bdnews24.com :Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta has bashed the Election Commission for failing to prevent the violence and clash-related deaths during the last two phases of the Union Parishad polls.At a programme in Dhaka’s Dhakeshwari National Temple on Friday, the former minister accused Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad of being ‘ineffective in using his powers’ as the chief election commissioner.The BNP had been making the same accusation against the CEC. Suranjit said, “The UP election is ongoing. Around 8-10 people have died. I cannot stay quiet after seeing this happening. “People from the minority community have died as well (in the polls-related clashes). Our EC could not save them.” Eight people including a child were killed in clashes during the second phase of the polls at 639 Union Parishads on Thursday. Before and after the first leg held on Mar 22, at least 20 people were also killed in clashes. The AL Advisory Council member said he believed that Bangladesh’s EC was the ‘most powerful’ Election Commission in the world. “If he (CEC) wants, he can either cancel the polls or uphold the results. He can also sack anybody. “But what kind of commission is this that doesn’t even move or take any action?”Asking the CEC to change his position, Suranjit said, “You need to do something about this.”Also the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee for the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry, Suranjit said Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha had flaunted his power by punishing two ministers for contempt of court.
