UNB, Dhaka :
Awami League’s demand for creating a ‘level- playing field’ ahead of the December-30 municipal election is nothing but a subtle tactic to overshadow its arch rival BNP’s allegations against it, said experts.
BNP has regularly been brinning widespread allegations against AL leaders and candidates and blaming the EC for its ‘partial role and inactiveness’ after the announcement of election schedule for 234 municipalities with a view to creating pressure on the constitutional body to ensure equal facilities for all in the municipal election.
Awami League on Monday also demanded the Election Commission to create a ‘level-playing field’ ahead of the municipal election accusing that BNP leaders are violating the election code of conduct resorting to falsehood against AL. “As BNP has been constantly making allegations against AL after the announcement of the election schedule, the ruling party has come up with the same demand just to counter the allegations,” said former election commissioner Sohul Hossain.
If the Awami League remains silent in the face of huge allegations against them, it will dent its images, he added. Terming political parties the ‘players’ of the election, Sohul said it is the responsibility of all the political parties to abide by election laws and rules.
Amid the growing incidents of polls code violation, the EC should investigate every complaint and take proper action in this regard, Sohul told UNB.
He, however, said the Commission is not as much serious as needed for arranging a fair election, though the Constitution gives the Commission the absolute authority to take any measure required for holding credible polls. Ex-Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emaz Uddin said the AL has surprisingly come up with the demand for hiding its election irregularities largely committed by them. “Why did AL make such demand? They are also behind the irregularities,” he said.
Former caretaker government adviser M Hafizuddin Khan also echoed Sohul saying that Awami League made the demand in a bid to avert the allegations coming against it. Saying that there is no level-playing field in the municipal election, he accused the Election Commission of not exerting its power in checking incident of polls code violation.
“Our Election Commission is stronger than that of India, but it doesn’ t exercise its power,” Hafizuddin said.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, its acting secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on various occasions recently alleged that ministers, including the Prime Minister and MPs, violated the election code as ruling party men obstructed BNP candidates from submitting nomination papers in many places.
They also alleged that ruling party men are flexing their muscles in the election areas by attacking BNP candidates and their supporters and intimidating them for not joining the electioneering.
The BNP leaders also accused the EC of playing an inactive and partial role in the municipal election.
AL’s joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif at a press conference on Monday said BNP leaders are making false remarks about the government as well as Awami League to misguide people which are tantamount to violation of the election code of conduct in some cases. “We request the Election Commission to take stern action to ensure a level-playing field.” Irked at the growing allegations of violation of the election code of the conduct against ministers and MPs, Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz on Sunday also sought the Prime Minister’s intervention in checking it.
Awami League’s demand for creating a ‘level- playing field’ ahead of the December-30 municipal election is nothing but a subtle tactic to overshadow its arch rival BNP’s allegations against it, said experts.
BNP has regularly been brinning widespread allegations against AL leaders and candidates and blaming the EC for its ‘partial role and inactiveness’ after the announcement of election schedule for 234 municipalities with a view to creating pressure on the constitutional body to ensure equal facilities for all in the municipal election.
Awami League on Monday also demanded the Election Commission to create a ‘level-playing field’ ahead of the municipal election accusing that BNP leaders are violating the election code of conduct resorting to falsehood against AL. “As BNP has been constantly making allegations against AL after the announcement of the election schedule, the ruling party has come up with the same demand just to counter the allegations,” said former election commissioner Sohul Hossain.
If the Awami League remains silent in the face of huge allegations against them, it will dent its images, he added. Terming political parties the ‘players’ of the election, Sohul said it is the responsibility of all the political parties to abide by election laws and rules.
Amid the growing incidents of polls code violation, the EC should investigate every complaint and take proper action in this regard, Sohul told UNB.
He, however, said the Commission is not as much serious as needed for arranging a fair election, though the Constitution gives the Commission the absolute authority to take any measure required for holding credible polls. Ex-Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emaz Uddin said the AL has surprisingly come up with the demand for hiding its election irregularities largely committed by them. “Why did AL make such demand? They are also behind the irregularities,” he said.
Former caretaker government adviser M Hafizuddin Khan also echoed Sohul saying that Awami League made the demand in a bid to avert the allegations coming against it. Saying that there is no level-playing field in the municipal election, he accused the Election Commission of not exerting its power in checking incident of polls code violation.
“Our Election Commission is stronger than that of India, but it doesn’ t exercise its power,” Hafizuddin said.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, its acting secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on various occasions recently alleged that ministers, including the Prime Minister and MPs, violated the election code as ruling party men obstructed BNP candidates from submitting nomination papers in many places.
They also alleged that ruling party men are flexing their muscles in the election areas by attacking BNP candidates and their supporters and intimidating them for not joining the electioneering.
The BNP leaders also accused the EC of playing an inactive and partial role in the municipal election.
AL’s joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif at a press conference on Monday said BNP leaders are making false remarks about the government as well as Awami League to misguide people which are tantamount to violation of the election code of conduct in some cases. “We request the Election Commission to take stern action to ensure a level-playing field.” Irked at the growing allegations of violation of the election code of the conduct against ministers and MPs, Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz on Sunday also sought the Prime Minister’s intervention in checking it.
