Shujan also slams EC: Army played no effective role to stop poll violence
Staff Reporter :
The law enforcement agencies and army could not play effective role in preventing violence during the recent upazilas parishad elections, claimed Shushashoner Jonnoya Nagorik (Shujan).
Even, the Election Commission EC before the last fourth phase polls directed army personnel to take prompt action to check violence, but allegations of remaining inactive have been raised against army like previous three phases, Shujan said.
Shujan, a civil society organization working for establishing good governance, said this at a press conference at the capital’s Mukti Bhaban yesterday (Friday).
Criticizing the role of EC, Shujan said, the incidents of violence and vote rigging are gradually increasing with one phase after another. But the commission has lost its control on the polls.
“The commission has failed to discharge its duty for holding free, fair and peaceful elections. It has completely failed to check vote rigging, irregularities and violence,” claimed a Shujan’s written statement.
It has also claimed that political parties are violating electoral code of conduct by meddling in upazilas elections, which are non-partisan in its nature.
The organization categorically urged the EC, political parties and the government to make all out efforts to
keep the next phase upazila election free from ‘controversy and violence.’
In the press conference, Shujan disclosed different information of chairman aspirants about the fifth phase upazilas parishad elections to be held on Monday.
A total of 360 candidates are contesting for chairman posts in 74 upazilas in fifth phase. Shujan, however, talked about 354 aspirants because affidavits of rest six candidates were not available.
Of the 354, at least 161 completed graduation, while 77 could not complete SSC, acceding to the report of Shujan.
Among the candidates, 112 are accused of different cases, including 21 murder case. At least five candidates annually earn more than Tk one crore, and 58 candidates own properties valuing about Tk one crore, of them 11 have properties valuing about Tk five crore.
Shujan Secretary Professor Badiul Alam Majumdar, local government expert Dr Tofail Ahmed and several Shujan’s officials were present, at the press conference.