Speakers at a regional planning meeting observed that all authorities and agencies concerned including the Election Commission (EC) should work together for making the forthcoming election of Union Parishad (UP) free, fair, neutral and meaningful.
They mentioned that the local body election is very important for the sake of
institutionalization of democracy besides full-length reflection of hopes and aspiration of the grassroots population.
As a whole, all quarters including the local administration and law enforcers should extend total cooperation to the EC so that it can hold the election peacefully and successfully. Media role is vital to this end, they added.
Sushasoner Jonya Nagorik (SUJON) organized the meeting at Cockeye Jar Hall room in Rajshahi yeaterday. Some 110 of its members from eight districts under Rajshahi division attended.
Deputy Director (Administration) of the Hunger Project Bangladesh Swapan Kumar Shaha addressed the meeting as focal person with SUJON local unit Vice-president Pear Baksha in the chair.
Unit general secretary Dr Hemayetul Islam, Abdul Halim from Sirajgonj, Abul Kalam Azad from Naogaon, Mahmudul Alam of Rajshahi, Raoshan Ali from Natore and Mozammel Haque from Charghat spoke on the occasion. SUJON central Committee Coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker moderated the discussion.
The speakers said there is no alternative to make the election violence-free to ensure expected voters turnout. The chairmen candidates should join to face the public programme before the election meeting for announcing their election pledges in front of the voters.
They stressed the need for close and proper coordination among administrative officials, public representatives and law enforcers for overall security of the polling centres in the election.
They also put emphasis on requisite special security to the hard-to-reach and vulnerable polling centres.
