Delimitation of Constituencies: Brawl, protests mark EC hearing

A scuffle broke out on the first day of the hearings on constituency delimitation inside the Election Commission office in Dhaka yesterday while protests were held in several districts.

Supporters of BNP leaders Rumeen Farhana and Khaled Mahbub Hossain Shyamal locked horns inside the hearing room within 15 minutes of the session's start.

Md Ataullah, joint chief organiser (southern region) of the National Citizen Party (NCP), alleged that he was assaulted by BNP men during the scuffle that happened in presence of Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin and other commissioners.

The dispute centred the redrawing of Brahmanbaria-2 and -3 constituencies. Under the EC's draft, three unions of Bijoynagar upazila -- Budhanti, Chandura and Harashpur -- would be under Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail–Ashuganj) instead of the current Brahmanbaria-3 (Sadar–Bijoynagar) constituency.

Rumeen, BNP's assistant international affairs secretary, supports the move.

Speaking to reporters about the scuffle, she alleged that Khaled, president of the party's Brahmanbaria district unit, brought 20–25 people who "behaved like thugs".

"They almost pushed me to the ground. If I am pushed, a push in return is inevitable," she said.

"For 15 years I have fought for the leaders and activists of the BNP. And today, they [some BNP men] pushed me," she said.

NCP's Ataullah, however, claimed that he and other NCP leaders and activists were attacked by Rumeen and her followers.

Photo: Ahmed Deepto

Rumeen dismissed the allegation, saying Ataullah was an unfamiliar face who had pushed her first. "I don't know whether he is from NCP or Jamaat. At first, he pushed me. Then, of course, my people would not just sit idle. They also responded," she said.

Later in the afternoon, Hasnat Abdullah, NCP's chief organiser for the southern region, accused the EC of acting as a "party office" for a few political groups.

He alleged that the commission has been "shamelessly favouring a particular party" and acting to "implement that party's agenda", which he described as the main barrier to holding free and fair elections.

"If the commissioners feel that they cannot run this commission, then make it clear to the people. We have already seen the Nurul Huda commission in the recent past. We have also seen the consequences," he said.

Meanwhile, BNP activists demonstrated in Bagerhat, Jashore and Savar against the draft delimitation.

Jamaat men joined protests alongside BNP and others in Bagerhat.

Protesters from different constituencies demonstrated in front of the EC office in the capital as well.

Hundreds of residents of Savar's Birulia and Bongaon unions blocked the Dhaka-bound lane of the Dhaka-Aricha highway for half an hour until around 1:00pm, protesting the proposal to detach the two unions from Dhaka-19 and merge them with Dhaka-2 (originally Keraniganj) .

They said the move would divide a constituency of more than seven lakh voters under seven union councils and a municipality.

Protests were also held by BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and other parties under the banner of Shorbodolio Shommilito Committee at over 10 key points in Bagerhat, paralysing traffic.

BNP leaders there demanded that the number of constituencies in the district not be reduced from four to three. MA Salam, president of BNP's Bagerhat district unit, said, "If the four constituencies are not reinstated, no election will be allowed in this district."

Photo: Ahmed Deepto

In Keshabpur of Jashore, BNP, led by its upazila President Abul Hossain Azad, laid siege to the district election officer's office around 11:00am, demanding that the existing constituency boundaries, including Jashore-6 (Keshabpur), remain unchanged.

In Brahmanbaria, BNP and NCP held separate protest programmes over the scuffle. 

Rumeen's supporters blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in the Shahbajpur area of Sarail upazila for over one hour from 6:00pm. They placed tree trunks and set fire to tires on the highway. This led to severe traffic congestion on both sides of the highway.

Local BNP leader Anwar Hossain said they took part in the demonstration in protest against the "attack" on Rumeen in Dhaka.

NCP activists held a rally in front of Brahmanbaria Press Club in protest against the assault on Ataullah. They demanded trial of Rumeen and resignation of the CEC.

Yesterday's hearings at the EC also covered Brahmanbaria-5; Cumilla-1, -2, -6, -9, -10, -11; Noakhali-1, -2, -4, -5; Chandpur-2, -3; Feni-3; and Lakshmipur-2, -3. The hearings will continue until Wednesday.

The EC received 1,760 objections across 83 constituencies by August 10. It will complete hearings by August 27 before publishing the final map.

[Our correspondents in respective districts contributed to this report]