Voters have also lost interest in local government elections



Zahid Rakib, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Barta 24

Photo: Barta 24

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As in the past few parliamentary elections, the interest of voters in local government elections is also decreasing. Analyzing the results of the two phases of the ongoing Sixth Upazila Parishad, that picture has emerged. In the ongoing local government upazila elections, the first phase of voting was 36.1 percent. And in the second phase, 37.57 percent of votes were cast.

Although the Election Commission (EC) is not satisfied with the voter turnout, they say that it is not their responsibility to bring voters to the centre. Their job is to conduct elections. Several EC commissioners say that there are no restrictions or rules in national or local government elections, what percentage of votes will be accepted. The EC does not even think about them. They are happy with any percentage of votes.

Election experts say that the decline in voter turnout in local government elections like the Jatiyo Sangsad(JS) is alarming. The way the voter turnout is decreasing day by day, it means that people are losing confidence in elections and election system. As the election system of the country has gone to a one-party system, the general public is losing confidence in voting.

Meanwhile, as the voter turnout in the elections is decreasing, the number of unopposed candidates winning in contested local government elections is also increasing. In the first phase of this year's upazila elections, 26 candidates won unopposed. In the second phase, 22 candidates won unopposed.

According to EC sources, before the election, the Election Commission held an exchange meeting in different districts. Meanwhile, several upazila candidates told the commissioners to take initiative to bring the voters to the center. Along with this, it has been asked to take initiatives to ensure that ordinary voters go to the center even if necessary.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal told the media yesterday after the second phase of voting, "I never consider 30 percent voting to be encouraging." One of the major reasons for the low voter turnout could be the country's major political parties boycotting the elections through public announcements. They discouraged people from voting. In a democratic country there can be opposition, the crisis is in politics. If the political crisis is overcome and the politics flows in a healthy stream, the voters will be encouraged to come to the polling station.

In the Fifth upazila election of 2019, several parties including BNP, the main opposition party in the political arena, boycotted the election. The vote was 40.22 percent. In continuation of this, important parties including BNP, Jamaat, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Islamic movement have boycotted the vote. Campaigns and leaflets were also distributed to prevent common people from going to polling stations. Before this, in the Fourth upazila parishad election of 2014, the voter turnout was 61 percent. At that time the main opposition BNP participated in the elections.

Sharmin Murshid, Executive Director of the election monitoring organization Brati, told Barta24.com that a democratic election system has not been established in the 53 years of independence. Also, the common voters have lost faith in those who conduct the elections and those who are in charge of law and order. As a result, many people are disappointed and have lost confidence in voting.

   

The Eid joy of one and a half lakh people is floating in the flood water



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Barta24

Photo: Barta24

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Eid means laughter. Eid means happiness. There is no such smile on the faces of more than one and a half lakh people of Sylhet. Eid-ul-Azha, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated on Monday (June 17). People across the country will celebrate Eid with the glory of sacrifice. But Sylhet has already created a flood situation. Therefore, the joy of Eid is not on the faces of one and a half lakh people of Sylhet.

It is known that flood situation has arisen in the border upazilas of Sylhet due to torrential downpour and continuous rain. Already two rivers Surma and Kushiara are flowing over the danger level at two points. Also in some places the water is close to danger level.

Floods have occurred in 9 out of 13 upazilas of Sylhet. 1 lakh 79 thousand 18 people have been affected by flood in the entire district. Gowainghat upazila has been flooded the most where 1 lakh 14 thousand 600 people of 13 unions of this upazila are affected. The district administration has opened a total of 537 shelters in 13 upazilas of the district. 53 people have taken shelter. Out of this, 43 people have taken shelter in Osmani Nagar and 10 people have taken shelter in Balaganj, the district administration said.

According to the information of the Water Development Board Sylhet office, at 3 pm on Sunday (June 16) at Kanaighat point of Surma river, 92 cm of water was flowing over the boundary line. At Fenchuganj Point of Kushiara River, water is flowing above 63 cm of the flood limit and at Saraighat Point of Sari River in Gowainghat, 24 cm. Also the water is close to the danger zone at various points.

In a notice signed by Md. Omar Farooq, meteorologist of the Meteorological Department, Sylhet has warned of heavy rainfall in the next 72 hours from 6 pm on June 16.

Meanwhile, the Salutikar-Gowainghat road has been submerged in flood water due to continuous rains and landslides for several days. Flood water is flowing in several places on the Gowainghat-Saraighat and Salutikar-Gowainghat roads of the upazila. Moreover, various areas in Kanaighat upazila have been inundated with flood water. Knee-deep water can also be seen in the bazaars.

Newly, water entered the higher and lower areas in 9 unions of Kanaighat upazila. Upazila administration officials have already visited those areas and miking is being done to quickly locate shelters in high-risk prone areas.

Sylhet district administration and Sylhet City Corporation sources said that there are preparations to deal with the flood situation. Shelters have been kept ready in district administration and city corporation areas. Besides, boats are also ready for rescue work in each upazila. Arrangements have also been made to organize special meals in the shelters in case of flood situations during Eid. Apart from this, arrangements have been made for relief assistance in flood situations.

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Orders to be proactive in dealing with the situation at the Myanmar border



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Cox’s Bazar
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui on Friday (June 15) visited the southeastern border of the country including St. Martin Island to monitor the Bangladesh-Myanmar border situation. Meanwhile, he ordered the BGB members to be always active to deal with any situation arising on the border of Myanmar.

On Sunday (June 16) at 10 o'clock in the morning, the public relations officer of the BGB headquarters said Shariful Islam informed the matter.

In view of the recent clash between the Myanmar Army and the armed rebel group Arakan Army in the Mangadu area bordering the Arakan State of Myanmar, a visit to St. Martin Island BOP under BGB Director General Teknaf Battalion (2 BGB) to monitor the border situation arising as Bangladesh's Teknaf and St. Martin Island border is located opposite the Maungdaw border. He inspected BOP's defense system and visited various installations under construction in St. Martin Island.

During the visit, the Director General of BGB gave various instructions on operational, training and administrative matters for the security of the country's sovereignty and border to all levels of BGB members responsible for the border.

The Director General of BGB expressed his sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone for carrying out their duties with efficiency and success in spite of various adversities in this remote island.

At the same time, he ordered the BGB members to be always active to deal with any situation arising on the border of Myanmar.

Besides, Director General of BGB visited Ramu Sector Headquarters, Battalion Headquarters of Ramu Battalion (30 BGB) and subordinate Morichya Joint Checkpost.

During the visit BGB Director General along with senior officials of BGB Headquarters, Cox's Bazar Region Commander, Ramu Sector Commander and other officers of BGB were present.

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Govt. keeping strict vigil on Myanmar border: Quader



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Barta24

Photo: Barta24

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Bangladesh has never bowed down to anyone. Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the government is keeping a strict vigil on the Myanmar border.

He said these things at a press conference at the Awami League president's political office in Dhanmondi on Sunday (June 16) in the capital.

Commenting on BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's irresponsible statement about the St. Martin situation, Obaidul Quader said that he has no idea about the situation.

General Secretary of Awami League said that the shooting incident in Saint Martin was done by the Arakan Army. Myanmar's state forces did not.

Quader said that food ships are regularly traveling to St. Martin, we want to solve the problem through discussion. There is no need for Bangladesh to go to war with Myanmar. St. Martin's occupation is not true, these rumors are being spread.

He said, we have never bowed down to anyone and will never do so. A few days ago, members of the Myanmar Border Guard took refuge in Bangladesh. They have been returned. Bangladesh is closely monitoring the Myanmar border, we are on high alert.

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Benazir Ahmed resigned from the ‘Boat Club’



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com Dhaka:
photo: collected

photo: collected

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Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed has resigned from the post of Savar Boat Club President. On June 13, he left this post by sending a letter to the club's advisor, Rubel Aziz.

Boat Club executive committee member businessman Nasir U Mahmood confirmed the matter to the media.

Nasir said that Benazir Ahmed, who is in charge of the president of the boat club, wrote to the advisor of the club, Rubel Aziz, that he is out of the country with his family on urgent work. Due to which he is not able to perform the duties of the president of the club.

Nasir said that after the resignation of Benazir Ahmed, Rubel Aziz has been given the responsibility of acting president.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was probing the assets of former IGP Benazir Ahmed and his family. Meanwhile, he and his family left the country on May 4. Benazir was IGP from April 2020 to September 2022 and Director General of RAB from January 2015 to April 2020. He also served as Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for a long time.

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