Staff Reporter :
Former caretaker government adviser and noted economist Dr Akbar Ali Khan said on Saturday that voter turnout in the 11th parliamentary polls might have been 30 per cent and another 50 per cent was shown “farcically.”
“Voter turnout in the national polls was shown to be more than 80 per cent, while it was less than 30 per cent in the recently held Dhaka city corporation polls,” he said this at an inaugural function of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik’s (Shujan’s) 7th National Council-2020 held in the city’s Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.
Usually, he said, voter turnout in general elections is low because political parties are not organised at grassroots level as per expectation.
But when union parishad or municipality polls take place, local candidates remain proactive and they put extra effort to make their relatives, friends and well-wishers cast their votes, he said.
“So, in no way voter turnout of general election could surpass the turnout of the local body polls,” he added.
The overall turnout in the recently held Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) polls was 29 per cent while it was 25.32 per cent in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) election.
Akbar Ali Khan said the Election Commission (EC) should examine turnout at each polling centre before declaring the polls result.
If it is seen that the turnout is 100, 98 or 95 per cent then they should immediately suspend the voting on the ground of false votes, he said.
If the EC can monitor voting result in such a way, many irregularities will be apparent, he added.
He also said no effective measure was taken to earn
people’s trust on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and its function.
The EVMs seem effective considering the technology. However, in many countries there are controversies regarding EVMs and it is necessary to be cautious about their use in Bangladesh, he said.
Akbar Ali lauded Shujan’s efforts as a platform campaigning for good governance and said it should stick to a one-point mandate during the course of its future movement, which is the demand for fair election.
Former caretaker government adviser M Hafizuddin Khan, Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar , former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Abu Hena and chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Zonayed Saki, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Former caretaker government adviser and noted economist Dr Akbar Ali Khan said on Saturday that voter turnout in the 11th parliamentary polls might have been 30 per cent and another 50 per cent was shown “farcically.”
“Voter turnout in the national polls was shown to be more than 80 per cent, while it was less than 30 per cent in the recently held Dhaka city corporation polls,” he said this at an inaugural function of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik’s (Shujan’s) 7th National Council-2020 held in the city’s Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh.
Usually, he said, voter turnout in general elections is low because political parties are not organised at grassroots level as per expectation.
But when union parishad or municipality polls take place, local candidates remain proactive and they put extra effort to make their relatives, friends and well-wishers cast their votes, he said.
“So, in no way voter turnout of general election could surpass the turnout of the local body polls,” he added.
The overall turnout in the recently held Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) polls was 29 per cent while it was 25.32 per cent in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) election.
Akbar Ali Khan said the Election Commission (EC) should examine turnout at each polling centre before declaring the polls result.
If it is seen that the turnout is 100, 98 or 95 per cent then they should immediately suspend the voting on the ground of false votes, he said.
If the EC can monitor voting result in such a way, many irregularities will be apparent, he added.
He also said no effective measure was taken to earn
people’s trust on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and its function.
The EVMs seem effective considering the technology. However, in many countries there are controversies regarding EVMs and it is necessary to be cautious about their use in Bangladesh, he said.
Akbar Ali lauded Shujan’s efforts as a platform campaigning for good governance and said it should stick to a one-point mandate during the course of its future movement, which is the demand for fair election.
Former caretaker government adviser M Hafizuddin Khan, Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar , former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Abu Hena and chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Zonayed Saki, among others, spoke on the occasion.
