Dr Kamal says
Holding fair polls a govt constitutional responsibility
Staff Reporter :
Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain has said that it is government’s constitutional responsibility to hold a free and fair election in the country.
“Without election democracy is valueless. It has been seen in past that there was no fair election. Especially the last parliamentary election was the best example for vote rigging,” he made these comments after a meeting with Oikyafront steering committee at his Motijheel chamber on Thursday. The Gono Forum President said that the people are in favour of election as under the process of election rights of the people could be established. The real owners of the country are the people. There is no scope to have owners’ (people’s) rights without election.
Ruling party MPs, Ministers are breaching the electoral code of conduct and creating hindrances of the BNP candidates’ election campaign. It proves that there is no positive atmosphere for holding a free and fair election. The EC is not taking any steps in this regard, he added.
The eminent jurist further said that holding polls to two Dhaka City corporations on the day of Saraswati Puja is an unjust act.
“The government has committed an unjust act by fixing the election date on January 30 as the Saraswati Puja will be held on that day. Such things didn’t happen in the past,” he said.
He said if the election could not be held on the Eid Day, it should not be held on the day of Saraswati Puja either. “I think it’s the government’s failure and negligence.”
Dr Kamal also mentioned that a ten-year old was revived against BNP mayoral candidate Eng. Ishrak Hossain with a political vendetta.
The Oikyafront convener also said that their alliance has moral support to Dhaka University students’ movement demanding deferment of the election date.
On December 22 last, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda announced the election schedule for the polls to DNCC and DSCC, fixing January 30 as the voting date.
Meanwhile, an appeal was filed today with the Appellate Division challenging the High Court order that turned down a writ petition seeking deferment of the January 30 elections as it coincides with Saraswati Puja of the Hindu community.
“People are in favour of the election as their ownership of the country can be ensured through it. People won’t get back their ownership of the country unless the election is held in a free and fair manner,” the Oikyafront chief said.
He said their alliance will hold four wayside rallies– two each in Dhaka south and north city corporations– to drum up public support in favour of ‘the Sheaf of Paddy candidates, Ishraque Hossain and Tabith Awal.
The meeting voiced concern over making small investors ‘paupers’ by plundering their money through tricks from the share market.
“The country’s economic condition has become so awful that a father, who was unable to repay a loan of Tk 6,000, handed over his daughter to the creditor for rape. This incident is a glaring example of the level of people’s helplessness and poor condition when the government is hitting the drum of development,” said a written statement signed by Dr Kamal.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president (JSD-Rob) ASM Abdur Rob, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gonoforum executive presidents Prof Abu Sayeed, Subrata Chowdhury, general secretary Dr Reza Kibria, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury were, among others, present at the meeting.
Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain has said that it is government’s constitutional responsibility to hold a free and fair election in the country.
“Without election democracy is valueless. It has been seen in past that there was no fair election. Especially the last parliamentary election was the best example for vote rigging,” he made these comments after a meeting with Oikyafront steering committee at his Motijheel chamber on Thursday. The Gono Forum President said that the people are in favour of election as under the process of election rights of the people could be established. The real owners of the country are the people. There is no scope to have owners’ (people’s) rights without election.
Ruling party MPs, Ministers are breaching the electoral code of conduct and creating hindrances of the BNP candidates’ election campaign. It proves that there is no positive atmosphere for holding a free and fair election. The EC is not taking any steps in this regard, he added.
The eminent jurist further said that holding polls to two Dhaka City corporations on the day of Saraswati Puja is an unjust act.
“The government has committed an unjust act by fixing the election date on January 30 as the Saraswati Puja will be held on that day. Such things didn’t happen in the past,” he said.
He said if the election could not be held on the Eid Day, it should not be held on the day of Saraswati Puja either. “I think it’s the government’s failure and negligence.”
Dr Kamal also mentioned that a ten-year old was revived against BNP mayoral candidate Eng. Ishrak Hossain with a political vendetta.
The Oikyafront convener also said that their alliance has moral support to Dhaka University students’ movement demanding deferment of the election date.
On December 22 last, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda announced the election schedule for the polls to DNCC and DSCC, fixing January 30 as the voting date.
Meanwhile, an appeal was filed today with the Appellate Division challenging the High Court order that turned down a writ petition seeking deferment of the January 30 elections as it coincides with Saraswati Puja of the Hindu community.
“People are in favour of the election as their ownership of the country can be ensured through it. People won’t get back their ownership of the country unless the election is held in a free and fair manner,” the Oikyafront chief said.
He said their alliance will hold four wayside rallies– two each in Dhaka south and north city corporations– to drum up public support in favour of ‘the Sheaf of Paddy candidates, Ishraque Hossain and Tabith Awal.
The meeting voiced concern over making small investors ‘paupers’ by plundering their money through tricks from the share market.
“The country’s economic condition has become so awful that a father, who was unable to repay a loan of Tk 6,000, handed over his daughter to the creditor for rape. This incident is a glaring example of the level of people’s helplessness and poor condition when the government is hitting the drum of development,” said a written statement signed by Dr Kamal.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president (JSD-Rob) ASM Abdur Rob, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gonoforum executive presidents Prof Abu Sayeed, Subrata Chowdhury, general secretary Dr Reza Kibria, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury were, among others, present at the meeting.
