Three people were shot dead reportedly by members of a law enforcement agency during a clash over elections at Khangaon union in Pirganj Upazila of Thakurgaon district on Sunday night and early Monday.

Jahangir Hossain, Superintendent of Police of Thakurgaon, said, “As officials of the local administration were confined to a polling center, a BGB team went there to rescue them. They had to open fire at one point to bring the situation under control. The three might have died in BGB firing. However, we need further investigation to be sure about it.”

Jahangir Alam, officer-in-charge of Pirganj Police Station, said one of the three deceased died on the spot while two others succumbed to their wounds at Sadar Hospital.

Two of the injured are undergoing treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital and Thakurgaon Adhunik Sadar Hospital.

The deceased were identified as Aditya, 18, Mojaharul Islam, 35, and Hossain, 26.

Police said Nuruzzaman, an independent candidate, and his supporters confined the officials of the administration, including the presiding officer, to Ghidob Primary School when the vote count ended around 8:00 pm.

When Haripur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Abdul Karim reached the spot along with a BGB team, the candidate’s supporters attacked them and vandalized the vehicle.

After nearly two hours, BGB men opened fire to bring the situation under control, leaving one dead on the spot and four others injured, said the OC.

The injured were sent to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital where two others succumbed to their injuries.

With the death toll in Thakurgaon, at least eight people were killed and over 100 others injured as the 3rd phase of Union Parishad (UP) elections ended on Sunday afternoon amid sporadic violence and irregularities.

Violence was reported from different parts of the country, including Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Lakshmipur, Jashore, and Khulna.

The first and second phases of UP elections were marred by violence and irregularities.

At least six people were killed and over 100 others injured in the 2nd phase of the Union Parishad (UP) elections on 11 November.

Violence was reported from different parts of the country, including Narsingdi, Cox’s Bazar, Cumilla, and Chattogram.

Three people were killed and a number of people were injured in the first phase of the Union Parishad election that concluded with reports of sporadic violence and clashes on 20 September.

Today is January 24. On this day in 1986, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina formed an intense movement against dictatorship. He visited Chittagong as part of that movement. At that time, Sheikh Hasina's convoy was attacked in Chittagong under the leadership of Rakibul Huda, a police officer of the petty forces of the dictatorship.

In the intense movement against Ershad, Bangabandhu's daughter and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina's Chittagong rally took the streets with a huge crowd. While Sheikh Hasina was on her way to the rally site, the police stopped Sheikh Hasina's convoy at the corner of Muslim High School. Suddenly a shot was fired at Sheikh Hasina. At that moment, Abul Hashem, a Juba League activist, lost his life in the firing while trying to save Sheikh Hasina. Then the police violence started. The lawyers somehow took Sheikh Hasina to the court building.

There were several attempts to assassinate Awami League President Sheikh Hasina. But with the love of the people and the grace of the Creator, she has come back again and again from the gates of death. This incident in Chittagong was also a manifestation of it.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital, may be taken home in a few days.

Although this information was revealed in a source on Friday night (January 21), neither the BNP nor the members of Khaleda Zia's medical team expressed their inability to say anything.

According to sources, the members of the medical board think that keeping Khaleda Zia in the hospital is riskier due to the increase in corona infection. Although her physical condition has not improved much, she is thinking of leaving home for treatment as the bleeding has stopped.

It is learned that Khaleda Zia herself does not want to stay in the hospital anymore. She has been in Evercare Hospital for about two and a half months.

Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia's daughter Sharmila Rahman Shithi and granddaughter Zahia Rahman have already moved to London as her physical condition has improved a lot. Granddaughter Zahia left for London on 15 January and daughter-in-law Sharmila on 16 January.

Khaleda Zia was admitted to the hospital on November 13 last year. A special medical board of 10 headed by Evercare doctor Dr. Shahabuddin Talukder is providing his medical services. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been suffering from various complications including arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung and eye problems for many years besides liver cirrhosis.

Asked if Khaleda Zia would be taken home, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, a member of her medical team, said: "I have no idea.

Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of the chairperson's press wing, said no decision had been made yet. 

Leaders and activists of the opposition Vijay and Choose Friends with Care (CFC) clashed after the two central leaders were stopped at the main gate of the campus over the formation of a full-fledged BCL committee at Chittagong University. The clash took place at 12 midnights on Wednesday (January 19). At least 13 workers of the two sides were injured in the clash.

The leaders and activists of Vijay claimed that the CFC leaders and activists came in front of Suhrawardy Hall at around 12 pm without any provocation and attacked their leaders and activists. Later they resisted. On the other hand, according to the leaders and workers of CFC, the leaders and workers of Vijay have been sledging for several days. That is why they have given 'reply'.

Sheikh Nazmul Islam, the sub-cultural secretary of the central student league and Haider Mohammad, the training secretary came to the campus on January 13 at noon. However, at the demand of the full committee of the university branch, the leaders and workers of different sub-parties blocked their main gate.

From then on, the situation became tense. Meanwhile, CFC leaders and activists were accused of throwing stones at a Vijay's birthday party at midnight on January 17. The birthday party was going on at the corner of Suhrawardy Hall. Later on Tuesday, the leaders and workers of Vijay were in the hall all day.

According to BCL sources, many of Vijay's leaders and activists were in front of Suhrawardy Hall around 12midnights on Tuesday. According to BCL sources, many of Vijay's leaders and activists were in front of Suhrawardy Hall around 12midnights on Tuesday. And the leaders and workers of CFC were in Shah Amanat Hall. Both sides had choppers and rods with them. At one point, clash broke out between the two sides. The clashes lasted till about 1 am. Later, members of the police and proctorial body went to the spot and took control of the situation.

At least 5 CFC workers were injured. One of them was treated at a university medical center. The other four were treated at a private hospital. On the other hand, at least 8 Vijay workers were injured in the incident.

University Medical Center sources said that three staff members have been sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital due to serious injuries.

Chhatra League leaders and activists say that on July 15, 2019, a two-member committee was announced with CFC leader Rezaul Haque as president and Iqbal Hossain, leader of Sixty-Nine, as general secretary. Besides, the central leaders of the organization directed to complete the committee as soon as possible. But the committee was not complete in almost two and a half years and the candidates are angry about this.

Note that the politics of the university branch Chhatra League is divided into two sides. One party is known on campus as a follower of former city mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and the other party as Deputy Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury. These two parties are again divided into 11 sub-parties.

A 10-member delegation led by Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is sitting in dialogue with President Mohammad Abdul Hamid on the issue of formation of Election Commission to take part in the dialogue at the invitation of the President.

An Awami League delegation led by the Prime Minister entered Bangabhaban on Monday (January 17) at 4 pm to take part in the dialogue.

At the time, President Mohammad Abdul Hamid welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the delegation.

The other members of the delegation were: Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Advisory Council Members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Dr. Md Abdur Razzak, Lt Col (retd) Muhammad Faruk Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman.

The dialogue of the political parties on the formation of the Election Commission will end with this dialogue of the Awami League with the President.

Sharmila Rahman Sinthi, wife of late Arafat Rahman Koko, younger son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, has returned to UK. She left Dhaka for London on a flight at 9:30 pm on Sunday (January 16).

According to multiple sources, Koko's wife Sharmila came to Dhaka on October 25 last year after receiving news of her mother-in-law Khaleda Zia's illness. She returned to the UK on Sunday night after a three-month stay in Dhaka.

A BNP leader said on condition of anonymity that Zahiya Rahman on Saturday and her mother Sharmila Rahman on Sunday had returned to the UK. The two parted ways because they got tickets for separate flights.

Incidentally, Khaleda Zia's youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko died on January 25, 2015 while in Malaysia. Since then, his wife Sharmila Rahman and two daughters have been living in the UK. Sometimes they come to Dhaka and stay at the house of mother-in-law Khaleda Zia.