FE Report
The capital city saw no major change in campaigning by the opposition parties on Monday even after deployment of Army personnel ahead of the December 30 general election.
Besides, a series of attacks on opposition candidates and supporters were reported from different parts of the country on the day, according to different media outlets.
It was assumed that campaigning by opposition parties would gather pace after deployment of the military personnel.
But the supporters and campaigners of the BNP-led Jatiya Oikyafront were not found that much active even five days before the general election.
Visiting Dhaka-10, 12 and 13 constituencies on the day, the FE correspondents found only supporters of the ruling alliance's candidates campaigning in different parts of the city as the 11th parliamentary election is nearing fast.
Though the electoral campaigns would be allowed across the country until early hours of December 29, no poster or festoon of the BNP-led Jatiya Oikyafront was noticed on the day.
Md Belal Hossain, a grocer at Rayer Bazar in the city, told the FE that no campaigner of Abdus Salam, the candidate of the Oikyafront in Dhaka-13 constituency, was seen until Monday noon.
He said: "Here you can find only posters, offices, campaigners, supporters and banners of Sadeq Khan, the ruling party candidate".
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be used in the constituency and voters should be instructed by the campaigners and supporters about how to vote, he said.
"But no representative of Abdus Salam was present here", he said.
Dhaka-13 comprises seven wards of the city corporation from 28 to 34 with a total voters of 0.372 million, according to the EC.
Only some posters of Khan Ahsan Habib were seen on the Nizam Plaza premises in the city's Sankar area.
Khan Ahsan Habib is a candidate of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) contesting election with his symbol 'Sickle' in the Dhaka-13 constituency.
Presence of other candidates like Dualal Kanti (BNF), Abdul Hakim (Islami Front) and Kamrul Ahsan (Tarikat Federation) was also not noticed.
When asked, Ahmed Khan Rubel, co-convener of the election campaigning committee of ruling Awami League at Rayer Bazar, told the FE they (opposition candidates) left the voting race sensing their defeats.
When asked, Md Abdus Salam, Oikyafront candidate running for election with his electoral symbol 'sheaf of paddy' in Dhaka-13, told the FE that their campaigners had to play hide and seek with the police.
Most of the supporters and party activists were on the run in the face of false and fabricated cases filed against them ahead of the election, he said.
He also alleged the authorities' inaction despite repeated complaints.
Apart from police harassments, their supporters came under attacks from the ruling party activists, he said.
Almost same were the complaints made by the candidates and supporters of the opposition parties in Dhaka-10 and 12 constituencies on the day.
Dhaka-10 comprises ward nos. 14-18 and 22 of the Dhaka city corporation.
Visiting different link roads and lanes of Dhanmondi, Kolabagan, Hajaribagh and parts of Mohammadpur, the FE found only banners, festoons, pickup vans carrying audio devices used in campaigning for ruling party candidate Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh (MP). His electoral symbol is boat.
Only few posters of Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Abdul Awal contesting election with his symbol 'hand fan' (haat pakha) were seen in the Popular Medical College area of Dhanmondi.
However, no campaign nor poster was noticed of other candidates like Abdul Mannan (Okyofront), K M Samsul Alam (NPP) and Helal Uddin (Jatiya Party).
Abdul Mannan, a two-time lawmaker and Okyafront candidate for Dhaka-10, told the FE that his campaigners, supporters would bring out a big procession Tuesday (today) despite having all odds.
Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saqi popularly known as Zonayed Saqi is a candidate of the Biplabi Workers' Party in Dhaka-12, running for election with his symbol 'Spade.'
He told the FE that his campaign office at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University had been vandalised by ruling party activists.
"Another election camp of mine is at Mogbazar, the owner of the house has been threatened for allowing my office," he said.
The Election Commission (EC) failed to create a level-playing field, he said.
He also said the EC earlier said it lacked necessary manpower to dispose of all the complaints of the candidates but it could now seek the help of the Army to create a congenial atmosphere.
However, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal is contesting election from Dhaka-12. His symbol is boat.
Oikyafront candidate from the area is Juba Dal (youth wing of BNP) president Saiful Alam Nirob.
However, incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the country including Natore, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Jamalpur and Khagrachhari.
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