State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam urged not to apply the US new visa policy arbitrarily.

He said, Dhaka is considering Washington's announcement in the context of the government's unequivocal commitment to hold free and fair elections at all levels with the aim of upholding the country's democratic process. However, Bangladesh hopes that this visa policy will be followed objectively rather than applied arbitrarily.

He said this in a response to the new visa policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday (May 25).

During a press briefing, the state minister described the individual visa policy for Bangladesh under the 3C provision of the US Immigration and Nationality Act announced by the US Secretary of State on Wednesday night as the 'so-called 3C provision'. However, he explained it in the question and answer session. He said, since 2021, the United States has been applying that provision to various countries. It was applied in Bangladesh after Nigeria and Somalia, hence it is called 'so-called'. Neither welcoming nor rejecting that policy, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs hopes it will not be abused.

He said, the attention of the Bangladesh government has been drawn to the US government's visa policy announcement. Bangladesh is considering the US announcement in the context of the government's unequivocal commitment to hold free and fair elections at all levels to uphold the country's democratic process. However, Bangladesh hopes that this visa policy will be followed objectively rather than applied arbitrarily.

Bangladesh has been established as a democratic and politically stable state under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through the experience of various national and local level elections.

According to the schedule announced for the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad(JS) elections, the deadline for filing nominations was fixed till November 30. It has already crossed that time. Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam said that there is no time and opportunity to extend this deadline.

He said this at a press conference at Agargaon election building media center on Thursday (November 30) afternoon.

EC Secretary said, you are already informed; the pre-fixed date of November 30 was the last day for submission of nomination papers. The deadline for submission of nomination papers is 4 pm. The Election Commission thinks that this period will not be extended. As a result, the deadline for submission of nomination papers has ended today as per the announced schedule.

Then, in response to the question of the journalists, what election is being held without BNP, he said, you understand it.

He further said that the candidates have submitted their nomination papers to the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officer. We will be able to tell tomorrow Friday (December 1) how many parties are participating in which seat, total number of candidates.

He said that the senior secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs had met him regarding the observance of the code of conduct. In particular, the IGP informed the overall issue. He said that the law and order situation is under control. The Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration has come to know whether there is any instruction or not. Later take action accordingly.

Besides, some candidates have been summoned by our election inquiry committee for violating the code of conduct at some places. Also Executive Magistrates are also working through Returning Officers. They continued their activities.

Several parties have not yet submitted their nomination papers. In response to the question that the time has already expired - is there any other opportunity, the EC Secretary further said that there is no opportunity to extend this limit as the deadline has passed.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the polling for the 12th parliamentary election will be held on January 7. According to EC data, 26 registered political parties have responded to the Election Commission regarding participation so far. According to EC information, 18 parties including BNP have not given any letter to the commission to participate in the elections. The total number of political parties registered by the Election Commission is 44.

The court has dismissed the case against eight people including Awami League leaders of Banshkhali and Maheshkhali upazilas for threatening to kill US Ambassador Peter De Haas.

Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate-4 on Wednesday (November 29) afternoon MD. Salauddin's court passed this order. Earlier in the morning, the case was filed by the former vice-president of Central Chhatra Dal MA Hashem Raju. In the statement of the case, he identified himself as the president of the Bangladesh chapter of the International Commission on Human Rights.

Court bench assistant Tariqul Islam confirmed the dismissal of the case.

He said that a person named MA Hashem Raju applied to take a case against eight people for threatening to kill US Ambassador Peter de Haas. The court recorded his statement. Later the court ordered the dismissal of the case 

Plaintiff MA Hashem Raju claimed in the statement of the case that Mujibul Haque Chowdhury, Chairman of Chambal Union of Banshkhali Upazila and Faridul Alam, Vice President of Maheshkhali Upazila of Cox's Bazar, gave a speech threatening to kill US Ambassador Peter Haas on November 6.

The video footage of their speech went viral on social media. In view of this, the case has been filed. On November 15, MA Hashem Raju filed a petition against seven people including Chambal Union Parishad Chairman Mujibul Haque Chowdhury for threatening to kill US Ambassador Peter Haas. Later, the CMM Court of Dhaka ordered to dismiss the application to take the case that day.

The accused in this case were Mujibul Haque Chowdhury, chairman of Chambal Union Parishad of Banshkhali and convenor of Union Awami League, Faridul Alam, vice president of Upazila Awami League of Maheshkhali, members of Chambal Union Parishad Iftekhar Uddin Babu, Sajjad, Ehchan, Farhad, Nashir and Saiful.

The European Union wants to see the national parliament election democratically, participatory and acceptable.

EU Ambassador to Dhaka Charles Whiteley said this to reporters after a meeting with the EC at Agargaon election building in the capital on Tuesday (November 29) afternoon.

European Union Ambassador Charles Whiteley said that the European Union wants to see an acceptable election in the democratic process in Bangladesh. In this context, we are talking with the Election Commission. But not only the European Union but the whole world is in favor of fair elections.

He also said that we have discussed many issues including elections with the Election Commission. We are interested in the election situation in Bangladesh. That is why there were talks and questions on various issues. The European Union wants to see acceptable elections in the democratic process in Bangladesh. The whole world may want to see a fair election.

In the meeting, EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley is in a delegation of ten members - Deputy Head of the European Union Embassy Burned Spanier, Political Officer Sebastian Regar Brown, Swedish Ambassador Mrs. Alexandra Berg von Linde, Spanish Ambassador Francisco de Assejitz Cellus, Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro, Netherlands Ambassador Mrs. Erma Van, Denmark Christian Briks Molar , Deputy Chief of French embassy Gilium Audrin Carldril, Deputy Ambassador of the German Embassy, Jan Janowski.

Earlier on April 18, EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley held a meeting with the CEC at Agargaon Election building.

The European Union has already announced that it will send a five-member observation team, including two technical experts, to the 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections.

According to the announced schedule of the 12th Parliament election, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is 30 November tomorrow, selection of nomination papers is from 1 to 4 December, appeals against the decision of the Returning Officer are filed and disposed of in the Commission from 5 to 15 December, and the deadline for withdrawal of candidature is 17 December. The returning officers will allot the symbols on December 18. The election campaign will continue till 8 am on January 5. And the polling will be on January 7 (Sunday).

In this year's national parliament election, the total number of voters across the country is 11 crore 96 lakh 91 thousand 633 people. The Election Commission (EC) released the final voter count for the parliamentary elections on November 2. According to the information provided by the EC, 6 crore 7 lakh 71 thousand 579 of the total voters are male voters while 5 crore 89 lakh 19 thousand 202 are women voters. And the number of Hijra voters is 852.

Chardighaldi and Alokbali Unions are located in remote Char area of Narsingdi Sadar Upazila. The two Unions are quite isolated from the town. Not only that, the only means of transportation between these two unions is by river. Teachers have to suffer the most in commuting to these two unions. The boat starts its journey from Narsingdi town at 9 am and reaches the destination in more than 1 hour. On the other hand, teaching in educational institutions starts at 9:30 am. Besides, the last boat is at 2 pm on the way back in the afternoon. As a result, even though the school is up to 4:30, the teachers have to leave two hours earlier.

There are 9 government primary and one secondary schools in Alokbali Union. Only government primary schools have 34 teachers. Most of whom are regular commuters from the city. Besides, there are 7 government primary schools and one secondary school in Chardighaldi Union. Among them, there are only 28 government primary school teachers. Most of whom commute from Narsingdi. Teachers have to go to school much later than the scheduled time as they do not get their boats on time. By this, students are deprived of teaching.

When the matter came up in the regular monthly coordination meeting of Narsingdi Sadar Upazila Parishad, the proposal to provide boats for the teachers was accepted as per the decision of the Parishad.

Realizing the matter, Sadar Upazila Parishad built two boats at a cost of about Tk. 18 lakh. Two boats will regularly travel with teachers to Alokbali and Chardighaldi.

Upazila Parishad has provided two boats to solve the problem of boating for teachers. This will ensure the presence of primary and secondary school teachers in Char area and will bring back a fair environment for education. It was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Badiul Alam at Panchabati Meghna Ghat of Char Karimpur on Tuesday afternoon. At the short discussion meeting chaired by Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Asma Sultana Nasreen, Upazila Chairman Aftab Uddin Bhuiyan, Deputy Director of Local Government Moushumi Sarkar, former professor of Narsingdi Government College Mohammad Ali. The guests distributed bicycles among the village policemen.

At this time, the Deputy Commissioner Dr. Badiul Alam said, transportation is a big problem for the people of Char area. Thinking in that direction, the parishad has given the teachers respect and save their time. Hopefully these two boats will be put to good use and the teachers will benefit.

Narsingdi Sadar Upazila Primary Education Officer Rafiqul Islam said that these two unions are remote grazing areas due to which going to school has been a problem for a long time. Due to non-availability of regular and timely boats, commuting to school was also a problem. Thanks to Sadar Upazila Parishad for giving two boats.

Teacher Zainal Abdin said, I have been working in a secondary school in Alokbali for a long time. My house is in Narsingdi town. I live here with my family. Boats depart from the town at 9 am. It takes about one to one and a half hours. And on the way back, the boat was caught at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. You have to leave the institution before 2 pm to board this boat. So now everything is saved.

Alokbali UP Chairman Delwar Hossain Dipu said that the teachers faced severe hardship as the only boat to reach the area. Due to this, school students had to be deprived of real education. Now we are grateful to the Deputy Commissioner for helping us with two boats. Hope to be saved from this suffering.