CM Kajawl :
Different organisations have expressed concern and frustration over the widespread vote rigging and irregularities in the city corporation elections. They severely criticized the Election Commission (EC) and the law enforcement agencies for their failure and inaction to maintain a peaceful atmosphere around the polling stations during the election day.
Election Working Group (EWG), which watched the elections, on Wednesday said it does not think the elections in the three city corporations were held in a free, fair and credible manner.
Elections in Dhaka north, Dhaka south and Chittagong City Corporation on April 28 were boycotted by BNP-backed candidates in the midway, alleging large scale irregularities and vote rigging by the Awami League cadres.
Director of EWG Abdul Alim said the elections were marred by a significant level of electoral fraud and violence. “Numerous incidents of ballot stuffing, intimidation, booth capture and violence were reported at the polling stations. The credibility of the elections was undermined by the massive irregularities and misdeeds,” he said at a news conference at Jatiya Press Club in the city.
In a written statement, he said they marked the incidents of ballot stuffing in 55 centers of Dhaka South City Corporations (DSCC), in 46 centers of Dhaka North City Corporations (DNCC) and 37 centers of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC). Voters faced intimidations in 39 centers of DSCC, 33 centers of DNCC and 30 centers of CCC on the election day, Alim said.
“Twenty-six EWG observers were not allowed to enter the polling stations, 37 observers were ousted from the centers and 138 observers were not allowed to observe vote counting. Two EWG observers were beaten inside the polling stations in DSCC area during the elections,” he said. EWG steering committee members Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, Taleya Rehman and Kamrul Ahsan also spoke on the occasion. The incidents of forgery were done in planned way with a view to manipulating the election results, they said.
“The supporters of the ruling party have done all those things in presence of the polling officers and law enforcers,” they said.
Meanwhile, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) expressed grave concern over the failure of Election Commission (EC) and the law enforcement agencies to prevent the unprecedented vote rigging, violence and interruption to the people to cast their votes and ensure the safety of journalists while performing their professional duties in the polling stations. In a statement, it also urged the political parties to be patient and respectful to the spirit of democracy, saying that the controversial boycott of political parties midway through the elections had put the prospect of fair political atmosphere into fresh danger.
The credibility of the just-concluded three city corporation elections came to the question due to extensive irregularities and use of muscle power under the political patronization, Executive Director of TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.
“We are concerned over the failure of a constitutional body like the EC to apply the electoral laws and play an impartial role. It is embarrassing that despite having adequate proofs and documents, EC failed to take measures against malpractice. Rather, it has tarnished its image and broke the people’s faith for its falsehood, inaction and biasness,” he said. Criticizing the law enforcement agencies, Iftekharuzzaman said, they failed to maintain a congenial atmosphere for the elections.
“They put themselves on controversy for failure to subdue the muscle powers. They failed to perform their responsibilities and show professionalism. Instead, they disrupted the media people to do their professional duties. They could not provide due assistance to the observers from home and abroad. Sometimes they played the role of mute spectators. Their one-sided role has damaged the people’s right to vote and tainted themselves.” he said.
The human rights organization ‘Odhikar’ in a statement said Bangladesh has witnessed a fake election on April 28.
The process of electing people’s representatives to the city corporations of Dhaka and Chittagong was marked by fraudulence. Rigging and ballot stuffing by ruling party cadres, polling officers and law-enforcement agents reigned the two cities, it said.
