President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and valiant freedom fighter Ayesha Khanam passed away. The on duty physicians of BRB Hospital declared her dead in the early morning of Saturday when she was brought there. Mahila Parishad general secretary Maleka Banu said, Ayesha Khanam was sick. He condition deteriorated last night. When she was taken to the hospital the physicians declared her dead. In a message sent to the media it was said that her dead body will be buried at her family graveyard in Netrokona district after holding Asr prayer. AH  

The fifth and final phase of the upazila parishad election is set to be held in 23 upazilas in different districts on Tuesday. The balloting will begin at 9am and continue till 5pm without any break. The 23 upazilas include Nakla in Sherpur district, Naldanga in Natore, Kamarkhand in Sirajganj, Sundarganj in Gaibandha, Rangabali in Patuakhali, Taltali in Barguna, Gazipur Sadar, Narayanganj Bandar, Madaripur Sadar, Kalukhali in Rajbari, Shayestaganj in Habiganj, Bancharampur and Bijoynagar in Brahmanbaria, Cumilla Adarsha Sadar, Cumilla Sadar Dakkhin, Noakhali Sadar, Pabna Sadar, Purbadhala in Netrakona, Jamalganj Sadar, Katiadi in Kishoreganj, Mathbaria in Pirojpur and Chhagalnaiya in Feni. Earlier, elections to 463 upazila parishads out of the country’s 491 were held in the first four phases held on March 10, 18, 24 and 31 respectively. The Election Commission has taken all necessary preparations for holding the election in a peaceful manner. The government has announced holiday in 23 upazilas for Tuesday. Source: UNB AH

The 5th Upazila Parishad elections will begin in the country tomorrow (Sunday) with balloting in 80 upazilas in 12 districts under four divisions in the first phase. The polling will take place from 8 am to 4 pm without any break. “All preparations have been completed for holding the elections in a peaceful manner. All kinds of directives have been given to the officials concerned for holding the elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner. No irregularities will be tolerated during this election,” Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. Reports BSS. Besides, general holiday has been announced for Sunday in the respective upazilas on the occasion of the election. Electioneering has ended on Friday midnight while huge enthusiasm has been noticed among the voters centering this poll as the election is being held with party symbols. Restrictions on vehicular movements have been imposed in the electoral areas while additional law enforcement agencies have been deployed for five days, including two days before and two days after the election along with the voting day. On the polling day, 14 members of law enforcement agency will be deployed in every general polling centre while 16 will be deployed in the risky polling centers. Although the EC declared election schedule for 87 upazilas in the first phase, polls will be held in 80 upazilas. The EC postponed elections in three upazilas – Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat, Purbadhola in Netrokona and Jamalganj in Sunamganj districts – on Friday. Besides, elections will not be held in three upazials – Molahando and Madarganj upazilas of Jamalpur district and Natore Sadar – as all candidates in the upazilas have been elected unopposed. The court, however, has postponed the elections in Paba upazila of Rajshahi district. In the first phase of the upazila parishad elections, a total of 29 candidates, including 16 chairmen, six vice-chairmen and seven women vice-chairmen, so far have been elected unopposed. About 894 aspirants, including 273 for chairman, 406 for vice-chairman and 273 for women vice-chairman posts, are contesting in the first phase polls. About 1.53 crore voters will exercise their franchise tomorrow at 39, 159 polling booths in 6,219 polling centers in 80 upazilas. In the first phase, the elections will be held in five upazilas of Panchagarh district, six in Nilphamari, four in Lalmonirhat, nine in Kurigram, five in Jamalpur, eight in Netrokona, 10 in Sunamganj, eight in Habiganj, eight in Sirajganj, five in Jaypurhat, five in Natore and eight in Rajshahi districts. The upazilas are: Panchagarh Sadar, Atwari, Boda, Debiganj and Tetulia under Panchagarh district, Nilphamari Sadar, Domar, Dimla, Jaldhaka, Saidpur and Kishoreganj under Nilphamari district, Lalmonirhat Sadar, Patgram, Hatibandha and Kaliganj under Lalmonirhat district, Kurigram Sadar, Bhurungamari, Phulbari, Ulipur, Nageshwari, Rajarhat, Rajibpur, Chilmari and Raomari under Kurigram district. Jamalpur Sadar, Baksiganj, Dewanganj, Islampur and Sarishabari upazilas under Jamalpur district, Netrokona Sadar, Barhatta, Durgapur, Kalmakanda, Kendua, Khaliajuri, Madan and Mohanganj upazilas under Netrokona district, Sunamganj Sadar, Derai, Bishwamvarpur, Chhatak, Dakshin Sunamganj, Dharamapasha, Dowarabazar, Sullah, and Tahirpur upazilas under Sunamganj district, Habiganj Sadar, Bahubal, Madhabpur, Chunarughat, Lakhai, Nabiganj, Ajmiriganj and Baniachong upazilas under Habiganj district. Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi, Chauhali, Kazipur, Raiganj, Shahjadpur, Tarash and Ullahpara upazilas under Sirajganj district, Joypurhat Sadar, Akkelpur, Kalai, Khetlal and Panchbibi upazilas under Joypurhat district, Bagatipara, Baraigram, Gurudaspur, Lalpur and Singra upazilas under Natore district, Tanore, Godagari, Mohanpur, Bagmara, Puthia, Durgapur, Charghat and Bagha upazilas under Rajshahi district. As per the election schedule, elections will be held in 129 upazilas on March 18 in the second phase and in 127 upazilas on March 24 in the third phase. Besides, the fourth and fifth phases of the Upazila Parishad elections will be held on March 31 and July 18 respectively. AH

The ruling Awami League announced the names of its candidates who will take part in the first phase of the upcoming upazila parishad elections for the chairman post. Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader announced the names of the party’s candidates at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office in the capital on Saturday. Reports BSS. The first phase of the upcoming upazila parishad elections will be held in 87 upazilas under four divisions on March 10, 2019. AL candidates in Rangpur Division are: Md Amirul Islam (Panchagarh sadar), Kazi Mahmudur Rahman (Tetulia), Hasnat Zaman Chowdhury Joj (Debiganj), Md Faruq Alam (Boda), Towhidul Islam (Atwari), Shahid Mahmud (Nilphamari Sadar), Tofail Ahmed (Domar), Tobibul Islam (Dimla) Mukhlesul Momin (Saidpur), Zakir Hossain Bablu (Kishoreganj), Ansar Ali Minto (Jaldhaka), Nazrul Haque Partwari (Lalmonirhat Sadar), Md Ruhul Amin Bablu (Patgram), Md Liakat Hossain (Hatibandha), Md Rafiqul Alam (Aditmari), Mahbubuzaman (Kaliganj), Aman Uddin Ahmed (Kurigram Sadar), Mustafa Zaman (Nageshwari), Golam Hussain Minto (Ulipur), Shawkat Ali Sarkar (Chilmari), Md Mujibur Rahman (Rowmari), Nurunnabi Chowdhury (Bhurungamari), Abu Nur Mohammad Akhteruzzaman (Rajarhat), Ataur Rahman (Phulbari) and Md Shafiul Alam (Char Rajibpur). The candidates in Rajshahi Division are: SM Solaiman Ali (Joypurhat Sadar), Monirul Islam Mondal (Panchbibi), Abdus Salam Akand (Akkelpur), Md Minfuzur Rahaman (Kalai), Md Mustakim Mondal (Khetlal), Mansur Rahman (Paba upazila), Lutfar Haider Rashid (Tanore), GM Hero Bachhu (Pu?hia), Md Nazrul Islam (Durgapur), Md Layeb Uddin (Bagha), Jahangir Alam (Godagari), Fakhrul Islam (Charhat), Abdus Salam (Mohanpur), Anil Kumar Sarkar (Bagmara), Shariful Islam Ramzan (Natore Sadar), Jahidul Islam (Gurudaspur), Shikandar Rahman (Bagatipara), Shafiqul Islam (Singra), Siddiqur Rahman Patwari (Baraigram), Md Ishaq Ali (Lalpur), Md Reaz Uddin (Sirajganj sadar), Md Faruq Hossain (Chauhali), Khalilur Rahman Siraji (Kazipur), Imrul Hossain Thang (Raiganj), Md Shariful Islam (Ullapara), Md Azad Rahman (Shahjadpur), Md Ali Akhand (Belkuchi) and Sanjit Kumar Karmakar (Talash). AL candidates got nominations in Mymensingh Division are: Mohammad Abul Hossain (Jamalpur Sadar), AKM Saiful Islam (Baksiganj), Abul Kalam Azad (Dewanganj), Md Kamruzzaman (Melandaha), Obaidur Rahman Belal (Madarganj), Gias Uddin Patan (Sarishabari), SM Jamal Abdul Naser (Islampur), Tafsir Uddin Khan (Netrakona Sadar), Golam Kibra Jabbar (Khaliajuri), Emdadul Haque Khan (Durgapur), Shahid Iqbal (Mohanganj), Golam Rasul Talukder (Barhatta), Abdul Khaleque (Kalmakanda), Habibur Rahman (Madan), Jahidul Islam Sujan (Purbadhala) and Nurul Islam (Kendua). In Sylhet Division candidates are: Moshiur Rahman Shamim (Habiganj Sadar), Alamgir Chowdhury (Nabiganj), Mushfiul Alam Azad (Lakhai), Md Abdul Hye (Bahubal), Atiqur Rahman (Madabpur), Abdul Quadir Laskar (Chunarughat), Murtaza hasan (Ajmiriganj), Abdul Kasem Chowdhury (Baniachang), Kharul Huda (Sunamganj Sadar), Yusuf Ali Azad (Jamalganj), Chowdhury Abdul Al Mahmud (Sullah), Rafiqul Islam Talukder (Bishwamvarpur), Shamim Ahmed Murad (Dharamapasha), Fazlur Rahman (Chhatak), Abdur Rahim (Dowarabazar), Pradeep Roy (Derai), Karuna Shindu Chowdhury Bablu (Tahirpur) and Md Abul Kalam (Dakshin Sunamganj). AH