UZ elections a shame

Staff Reporter :
Rigging, violence, intimidation of voters, violation of electoral code of conduct took place in more than half of the Upazila the Election Working Group (EWG), a platform of 29 NGOs said in its findings.
EWG steering committee member Professor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah said the overall integrity of the polls was undermined by the magnitude of violations and fraudulent activities. EWG called the Upazila polls a shame for the nation at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday.
The local administration and law enforcers showed what EWG said disdain for professional commitment in the duties. At least 1,000 observers monitored the fifth phase of the Upazila elections on Monday in 73 upazilas amidst massive rigging, manipulation and violence by ruling Awami League men.
Fraudulent activities took place in 74 percent of the Upazilas, the code of conduct was flouted in 65 percent cases, violence took place in 53 percent places and intimidations of voters were reported from 50 percent of the upazilas, the preliminary report of EWG said.
The field level administrative officials and law enforcers showed no serious commitment to carry out the directives of the Election Commission (EC), EWG said. Such attitude of the local administration spoiled the atmosphere required for free and fair polls, it said.
The EWG observers found that ballots were stuffed even before voting began in three polling
centres in Luxmipur Sadar Upazila. Polling officers sent back voters from polling booths after marking their fingers with indelible ink saying that their votes have already been cast in sadar Upazilas of Luxmipur,Satkhira and Tangail.
In Belkuchi Upazila of Sirajganj over a dozen of supporters of a chairman candidate snatched away ballots from polling booths and forcibly stuffed the ballots in presence of police and polling officials, EWG said. In Sreepur Upazila, Gazipur, the presiding officer wrote the results as per directive from outsiders, EWG said in its finding. It also raised question about the accuracy of the counting process of vote.
Presiding officers in at least 12 per cent polling centres in the Upazilas monitored by EWG observers, did not care to hang the results flouting the law, it said.
The average turn out of 63.7 per cent of voters, shown to EWG observers in the centres they monitored, did not reflect the actual turn out of voters due to ballot stuffing, it observed.
Meanwhile, Rights organisation Odhikar in its monthly report on Wednesday alleged that the ruling party leaders and activists have taken away the people’s right to vote in the latest Upazila polls. The Election Commission, it alleged, has failed to protect people’s rights to vote.
It said, “The election commissioners have to perform their duty in a transparent, free and impartial manner without favouring the ruling party or else resign from the Commission.”
It also stated that the government should take legal action against criminal acts perpetrated by its party activists. No action was taken despite widespread violation to the Electoral Code of Conduct and harassment to opponents, the report said. The members of law enforcement agencies were involved in arrest and intimidation of non-Awami League candidates and other opponents, the report said. The members of law enforcing agencies who tried to perform their duty impartially, could not do so due to threats, intimidation and the influence of ruling party activists, Odhikar said. The EC also received such allegations but it paid no heed to most of the allegations, Odhikar said.
Political violence persisted as 22 persons were killed and 1350 injured in political violence alone in March, it said.