Staff Reporter :
Although the election campaign takes festive mood, the election environment is hot, said Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), a civil society platform.
Arrest and Harassment continue unabated , breaks code of conduct. There is no effective action against the breaking the code of conduct. As a result, voters’ confidence in the Election Commission is becoming shaky.
Shujan said also, more than 52 percent of the total 548 candidates, who are vying for mayor and ward councillor posts in the upcoming city polls, are businessmen by profession. Highest 58.80 per cent are in Barishal and lowest 48.38 per cent in Rajshahi City polls.
Shujan said these in a press conference held at Jatiya Press Club yesterday morning to share the affidavits of candidates contesting in the upcoming city polls in Sylhet, Barishal and Rajshahi.
In a written statement, Sujon said, the case started in Rajshahi since the beginning. Now all the three viz. litigation, arrest and harassment go together in Sylhet. There was a fire in Sylhet election camp, sectarian violence is now feared, raising the concerns for the voters.
Dilip Kumar Sarker, Chief of the Central Coordinator of Sujan, read out the written statement. It is said that a city mayor and some MPs were found to break the code of conduct in the campaign. University Vice-Chancellor, Principal of Medical College, Civil Surgeon, University Registrar and Government officials and employees are also taking part in campaign, slapping the code of conduct. Sujon believes that a fair election is not possible for the Election Commission without the cooperation of the government.
Sujan President M Hafizuddin Khan said, ‘Personally I have not seen anywhere in the level playing field. Many people broke the code of conduct and started campaigning. Elections to Khulna and Gazipur were held in controlled manner. As a result the confidence in the Election Commission decreased.
Local government expert Tofail Ahmed said, Khulna model follows the Magura Model. The new model is going to be interpreted as a scary model or a model of indifference – it is unenforceable (unexpliable), a kind of special trend. In addition, he believes the candidates should verify the authenticity of the information provided in the affidavit.
Analyzing the information of the candidates, Sujon said, among the Mayor candidates, two postgraduate and three graduates out of five in Rajshahi, one postgraduate from seven in Barisal, four graduates, one SSC and one self-taught, one postgraduate among seven candidates in Sylhet, two graduates, one HSC, one SSC and two self-taught.
From May 2008 to 2013 in Rajshahi, Mayor was Awami League’s AHM Khairuzzaman Liton. At that time, his income increased by 2308.10%. But in the next five years, his income increased 33.29%. From 2013 to 2018 Mayor was BNP’s Mosaddek Hossain. His income increased by 1518.36%. Awami League candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran’s income increased 60.73% in Sylhet from 2013-2018. Mayor and current BNP candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury’s income increased 48%.
Although the election campaign takes festive mood, the election environment is hot, said Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), a civil society platform.
Arrest and Harassment continue unabated , breaks code of conduct. There is no effective action against the breaking the code of conduct. As a result, voters’ confidence in the Election Commission is becoming shaky.
Shujan said also, more than 52 percent of the total 548 candidates, who are vying for mayor and ward councillor posts in the upcoming city polls, are businessmen by profession. Highest 58.80 per cent are in Barishal and lowest 48.38 per cent in Rajshahi City polls.
Shujan said these in a press conference held at Jatiya Press Club yesterday morning to share the affidavits of candidates contesting in the upcoming city polls in Sylhet, Barishal and Rajshahi.
In a written statement, Sujon said, the case started in Rajshahi since the beginning. Now all the three viz. litigation, arrest and harassment go together in Sylhet. There was a fire in Sylhet election camp, sectarian violence is now feared, raising the concerns for the voters.
Dilip Kumar Sarker, Chief of the Central Coordinator of Sujan, read out the written statement. It is said that a city mayor and some MPs were found to break the code of conduct in the campaign. University Vice-Chancellor, Principal of Medical College, Civil Surgeon, University Registrar and Government officials and employees are also taking part in campaign, slapping the code of conduct. Sujon believes that a fair election is not possible for the Election Commission without the cooperation of the government.
Sujan President M Hafizuddin Khan said, ‘Personally I have not seen anywhere in the level playing field. Many people broke the code of conduct and started campaigning. Elections to Khulna and Gazipur were held in controlled manner. As a result the confidence in the Election Commission decreased.
Local government expert Tofail Ahmed said, Khulna model follows the Magura Model. The new model is going to be interpreted as a scary model or a model of indifference – it is unenforceable (unexpliable), a kind of special trend. In addition, he believes the candidates should verify the authenticity of the information provided in the affidavit.
Analyzing the information of the candidates, Sujon said, among the Mayor candidates, two postgraduate and three graduates out of five in Rajshahi, one postgraduate from seven in Barisal, four graduates, one SSC and one self-taught, one postgraduate among seven candidates in Sylhet, two graduates, one HSC, one SSC and two self-taught.
From May 2008 to 2013 in Rajshahi, Mayor was Awami League’s AHM Khairuzzaman Liton. At that time, his income increased by 2308.10%. But in the next five years, his income increased 33.29%. From 2013 to 2018 Mayor was BNP’s Mosaddek Hossain. His income increased by 1518.36%. Awami League candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran’s income increased 60.73% in Sylhet from 2013-2018. Mayor and current BNP candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury’s income increased 48%.
