ELECTION means giving people the freedom of choice to elect their representatives to local bodies and the National Parliament. But if the electioneering process comes under coercive practice of the ruling party by using force, intimidation and local administration, there is no justification of holding the ‘farce.’ The results also do not make a difference in the ground before and after the elections.
News reports said the Upazila Elections have turned highly violent in the hand of the ruling party backed candidates in absence of Election Commission’s (EC) actions against those fighting factional clashes to hold control of the local party unit to win the race. The EC also failed to act in two previous UZ election phases when vote rigging, snatching of ballot boxes and eviction of opposition agents were reported at some places. Reports in national dailies yesterday said at least 50 people, including five police men were injured in bloody clashes on Saturday between supporters of the Awami League-backed chairman candidate and a rebel party candidate at Sreepur upazila in Gazipur district. At least 24 persons received bullet injuries in the fights.
Both sides were fighting over the past several days ahead of the scheduled elections on March 15 as the law enforcers were watching. RAB arrested the rebel candidate on Friday last apparently at the directive of the ruling party leaders but he was released within several hours as his supporters turned berserk by destroying vehicles on the road and destroying other properties. In fact, this is not the lone incident, such news items are pouring in the media almost daily but since these are the ruling party’s factional fights, police and other law enforcing agencies do not go for action. The EC and the Returning Officers who are the Deputy Commissioner of the district are watching it neutrally and the candidates are fighting with impunity.
It may be noted on the other hand, that the opposition backed UZ election candidates are taking the brunt of the police action and EC’s watchdog surveillance. Police are reportedly chasing them and their supporters without valid grounds. Many of them are on the run. The ruling party leaders have made it clear in recent statements that opposition backed candidates would not be given easy victories any more. Another news reports in a Bengali daily yesterday raised the question of the ruling party candidates’ reckless spending in electioneering campaigns saying they are distributing money to voters and local establishments giving the impression of vote buying. But why the EC or the Returning Officers are keeping mum is the biggest question. We want elections but it must be credible elections and we ask the EC to work neutrally and enforce the law irrespective of who they are to make the elections acceptable to all.
