post of Vice-chairman and 562 for the post of vice chairman reserved for women.'  According to the second phase schedule, nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 23, appeals will be accepted from April 24 to 26, and appeals will be disposed from April 27 to 29. Last date for withdrawal of candidature is 30 April. The allocation of symbol is on May 2. Voting will be held on May 21. 

The commission has asked for ballot papers to reach the polling centres on the morning of polling day for the first time. In this regard The EC issued a circular today (Dec 18). It is the first time that the commission has asked for ballot papers to reach the polling centres on the morning of polling day. According to the circular, the timing of delivery of ballot papers to polling centres located in hilly, haor, baor, char or island areas or areas far from the district or upazila headquarters or metropolitan areas, should be determined by the ROs. Respective returning officers will have to make plans for delivering the ballor papers on the morning of polling day and get those approved by the Election Commission by December 31, 2023. Generally, during parliamentary elections, ballot boxes are sent to polling centres on the afternoon or evening before the polling day. Presiding officers and law enforcement agencies took ballot papers to the centres on the previous day. Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal told reporters at the EC office in the capital, "As far as possible, the ballots will reach [polling centres] on the morning of polling day." The polling agents will have to be there to see that the polling boxes are empty and the ballot papers reached the polling station in the morning, he said. Asked why the EC has taken this step, "There was demand for this from many, and this will increase transparency." EC officials said that they took the steps to send the ballots on polling day morning to avoid "allegations or controversy" over voting taking place at night instead of polling day.  

The renowned author had been suffering from cancer of the esophagus and died at his home in Florida. Celebrated British novelist Martin Amis died at his Florida home at the age of 73 on Friday. His passing was confirmed by his publisher Penguin Books in a post on Twitter on Saturday. "We are devastated at the death of our author and friend, Martin Amis. Our thoughts are with all his family and loved ones, especially his children and wife Isabel. He leaves a towering legacy and an indelible mark on the British cultural landscape, and will be missed enormously," Penguin Books UK said. Amis' battle with esophageal cancer The New York Times earlier reported on the novelist's passing at his home in Lake Worth, Florida, quoting his wife, Isabel Fonseca, as saying that he succumbed to cancer of the esophagus. Amis was the author of 14 novels, with some of his best-known works being "Money," "The Information" and "London Fields," along with his 2000 memoir, "Experience." His first book, "The Rachel Papers" was published when he was 23. Amis rose to prominence during the mid-1980s and 1990s and is considered to have redefined British fiction. His literary contemporaries at the time included his closest friend — the late Christopher Hitchens, Ian McEwan and Salman Rushdie. In a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Amis said, "We read literature to have a good time. Not an easy time, necessarily, but not a hard time and not a bad time." Amis is survived by his wife Isabel Fonseca and their two daughters, along with three children from a previous marriage.

Member of Parliament from Dhaka-10 constituency Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has bought Awami League nomination papers for the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) elections. Besides, another Member of Parliament Haji Mohammad Salim also has bought the nomination papers. Apart from them, Nazmul Haque and MA Rashid have collected nomination papers for the DSCC elections. On the other hand, for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) elections the running mayor Atiqul Islam has bought the nomination papers. Besides, Yaz Al Fakir, Nazmul Haque, Shahidullah Osmani have collected the nomination papers. Their leaders and activists collected the nomination papers on Wednesday from the Awami League president’s political office at Dhanmondi in the capital on behalf of them.   At around 3 pm Mayor Atiqul’s Personal Assistant Saifuddin Imon and younger brother Abu Mahmud Khan collected the nomination papers on behalf of him. At around 3:15 pm former organizing secretary of Dhaka metropolitan south unit of Awami League, Morshed Kamal collected the nomination papers on behalf of Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh. The Awami League nomination papers will be distributed till Friday. Meanwhile, the Election Commission declared the election schedule for the Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporations on Sunday (December 22). According to the schedule the voting of both the city elections will take place on January 30. AH

Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said, to prevent irregularities in the upcoming municipal council elections ballot papers will be sent in the morning of voting day instead of the night before the election. Voting will take place from 9 am instead of 8 am and it will conclude at 5 pm. The EC Secretary said these while replying questions of newsmen at the media center of Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Monday. Helal Uddin Ahmed said, allegations have come including overnight ballot box fill up. To drive away the allegations EC has taken different steps. Technologies will be used. We have taken decision to send ballot papers to the centers in the morning. Decision was taken to send the ballot papers in the morning to the centers nearby. He said, if question papers for public examinations are possible to send in the morning then ballot papers also can be sent in the morning. The decision will be effective from the upcoming municipal council elections. For that reason voting will begin from 9 am instead of 8 am. The EC Secretary said, normally EVM cannot be used before a specific time. There is no scope to open it before 8 am. Helal Uddin Ahmed said, voting was peaceful in the second phase upazila council elections in 116 upazilas under 16 districts. Voting was suspended in only eight centers out of 7 thousand 39 centers. AH      

RAB-14 has arrested a college student from Netrokona over allegation of leaking fake SSC examination question papers that is scheduled to begin from Saturday. He was arrested from Saimon hostel at Satpai Bilpar area of Netrokona town on Friday evening. Name of the arrestee is Mohsin Alam Saju (18). He is a first year science student of Netrokona Government College. Saju is son of Md. Saddam Hossain of Gogra village under Kendua upazila. RAB-14 Company Commander Lt. Colonel MA Shovon told Rtv online that the arrested student Mohsin Alam Saju was selling fake question papers to the examinees taking 500 taka for each after creating a fake facebook account on social media. Acting on a tipoff RAB detained him on Friday evening. He said, interrogation is going on to get more information from him. Saju confessed his association with fake question leak. He was taken to Kishoreganj RAB camp. Case will be filed in this connection with Netrokona model police station. AH        

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni said, don’t pay heed to rumors. In this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations no question paper will be leaked. If that happens take it as a rumor. She said these at a press conference at the education ministry on Thursday. Dipu Moni said, no question paper was leaked last year due to our taken method. In this year we have enhanced the method. So we hope that no question paper will be leaked this year. She said, if anybody tells about question leak then that will be a rumor. No guardian or examinee should pay heed to rumors. The minister said, examinees have to take their seats in the examination centers 30 minutes before commencement of the examination. Set Code of the examination will be sent to the concerned through SMS 25 minutes before the examination begins. Nobody except the concerned persons of examination can enter in the centers. Nobody except the Secretary of the center will be allowed to enter the center with mobile phone or electronic device. Only Secretary of the examination center can use the mobile phone. She said, 21 lakh 35 thousand 333 students will take part in this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations. Of them 10 lakh 64 thousand 892 are female and 10 lakh 70 thousand 441 are male students. Students of 28 thousand 682 educational institutions will sit in the secondary level final examinations under 3 thousand 497 centers. 434 students from abroad under 8 centers will also take part in the examinations. The Education Minister said that in this year all the examinations will be held with creative question papers except Bangla second paper, English first and second paper. Besides, autistic and down syndrome students with special needs will get 30 minutes extra time as well as they can sit in the examinations with help of a teacher, guardian or other helper, the minister added. AH     

In the upcoming Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Dakhil and equivalent examinations, the cover of the question sets will be opened 25 minutes before the start of the exam in the presence and signature of the designated officer (tag officer), the exam centre secretary and the police officer. None except the centre secretary can use mobile phone or unauthorised electrical equipment in the examination centre. The question set will be fixed only 25 minutes before the start of the test. Education Ministry made the disclosures issuing separate circulars in this regard. It has been said in the circular that a magistrate or tag officer will be appointed for each centre. The magistrate accompanied by the in-charge of the centre or his nominated representative will take the question papers from the Treasury or Thana and will reach exam centre escorted by police. It is further said that none can use mobile phones or unauthorized electrical equipment in the center of the examination except the center secretary. However, he will use a simple mobile phone set, which cannot be used for photographing or using the internet. SSC and equivalent examinations will begin on February 2. MHK

Jatiya Party’s nomination papers distribution for mayor, councilor and reserved councilor posts in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) election will begin from tomorrow (Sunday). The form distribution activities will continue till Monday (January 28). The information came through a press release sent by Deputy Press Secretary to Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad on Saturday. JP Secretary General Mashiur Rahman Ranga will inaugurate the nomination papers distribution program. The forms will be distributed among the aspirants from 10 am to 5 pm every day. In the press release it was also informed about the health condition of party Chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad who is at present undergoing treatment in Singapore National University Hospital. There it was said that Hussain Muhammad Ershad is doing well at the moment. He is taking his foods and medicines according to the advice of physicians. AH  

The ruling Awami League (AL) will distribute its nomination papers for parliamentary reserved women seats among the aspirants in the 11th Jatiya Sangsad from Tuesday (January 15). The aspirants can collect the nomination papers from Awami League President’s Dhanmondi office after 10 am. The information came through a press release signed by Awami League office secretary Dr. Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP. Earlier on December 30 the eleventh national parliament election was held in 299 constituencies. The Grand Alliance led by Awami League won 288 seats in that election. Jatiya Oikyafront led by BNP got 8 seats. AH