Noman Ibne Sabit: Bangladesh Society, a beloved organization of expatriate Bangladeshis in New York, is not able to the waist can’t stand straight. The election of the executive committee has been repeatedly postponed in one case after another due to various irregularities. Expatriate Osman Chowdhury has filed another case seeking postponement of the election. He filed a similar case last year and the court dismissed it.
It is learned that expatriate Osman Chowdhury has demanded to postpone the election as well as to give financial account to the court to bring transparency in the financial affairs of the society. He has recently filed a case in the court seeking revocation of the old membership of the society, ordering new membership and several other issues of the society. The court has fixed July 15 for the hearing of the case.
The Supreme Court of Queens County, New York, issued a stay order on November 12 last year in a case filed by Nira S. Niru alias Nira Rabbani, a member of the society, alleging irregularities in the elections to be held last year (in 2021). As a result, the election to be held on November 14 was closed. Earlier, expatriate Osman Chowdhury failed to file a case regarding postponement of elections. Osman Chowdhury had issued notices to nine people, including the Bangladesh Society, on Wednesday (November 10), citing a case filed at noon on Friday (November 12).
Nira S. Niru, an expatriate woman, became a member of the society in 2018. She filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Queens County, New York, seeking a stay on the election, citing irregularities in last year’s election. The court issued the order on November 12 in the light of his application.
Osman Chowdhury failed to submit the required documents online in time as per the rules of the court at that time. As a result, he could not file a case regarding the postponement of the election as per his decision. He took one with him to co-operate in court and he also made many attempts to submit papers online. But he failed to go to the court website and submit the required documents of index number 7850/2018.
However, he hoped that after the election he would file another case against the elected committee and the election commissioners. He said the current method or process by which elections are being held is unconstitutional. No one has renewed the membership for a two-year term before the announcement of the current election of the committee for a fixed membership fee and even not updating the voter list has caused a lot of financial loss to the society in the drama called election. So after the election, he decided to file a new case.
When contacted, Mohammad Abdul Aziz, a lawyer representing the Bangladesh Society, said he was physically present at the Supreme Court in Queens County, Jamaica on November 12 last year at 12:20 pm. The plaintiff in the case Osman Chowdhury appeared in court with the required documents in time but the court did not accept the printed version (hard copy) of his documents. Since the Corona epidemic, there have been rules for submitting all kinds of necessary documents to the court’s website. But he failed to submit documents under that rule.
It may be mentioned that Osman Chowdhury had filed a case in the court seeking restraint of his rights due to his inability to participate in the 2018 elections and a ban on the postponement of the Bangladesh Society elections, but the wise judge did not take cognizance of it. He has revived the previous case. Whose index number is 7850/2018. On November 10 last year, he informed the Bangladesh Society, Attorney Mohammad Abdul Aziz, Election Commission, former (late) President Kamal Ahmed and Abd-Rab Miah, Ruhul Amin Siddiqui, Nayan-Ali of Rob-Ruhul Parishad Kazi Ashraf Hossain (Nayan) and Mohammad Ali of the council gave notice.
Failed Election Commission demands resignation:
Nayan-Ali Parishad has demanded a speedy and fair election under a neutral election commission by tackling all the issues related to the election of Bangladesh Society in New York, USA. At a press conference held at the Bangladesh Plaza auditorium in Jackson Heights, New York recently. Nayan-Ali Parishad rescued the society from the clutches of litigants and demanded a speedy election under a neutral election commission.
Abu Naser and Ali Imam Sikder, chairman of Nayan-Ali Parishad’s election steering committee, read out a joint statement at the press conference. Kazi Ashraf Hossain Nayan, the presidential candidate of Nayan-Ali Parishad and Mohammad Ali general secretary candidates and Ali Imam Sikder answered questions from the journalists. Faruk Hossain Majumder, Abdun Nur, Abu Taleb Chandu, Amin Mehedi, Sultan Ahmed and Khabir Uddin were present on the stage.
In a written statement, Abu Nasser described in detail the rigging of the 2018 election of the society. Accordingly, there has been a panel named Nayan-Ali. There, two member candidates Z A Chowdhury and Akbar Ali submitted their nominations to the Election Commission of Bangladesh Society as per the rules.
The commission accept it as usual after seeing everything. Instead the Election Commission was affected and declared their nomination void in a fabricated decision. The reason given is that one member does not have only the signature of the proposer and the signature of the other person proposing and supporting
No, other than that, all the other information was correct.
The disqualified members later appealed to the Election Commission to uphold their candidature in accordance with the constitution. Article by election by lodge filing nomination papers article two
not explicitly mentioned. It is a pity that the Election Commission did not listen to their request. They sent letters to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Md. Aziz, and late President Kamal Ahmed, to return the candidature in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Society. He also called a meeting of the board of trustees. It was decided at the meeting that the Board of Trustees and the Election Commission would discuss the issue within the next one week. Kazi Azharul Haque Milon, the oldest member of the Board of Trustees, was given the overall responsibility of the meeting. When Kazi Milon called the chairman of the executive council, he said that the election commission would not attend the meeting, but Milon, who was scheduled to meet at the society’s office on time, saw the lock on the office and left without seeing anyone. The reason why the Election Commission did not want to sit on this issue is still unknown. What would be the harm if we sit in the discussion? This question is still being asked by the common people.
The two candidates, while respecting all the rules and regulations of the society, did not get any cooperation or solution and resorted to the court to get the opportunity to participate in the election as per the constitution of the society (Article 4, Section 7). The court, after hearing the two parties, issued an order asking why the two candidates would not be allowed to participate in the election, including postponing the election. Give the souls of all those who died in the epidemic, including the late Kamal Ahmed, the former president of the Bangladesh Society, the late Abul Khair Khaleq, the vice-president and the late Azad Baker were forgiven.
It was mentioned in the written statement that according to the constitution of Bangladesh society, 7 commissioners will conduct the election, out of which 1 will be the chairman of the election commission. The executive council of the society has nominated 7 people. One of the six commissioners was Mohiuddin Dewan, who was nominated and participated in the policy-making meetings of the Election Commission as usual. Moreover, he has participated in all the processes including the by laws. At that time, the election schedule signed by him was published in various local media. Suddenly, he resigned from the post of EC to take part in the election and submitted nomination papers on behalf of Rab-Ruhul Parishad. Article 16 Section 4 Clause A-B of the Constitution states that no member of the Election Commission may participate in the election. Can’t even vote. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. The Election Commission very cleverly submitted the nomination papers of Rab-Ruhul Parishad Presidential Candidate Md. Rab Mia as Abdur Rab Mia in the name of so-called affidavit on the ballot paper ‘to take advantage of this line’. Md. Rab Mia’s name is clearly written in the voter list of Bangladesh Society. Besides, he has also been elected as Md. Rab Mia in the Noakhali Samity elections and his valid identity card does not have any name named Abdur Rab Mia. Nomination papers of at least two independent candidates were incomplete on the day of submission of nomination papers. They cannot submit their passports. The election commissioner gave the two a chance to complete their nomination papers by bringing passports from Brooklyn. Former Election Commissioner Tapan Zaman has publicly acknowledged this and said, “During my tenure, such incidents have taken place. As a social organization, we have been given the opportunity to participate in the elections by correcting all these minor mistakes.” As if the voters give their final verdict.
Bangladesh Society is a social and cultural organization. Those who come here to vote come to serve the people. The Election Commission gives a candidate the opportunity to validate the nomination form by bringing the papers (passport) from home. Doing cheap things. If the Election Commission had shown a little sympathy, the society would have been saved from the loss of millions of dollars. Independent candidates including Nayan-Ali, Rab Ruhul Parishad were also protected from financial loss. So everyone thinks that the reason for such biased behavior of the Election Commission is the extreme condition of the society today.
It was further mentioned in the written statement that the election of the society was supposed to be held on November 14, 2021. The election was postponed for the second time due to the case of an expatriate named Nira S. Niru. It is impossible to express in words how much blood has flowed deep into our hearts since the election was called off. What is the contribution of the person who has filed this case in the society? She has never participated in elections in the society and
she did not even fulfill any responsibility. Her real aim is to destroy Bangladesh society. Her vile attempt will never succeed. It was mentioned that Nayan-Ali Parishad will stop its mischievous attempt to sue everyone. Even after it became clear in broad daylight who had filed the case to stop the election of the society for the second time, some candidates of Rab-Ruhul Parishad started various propaganda before and after the case against those who stood by the people in the epidemic risking their lives. They did not stop there. During an emergency meeting at the Society’s office on Friday, November 12, they entered with their party and tried to humiliate the Acting President and Treasurer of the Society. Which amounts to insulting everyone in the society. No action has been taken by the executive council of the society in this regard.
On 12 November 2021, when word spread that the election had been canceled on the orders of the court, Nayan-Ali Parishad became anxious all day and contacted the election commissioners and tried to get the correct information but failed. Kazi Nayan, presidential candidate of Nayan-Ali Parishad, called Jamal Ahmed Johnny, chairman of the Election Commission, and asked for a certified copy of the court’s stay order. He e-mailed the order at 2:00 pm the next day. That copy did not have any court certified seal. That means the order was not found in any court system till Sunday.
On behalf of Nayan-Ali Parishad, it was learned that a copy of Nira S Niru’s case was handed over to the Election Commission on November 8, the chairman himself admitted. So what is his role in the case? Did you inform the executive council and the board of trustees? In the case of Osman Chowdhury on November 12, the attorney of the commission Md. Aziz was present in the court along with the chairman and on the same day Nira S. Niru filed a case in the court seeking postponement of the election. What role did the chairman and attorney of the commission play then? Why couldn’t they hold a hearing? Or could not challenge the suspension? Did the executive council and the board of trustees ask the commission for any written explanation in this regard?
The fact that the Executive Council has allocated extra funds to the Election Commission to deal with any legal hurdles during the election period has also resulted in a virtual failure.
There is no alternative but a fair and impartial election to protect this largest expatriate organization from the hands of evil forces. In order to make this choice, all parties must come forward in a united manner. The present Election Commission tried twice but failed. At present there is no impediment to the court. Then why the commission is not taking steps to hold elections. The time has come to hold a transparent and fair election under a new Election Commission by giving a self-respecting exemption to the Election Commission considering their shortcomings. Nayan-Ali Parishad has sought the cooperation of all the expatriate community to protect the society by handing over the responsibility to the new committee by expeditiously completing the election of Bangladesh Society by tackling all kinds of problems.
BP/SM
