1,840 EVM, ballot papers reach in Chattogram

Chattogram Bureau :
A total of 1,840 Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) reached yesterday and postal ballot papers reached Chattogram.
All kinds of electoral materials including 1,840 EVM for Chattogram-9 constituency containing four covered vans reached in Chattogram at 7 am today and three concerns assistant Election officer of Chattogram received these equipments, Mozzammel Hoque, assistant Election Commission officer of Chattogram told ,media.
Meanwhile, the ballots for other 15 constituencies sent by Govt printing press, BG Press and Security Printing Press, Dhaka also reached in the meantime., District Election Commission officer Munir Hossain Khan said. One set EVM consists of one control unit, one ballot unit, one display unit will be installed in each vote centre and one EVM will be kept reserved in each polling centre, executive Magistrate Enamul Hasan of Divisional Commissioner office told .
Another reports says : Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and the postal ballot papers are expected to reach Chattogram Election office on Thursday respectively.
 The sources said the EVM and other related papers will be sent from Election Bhaban of Dhaka in the meantime. One set EVM consists of one control unit, one ballot unit, one display unit will be installed in each vote centre and one EVM will be kept reserved in each polling centre, District Election Commission officer Munir Hossain Khan said. EC office will supply two EVMs for each centre from Dhaka, he added.
 According to 920 polling centre in Chattogram-9 constituency, EC Bhaban will supply 1,840 EVM to Chattogram for one constituency which will reach here tomorrow.
 Deputy Director of National ID Registration Department of EC Md Mosharaf Hossain sent a official letter to Returning officer and Divisional Commissioner Abdul Mannan for sending a representative to Dhaka to receive EVM.
 Accordingly, Returning officer named three assistant Election officers of Chattogram to receive these equipments.Meanwhile govt printing press, BG Press and Security Printing Press, Dhaka will deliver ballot papers for Chattogram on the next day (Thursday).
 Besides, Assistant Secretary of Election commissioner secretariat has requested the Returning officer to send officer not below the rank of Asstt. Election officer to Dhaka along with necessary security forces to receive these ballot papers from the respective printing presses.
 Chattogram Regional Election officer Md Hasanuzzaman told that the EVM machines will reach Chattogram tomorrow subject to gridlock in Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
 It is mentionable that the number of voters in Kotwali constituency is 9 lakh 90 thousand 432, polling centers 144 and polling booths 920 .In this constituency, 151 presiding officers, 955 assistant presiding officers and 1932 polling officers will be deployed, the sources added.

IF, BNP candidates hurt in Fatikchhari

In mass contact propgram of Islami Front candidate Syed Shaifuddin Ahmad al Maizbandari in 11 th parliament election , a group of unruly youths swooped on them and vandalized the motorcades of the candidate.
The incident occurred in front Fatickhari bus station areas a nd Munira community centre premises on Tuesday.
The ruling party supporters vandalised CNG taxis and 4 private cars joined in the election campaign also ransacked. Immediate after attack a protest meeting arranged infront of Bus station of Fatikchari , sources said. Meanwhile
 BNP candidate for Chattogram-2 constituency Colonel (retd) Azim Ullah Bahar and 19 of his supporters were injured as Awami League men allegedly attacked a procession in favor of ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ in Fatikchhari upazila on Sunday.
 Mohammad Ibrahim, personal assistant of the BNP contestant, claimed that the followers of AL leader Taiyab swooped on Bahar and his activists around 1 pm when they brought out a procession at Muhammad Takirhat Bazar. The attack left at least 20 BNP men, including Bahar and former judge Faisal Mahmud Fayezi, injured, he said.
Babul Akter, officer-in-charge of Fatikchhari Police Station, said a group of miscreants attacked the activists of Bahar while electioneering, leaving 10-12 people injured.

Plough will win in Banskhali: Mahmudul

Jatiya Party’s leader Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury has said that boat will not be able to sail in Bashkhali under Chittagong district. He has urged the people of Bashkhali to vote for plough to make Jatiya Party win from this constituency.
Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury made this remark on Saturday at Chittagong Press Club. He called the press conference protesting the attack on him on Friday at Chambal Bazar area in Bashkhali.
Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury alleged that the local union parishad chairman Mujibul Haque and boat candidate Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury led the attack in which 30-35 Jatiya Party supporters and activists were injured. Chowdhury said that historically Bashkhali has been always against boat and Awami League. Even Awami League candidate did not win from Bashkhali in the elections in 1970 and 2008. Jatiya Party is very popular among the residents of Bashkhali, Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury further said.
 There is a mass uprising in favor of Jatiya Party in Bashkhali, he claimed. Current Member of Parliament Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury is Awami League’s and Grand Alliance candidate from Chittagong 16 (Bashkhali). Jafrul Islam Chowdhury is Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) candidate from Bashkhali. Jamaat leader Mohammad Jahirul Islam is also contesting as an independent candidate from this seat.

Polling officers to tackle unfair , indiscipline in polling centers: EC

Election Commission has taken a pregmatic steps to run the coming 11th parliamentary polls scheduled to be held on December 30 next in a free, fair and peaceful environment .
The training of 35 thousand polling officers and asstt polling officers are undergoing across the country through their respective local and district administration . In the trainings to election officials, a n umber of directives towards conducting the election aimed at to flourish their mental forces during dischargning the duties as polling officer. A s enior official of Chattogram district election office told the that they conducting training to th eir officials to run the election but all of them will not be sent to polling centres . The EC officer said mere a phone call of a polling officer , any sorts of indiscipline and nuisances in the polling centres will be resolved immediately and emergency number of mobile phone will be handed to the polling officer with emergency numbers of the law enforcers etc. The said EC officer said about 34 thousand election officers will be deployed in Chattogram district to caste votes of 56 lakh 41 thousand and 416 voters. The voters of the 16 constituencies will caste their votes in 1,899 polling centres with 10,707 pollinng booths of 16 consituencies. The numbers of polling officer and asstt. polling officers are 1,899 and 10,707 respectively . In total a number of 34,020 will be deployed during the vote day in Chattogram constituencies.
Concerned officer of the EC urges the election officer to conduct casting of vote in disciplined manner without any partiality and any thing found unfair in the polling centres to apprised the matter to the controlling administration instantly with a mobile call. He further told soon after receipt of mobile from polling centres, patrolling law enforcers and magistrates on duty will rush to that respect centre within 5 minutes .
He said overall , Election Commission is trying to hold a presentable fair , f ree and peaceful election of 11 th Parliamentary polls and asked the all election related officials to conduct the election in respective centre with courageous and festivity mood.