Editorial Desk :
Ambassadors and mission chiefs of nine countries on Thursday expressed their hope that the government and the Election Commission would maintain fairness and integrity in the elections to the Dhaka North and South City Corporations scheduled for today.
Envoys who issued the statement were British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit Préfontaine, Swedish Ambassador Charlotta Schlyter, US Ambassador Earl Miller, Swiss Ambassador René Holenstein, Norwegian
Ambassador Sidsel Bleken, Danish Ambassador Winnie Estrup Petersen, Dutch Charge D’Affairs Jeroen Steeghs and Australian Charge D’Affairs Penny Morton.
The city election may be an opportunity for the citizens of Dhaka to exercise their democratic rights after the midnight election one year back that was globally known as election robbery under police protection. So the presence of police means anything that goes against the principle of fair election is not to be seen.
We’re surprised seeing the harsh reaction from the government ruling high-ups and Foreign Minister terming the foreign diplomats’ move as an intervention in the domestic issues.
The Foreign Minister whether he has that power or not threatened the diplomats to be thrown out of the country if prescribed guidelines are not followed by them. The Chief Election Commissioner was also no assurance for the observers or diplomats to feel free.
In other words, the observers whether diplomats or international observers, only able to see what is observable from outside.
But not what goes behind the curtain. Such threats from the government have only made the observers know about hiding of truth in the name of election game.
A number of 74 officials of Embassies and High Commissions have been authorised to observe the polls by the EC. But controversy arises when Awami League high-ups including Prime Minister’s political adviser HT Imam raised objection about the involvement of Bangladeshi officials working in the missions with the election observation process.
The DCC elections are being held when the Economic Intelligence’s latest report has marked Bangladesh as a “no more democratic state”. So, this might be the ‘last’ opportunity for the EC to gain national and international confidence over the electoral system.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has predicted a landslide victory for Awami League as he quotes “an opinion poll” unknown to others.
He said the ruling party’s candidate in the north, Atiqul Islam, is expected to get the mandate of 50.7% voters while his rival the BNP’s Tabith Awal is forecast to draw only 17.4% of the votes.
The election politics is over in Bangladesh and no more evidence is necessary than the result of the last general election. The over enthusiasm of government political leaders makes their dirty job exposed.
It is clear that the election observers will not see anything from outside. The election will be a done-deal from behind in cooperation with the Election Commission.
No opposition would have participated in the City Mayoral Election under same CEC who had no hesitation to approve the police managed election.
But their argument is they will go on exposing the government’s bad deeds by taking part in every election. Let us hope they make a difference this time.
Ambassadors and mission chiefs of nine countries on Thursday expressed their hope that the government and the Election Commission would maintain fairness and integrity in the elections to the Dhaka North and South City Corporations scheduled for today.
Envoys who issued the statement were British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson, Canadian High Commissioner Benoit Préfontaine, Swedish Ambassador Charlotta Schlyter, US Ambassador Earl Miller, Swiss Ambassador René Holenstein, Norwegian
Ambassador Sidsel Bleken, Danish Ambassador Winnie Estrup Petersen, Dutch Charge D’Affairs Jeroen Steeghs and Australian Charge D’Affairs Penny Morton.
The city election may be an opportunity for the citizens of Dhaka to exercise their democratic rights after the midnight election one year back that was globally known as election robbery under police protection. So the presence of police means anything that goes against the principle of fair election is not to be seen.
We’re surprised seeing the harsh reaction from the government ruling high-ups and Foreign Minister terming the foreign diplomats’ move as an intervention in the domestic issues.
The Foreign Minister whether he has that power or not threatened the diplomats to be thrown out of the country if prescribed guidelines are not followed by them. The Chief Election Commissioner was also no assurance for the observers or diplomats to feel free.
In other words, the observers whether diplomats or international observers, only able to see what is observable from outside.
But not what goes behind the curtain. Such threats from the government have only made the observers know about hiding of truth in the name of election game.
A number of 74 officials of Embassies and High Commissions have been authorised to observe the polls by the EC. But controversy arises when Awami League high-ups including Prime Minister’s political adviser HT Imam raised objection about the involvement of Bangladeshi officials working in the missions with the election observation process.
The DCC elections are being held when the Economic Intelligence’s latest report has marked Bangladesh as a “no more democratic state”. So, this might be the ‘last’ opportunity for the EC to gain national and international confidence over the electoral system.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has predicted a landslide victory for Awami League as he quotes “an opinion poll” unknown to others.
He said the ruling party’s candidate in the north, Atiqul Islam, is expected to get the mandate of 50.7% voters while his rival the BNP’s Tabith Awal is forecast to draw only 17.4% of the votes.
The election politics is over in Bangladesh and no more evidence is necessary than the result of the last general election. The over enthusiasm of government political leaders makes their dirty job exposed.
It is clear that the election observers will not see anything from outside. The election will be a done-deal from behind in cooperation with the Election Commission.
No opposition would have participated in the City Mayoral Election under same CEC who had no hesitation to approve the police managed election.
But their argument is they will go on exposing the government’s bad deeds by taking part in every election. Let us hope they make a difference this time.
