Staff Reporter :
Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujon), a civil rights body, has urged the Election Commission (EC) to arrange a “free, neutral and peaceful” Dhaka City Corporation polls.
The election of Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation is scheduled for February 1.
“EC should scrutinise information provided by the candidates but it’s apparently not doing so. If EC provides people with
correct information, then it becomes easy for the voters to make the right choice (in the election),” said Sujon Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar at a press conference in the city on Saturday.
He pointed out that to know accurate information is a basic right of the people. “But from EC’s activities, it appears that it doesn’t care about providing the people with accurate information,” he said.
Sujon organised the press conference at the Jatiya Press Club with its President M Hafizuddin Khan in the chair.
Badiul Alam urged the EC, law enforcement agencies, concerned government officials and political parties to ensure a fair election for the sake of the people.
“We should use electronic voting machine (EVM) in polls on the basis of consensus,” he said.
The civil society platform also said that they found participation of increasing number of businessmen in the local government elections alarming.
The growing participation of business personnel in elections is “turning politics into business,” Sujon mentioned.
The report was prepared after analysing affidavits of about 740 candidates competing from both Dhaka North and South City Corporation elections.
From the documents, Sujon found that 73 per cent candidates from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and about 74 per cent from Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) are businesspersons. The percentage was lower — 67 per cent for DNCC and 71 per cent for DSCC — in the previous polls held in 2015.
Indicating at the growing number businesspersons in politics, Sujon said this will mean those in power will mostly focus on growing their personal businesses rather than ensuring amenities for Dhaka city dwellers.
“More and more businesspersons have been participating in National Elections and now their involvement is also growing in local government polls as well,” the Sujon Secretary told the press briefing.
He also criticised the EC for not helping them with information about the candidates and its lack of action against those who violate the electoral code of conduct.
The report also revealed findings on educational qualification of the candidates.
“Two-thirds of the candidates, especially those running for councillor posts, have completed their SSC examinations. However, most mayor candidates are well educated.”
The report further revealed, most councillor candidates are from low to middle-income backgrounds while some of them are accused in one or more multiple cases.
It also asked the Election Commission to ensure a level-playing field for all candidates during the polls.
Sujon’s central coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker read out the keynote paper at the event.
“Media should publish reports on all sorts of irregularities during elections without being biased. Law enforcement agencies and other officials concerned should play neutral role in the elections,” Dilip said.
He said the EC should take all necessary steps so that no one can violate the electoral code of conduct during the election. “We want the EC will make an example arranging a free and neutral City Corporation elections,” he added.
Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujon), a civil rights body, has urged the Election Commission (EC) to arrange a “free, neutral and peaceful” Dhaka City Corporation polls.
The election of Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation is scheduled for February 1.
“EC should scrutinise information provided by the candidates but it’s apparently not doing so. If EC provides people with
correct information, then it becomes easy for the voters to make the right choice (in the election),” said Sujon Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar at a press conference in the city on Saturday.
He pointed out that to know accurate information is a basic right of the people. “But from EC’s activities, it appears that it doesn’t care about providing the people with accurate information,” he said.
Sujon organised the press conference at the Jatiya Press Club with its President M Hafizuddin Khan in the chair.
Badiul Alam urged the EC, law enforcement agencies, concerned government officials and political parties to ensure a fair election for the sake of the people.
“We should use electronic voting machine (EVM) in polls on the basis of consensus,” he said.
The civil society platform also said that they found participation of increasing number of businessmen in the local government elections alarming.
The growing participation of business personnel in elections is “turning politics into business,” Sujon mentioned.
The report was prepared after analysing affidavits of about 740 candidates competing from both Dhaka North and South City Corporation elections.
From the documents, Sujon found that 73 per cent candidates from Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and about 74 per cent from Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) are businesspersons. The percentage was lower — 67 per cent for DNCC and 71 per cent for DSCC — in the previous polls held in 2015.
Indicating at the growing number businesspersons in politics, Sujon said this will mean those in power will mostly focus on growing their personal businesses rather than ensuring amenities for Dhaka city dwellers.
“More and more businesspersons have been participating in National Elections and now their involvement is also growing in local government polls as well,” the Sujon Secretary told the press briefing.
He also criticised the EC for not helping them with information about the candidates and its lack of action against those who violate the electoral code of conduct.
The report also revealed findings on educational qualification of the candidates.
“Two-thirds of the candidates, especially those running for councillor posts, have completed their SSC examinations. However, most mayor candidates are well educated.”
The report further revealed, most councillor candidates are from low to middle-income backgrounds while some of them are accused in one or more multiple cases.
It also asked the Election Commission to ensure a level-playing field for all candidates during the polls.
Sujon’s central coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker read out the keynote paper at the event.
“Media should publish reports on all sorts of irregularities during elections without being biased. Law enforcement agencies and other officials concerned should play neutral role in the elections,” Dilip said.
He said the EC should take all necessary steps so that no one can violate the electoral code of conduct during the election. “We want the EC will make an example arranging a free and neutral City Corporation elections,” he added.
