Article:
Bangladesh has witnessed the beginning of a new chapter in its democratic history as the 13th parliamentary elections have taken place. According to unofficial and unverified results, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies have secured 10 seats, while the Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies have won 1 seat.
The elections have seen a tough competition between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, with the Nationalist Citizen’s Party (NCP) also joining the fray as an ally of Jamaat-e-Islami. The elections were held in the absence of Awami League’s candidates, who were barred from participating due to the restrictions imposed by the government.
Addressing the media on social networking site X, Shafiq Rahman, the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, alleged that attempts were made to rig the elections in various parts of the country. Tarique Rahman, the leader of BNP, stated that maintaining peace was their top priority, so that the people could feel safe. He also emphasized the importance of focusing on women’s issues, given that half of the country’s population is female.
Shafiq Rahman said that the elections were a crucial turning point for the country and that the results would depend on the free and fair voting process. Nahid Islam, the Convenor of NCP, claimed that she had voted for the first time in her life without any hassle.
In the Debibazar region of Cumilla, Hassanat Abdullah, the Chief Organizer of NCP and 11 party candidates, are leading in four polling stations. The Election Inquiry and Judicial Committee has summoned the candidate of Awami League, Manzoor Ahesan Mani, for trying to bribe voters.
According to unofficial and unverified results, Hassanat Abdullah received 3,084 votes in his native polling station, Gopal Nagar, while his rival, Muhammad A Jassimuddin, who was supported by BNP, received no votes. In Ward 7 of the Municipal Center, Hassanat received 1,383 votes, while Jassimuddin received only 480 votes.
BNP Media Cell member Shiral Kabir Khan said that Tarique Rahman’s victory was evident from the unofficial results. In addition to the national elections, a national referendum was also held in Bangladesh. According to the results, 62% of voters have voted in favor of reforms.
In other news, Saudi Arabia has made new appointments, including new ministers and a public prosecutor, while several senior officials have been sacked. The United Arab Emirates has banned soft drinks, chocolates, and potato chips in schools, warning students to be cautious of fake job advertisements.
Iran has made it clear that it will not compromise on its ballistic missile program, regardless of the pressure from the US. In a separate incident, a man in India killed his parents in a domestic dispute. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a fine on Mohammad Nabi for violating the ICC Code of Conduct.
In another development, the UAE has banned soft drinks, chocolates, and potato chips in schools, while Saudi Arabia has made new appointments and sacked several senior officials. In a separate incident, senior Indian singer Aditya Narayan is facing new charges in a year-old case, with his first wife alleging that he had removed her uterus without her consent. Aditya Narayan has been facing a court case for nearly a year, with his first wife Rujana Jha seeking a non-maintenance order.
