Political parties flouting law by backing mayor aspirants

Political parties including the ruling Awami League (AL) ignored existing electoral laws by announcing backing their party leaders who are aspirant Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation mayors, said Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (SHUJAN) yesterday.

Nor should the parties hold back anyone from contesting, officials of the civil society platform working for good governance, apparently pointing at BNP, told a press conference. 

Such interferences in local government polls, which are non-partisan in nature, are nothing but attempts to influence results, added a written statement they read out.

Besides, many aspiring candidates are violating the electoral code of conduct by campaigning outside the legally-set timeframe, using billboards, posters, banners and leaflets, says the statement.

Campaigning is allowed only in the 21 days prior to the start of voting while use of billboards is prohibited.

"If the elections are influenced by political parties and black money, the poll result may be questioned," it read.

Criticising the Election Commission for remaining silent on these matters, SHUJAN urged it to play a strict role to check violation of the electoral code of conduct and use of black money and muscling for the sake of ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections.

"If necessary, deploy army before the polls," the statement said.

The briefing, "Call for holding city corporation elections in fair, impartial and peaceful atmosphere", was organised in the capital's Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.

Elections to the Chittagong and bifurcated Dhaka city corporations will be held on April 28 when over 60 lakh voters will choose three mayors and 179 councillors.

The AL has announced backing former FBCCI president Annisul Huq; Sayeed Khokon, son of late Dhaka mayor Mohammad Hanif; and Chittagong city AL General Secretary AJM Nasir Uddin in the polls to Dhaka north and south and Chittagong city corporations respectively.

The opposition Jatiya Party endorsed Bahauddin Ahmed Babul, its Dhaka city (north) unit general secretary; and Hazi Saifuddin Ahmed Milon, its presidium member; for the north and south respectively.

SHUJAN President M Hafizuddin Khan and Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder urged the "authorities concerned" to grant bail to aspirants now in jail, like Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, or on the run centring about cases.

SHUJAN Vice President Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque said administrators had been running the bifurcated Dhaka city corporation for many days which was a violation of the constitution.

Besides, suspension of elected representatives of local government institutions like city corporation, upazila parishad or municipality by the LGRD ministry violates democracy, he viewed.

SHUJAN Executive Member Hameeda Hossain attended the press conference.

Till yesterday, 42 nomination forms for ward councillors, including one for women's reserved seats, have been sold for the south while another two for mayors and 26 for ward councillors, including one for the reserved, for the north.

Besides, the south poll's returning officer, Mihir Sarwar Morshed, issued a notice on seven councillor aspirants on why they had not removed their posters within a previously declared 48-hour deadline ending early yesterday and asking to do so.