Polls tomorrow yet half the complaints left unaddressed; Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder worried over clashes in the run-up
Almost half the complaints filed by mayoral and councillor candidates in the Chattogram City Corporation elections to be held tomorrow are yet to be addressed.
In most of the complaints already dealt with, the officers-in-charge of relevant police stations engaged by the Election Commission did not find any proof of wrongdoing.
Mayoral and councillor candidates have been lodging a huge number of complaints against each other with the EC over the last two weeks.
Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder yesterday in a statement expressed his concerns over clashes centring the CCC polls.
He told The Daily Star that the EC cannot avoid responsibility in case of any kind of deterioration in the election atmosphere.
BNP-backed candidates alleged that in most cases, the Election Commission is oblivious about investigating and taking actions in this regard.
According to EC officials, in all cases it informs, requests or orders officers-in-charge of respective police stations to take action, or sometimes requests respective candidates or persons against whom the complaints are filed to abide by electoral rules.
According to the EC, 31 complaints out of a total of 60 have so far been disposed of as they received reports from police in regards to those complaints.
Of the 31 disposed complaints, police in their reports said they did not find proof of any wrongdoing in 20 complaints.
Among the remaining 11, cases and general diaries were filed in connection with five complaints, the accused in three complaints apologised, a councillor candidate’s posters that violated rules were removed, and in case of two complaints police failed to investigate as the EC had engaged the wrong police stations.
Most complaints were lodged with regard to obstruction of electoral campaigns, according to EC documents.
The other complaints were over intimidation, death threats, assault, vandalising vehicles used for electoral campaigns, tearing down electoral posters, banners and leaflets and arrest and harassment by police, EC officials said.
For complaints about police harassment and arrests, the EC informed the Chattogram Metropolitan Police commissioner about the matters.
Of the complaints, 13 were lodged on behalf of BNP-backed mayoral candidate Shahadat Hossain and only four were disposed of by the EC.
EC found no evidence in three of these four complaints of Shahadat while a case was filed in connection with the other complaint.
Four complaints were lodged on behalf of AL-backed mayoral aspirant Rezaul Karim Chowdhury. One of them was disposed of by the EC.
The remaining 42 complaints were lodged by the councillor candidates for general and reserved seats.
Returning Officer Mohammad Hasanuzzaman said the EC was looking into the complaints with all seriousness and remain alert to avert any untoward incidents centring the polls.
Police said they have beefed up vigilance so that law and order does not deteriorate during the polls.
BNP mayoral candidate Dr Shahadat Hossain said the EC should dispose of the complaints lodged by the candidates for the sake of ensuring a free, fair and participatory election. But, he said the EC were not paying any heed to their complaints.
Advocate Akhter Kabir Chowdhury, president of Chattogram city unit of Sachetan Nagorik Committee (SANAK) and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said the EC is failing to play its required neutral role to achieve confidence from all the parties.
He, however, said the EC alone could not be robust if there is a general lack of good governance in society, but it should continue its effort to be more effective.
EC MAHBUB’S STATEMENT
In a statement issued yesterday the election commissioner said there is enough reason for concern about clashes during the CCC election, which is a very crucial one.
Contacted, the election commissioner told The Daily Star that two persons have already been killed centring the election and there was some chaos.
“So, there is concern. Life is more valuable than any election,” he said.
Talukder stated that holding a free, fair, legal and acceptable election is not possible if the environment is not made fair. In that case the concept of a level playing field, the prerequisite of an election, becomes absurd.
Mentioning that it is a big challenge for the EC to create balance between the two parties in the CCC election, the commissioner in his statement said it is a must to keep this election under the control of the EC. Otherwise, the election would be a failed one.
Holding fair elections is the acid test for everyone irrespective of party and opinion, stated the election commissioner.
“We will have to ensure that true public representatives are elected through ballots.”
