Staff Reporter :
The aspiring AL candidates bought about 3000 nomination papers in two days from the Awami League’s election steering office in Dhanmondi, for contesting in the 11th Parliamentary polls to be held on December 23.
Of them, about 1300 nomination forms were sold on Saturday, AL Dhanmondi office sources said.
Since the Saturday morning, nomination seekers from all over the country began to crowd Dhanmondi-3 with thousands of supporters who carried placards and replicas of AL’s election symbol “boat” and chanting slogans in favour of their respective candidates.
Many arrived by pickups and microbuses or by marching in processions, as bands led the way playing brass and percussions.
Eight booths for eight divisions were set up in the newly About 3000 decorated election steering office, just beside that of AL president, to sell nomination papers to probable candidates.
However, some nomination seekers returned empty handed due to the massive turnout and mismanagement despite waiting for several hours.
Wishing anonymity an aspirant told The New Nation “I along with my supporters waited till afternoon but failed to collect a form as I could not reach the booth because of the huge crowd.” The process was lengthened as some aspirants failed to bring a photocopy of their national identity cards and two passport sized photographs along with them to collect nomination papers, Awami League office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap said.
Meanwhile, the city residents yesterday suffered as thousands of AL supporters and activists from across the country started thronging the Dhanmondi R.A from Friday morning, blocking the adjacent roads.
No public or private vehicles could reach their destinations as thousands of buses, trucks, microbuses and motorcycles were parked on Satmasjid Road, causing huge traffic congestion. Kabir Hossain, a Dhanmondi resident, who passed about 2:30 hours to go to Shahbagh from Dhanmondi, Road No 15.
“It was a severe jam on the roads as thousands of people blocked the roads from Road No 15, Dhanmondi to Science Lab with their vehicles,” he said.
Defending the gathering AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said “Awami League is a big party and a huge gathering of people is also normal.”
“I believed that thousands of people would gather. We need Paltan Maidan or Suhrawardy Udyan for this work,” he said.
On the other hand, AL aspirants appeared to have violated the electoral code of conduct on Friday by bringing out processions blockading roads and by using buses and other vehicles to bring people to Dhaka from across the country.
With the election schedule now known, the electoral code puts a number of restrictions into effect until the polls result is declared through the publication of an official gazette sometime after December 23.
During this period, all processions using trucks, buses and motorcycles are banned, except those for heads of parties.
No campaigning document or distribution of leaflets, carrying banners or any such thing meant for campaigning is allowed, and campaign activities cannot obstruct roads.
Meetings will require prior approval from the authorities concerned, and police have to be notified at least 24 hours before meetings.
Violations of the code of conduct may result in maximum six months imprisonment, a Tk50,000 fine, or both.
According to the Election Commission, the 11th parliamentary election will be held on December 23. The last date for filing nomination papers for candidacy is November 19. The returning officers will scrutinise the nomination papers on November 22 while the last date for withdrawing candidacy is November 29.
