Dhaka city polls electioneering ends Thursday night

Contestants for the posts of mayor, councillor and reserved seat councillor for women are busy in their last minute campaign as electioneering for the elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations would end tonight.

People living in Bangladesh capital witnessed rampant violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct during the campaigns by candidates mostly by ruling Awami League’s mayoral candidates and councillor candidates supported by the party. Electioneering for the polls began on January 10.

There was no visible action from the Election Commission against the code violators as its secretary M Alamgir said they think that the Electoral Code of Conduct needs to be amended.

Besides, addressing a press conference at Nirbachan Bhaban, Alamgir asked the people who are not voter in Dhaka not to gather in electoral area and leave Dhaka if there is no urgent work on the polling day.

He came up with the request after holding a meeting with the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and the director general of Rapid Action Battalion.

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He said the commission generally asks people who are not voters to leave the electoral area. Since Dhaka is the capital, imposing such restriction was not possible as lots of people work here, he said.

He said that the law enforcers were asked to allow non-voter people to move on the polling day if they could establish valid grounds.

Supporters of two councillor candidates in Dhaka North city clashed in the presence of Awami League mayoral candidate Atiqul Islam on the day.

The clash erupted when Atiqul was campaigning at Shaheed Fazle Rabbi Park in Gulshan around noon.

Md Nasir, the outgoing councillor and Awami League-backed candidate for ward 20, sat next to Atiqul on the dais. Md Jahidur Rahman Dulal, a local Awami League leader who is contesting the polls going against the party decision, later joined the rally along with his supporters.

Nasir’s supporters obstructed Jahidur when he tried to get on the dais that triggered the scuffle.

Supporters of both the candidates threw chairs on each other. Some were beaten severely by their stick-wielding rivals.

Atiqul’s aides formed a human shield around him during the chaos that ultimately ruined the rally.

Atiqul said he hoped such incidents would not recur.

He also said that he informed Awami League’s senior leaders of the incident and asked them to investigate the incident.

Jahidul’s name was on the initial list of Awami League-supported councillor candidates but later his name was dropped.

Shusashoner Jonno Nagorik, a civil society platform, called upon all to elect honest, competent and dedicated candidates in the Dhaka North and South City Corporation elections .

It also asked the authorities concerned to hold free, fair and peaceful elections to ensure a congenial atmosphere for the voters to exercise their voting rights.

‘Those who will be elected in the upcoming Dhaka city elections will run the city for next five years. We have to ensure that honest and dedicated candidates emerge as the winners,’ said Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of the platform, while speaking at a human chain in front of the National Press Club.

‘It seems that the Election Commission will not do anything which might annoy those in power,’ he said terming this attitude ‘an ominous sign’.

Mentioning that there are flaws in the Electronic Voting Machines, Badiul Alam said it was not possible to audit the cast vote as there was no paper trail in the EVMs.

The shipping ministry on Wednesday issued an order banning plying of all kinds of vessels towards Dhaka till the evening of February 1 from January 31.

A delegation of AL-led alliance on the day said that Bangladesh Nationalist Party was raising allegations over the election to make the Election Commission controversial. Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua made the comment after holding a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner at Nirbachan Bhaban.

Besides, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said that use of EVMs in the city polls was a part of mega-conspiracy.Taking part in campaigns for BNP’s mayoral candidate of Dhaka north city Tabith Awal at Mogbazar area, Moudud said that people have no trust in EVMs as well as in the government.

BNP’s mayoral candidate for Dhaka south city Ishraque Hossain, addressing a press conference at his Gopibag residence, said that the level-playing-field for the city polls was yet to be ensured.

He said that the Election Commission did not take any action against the polls code violators though he had submitted several complaints.

AL’s mayoral candidate for Dhaka north city Atiqul Islam, at an electioneering rally at City Club ground in Pallabi, asked the people to cast their votes for him as he want to ensure victory of AL ahead of ‘Mujib Year’.

Awami League mayor candidate in Dhaka south city corporation Sheikh Fazle Noor Tposh pledged that if he was elected, he would turn Dhaka a city of world standard keeping its old heritages.

He announced his election manifesto at a programme at Awami League’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue, where he announced five-point work plan to make Dhaka a world standard city. Central leaders of AL were also present there.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net