Reports of sporadic violence in several areas continued to come as campaigning ended midnight for tomorrow’s polls in 234 municipalities.
For any elections in Bangladesh – be them parliamentary or local government – violence is common, although by and large the customary festive atmosphere – another feature of elections in Bangladesh – prevailed in most constituencies.
This is the first ever partisan local government elections in the country, which means people’s emotional attachments with the major parties’ electoral symbols would be playing a key role in defining results.
However, the race for the councillor posts at the municipalities will remain non-partisan as usual.
Opposition parties have been raising allegations of attack on their supporters by ruling party men since the first day of campaigning and apprehending rigging on the election day.
On the flip side, 10 people, including Awami League candidate Abdul Bari Khan, were injured in a crude bomb blast in Naohata municipality in Rajshahi last evening while they were campaigning.
With the out of parliament opposition BNP boycotting last year’s national elections, the fight between its “sheaf of paddy” and Awami League’s “country boat” symbols – the first since the 2009 national elections – comes with a greater significance.
Interestingly, some voters have said that because the polls are partisan this year, it is all the more reason for untoward incidents to take place on voting day.
Understandably, since public campaigning will not be allowed from today, mayoral and councillor candidates across the country spent the busiest day yesterday putting in last-minute efforts to woo voters.
Ruling Awami League nominated candidates highlighted the government’s success stories in their public relations activities, while BNP candidates promised to work for “restoring democracy and saving the country from the government’s misrule” if elected.
The Election Commission (EC) has been assuring voters to come out on polls day without any fear and practice their democratic right.
Like recent elections, the EC once again turned down the BNP’s request for deploying military for maintaining security during voting but has deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel in the municipality areas.
During the city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong earlier this year, the EC turned down a similar request from the BNP, who pulled out midway through election day bringing allegations of rigging against the ruling party.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday called upon people to vote for sheaf of paddy and promised that her party would stay in the battle until the end.
In a press conference, she also alleged that the ruling party had made all arrangements to turn the municipality pols into a farcical affair by intimidating, harassing and threatening opposition men.
The EC yesterday asked “outsiders” – people who are not voters of an area – to leave their respective municipalities by midnight.
In addition, carrying and displaying all kinds of guns, including the licensed ones, have been banned in the election areas for the next seven days. The streets in the election areas will remain off limits for today and tomorrow for all vehicles, with the exception of ambulances and those carrying special stickers.
December 30 – the election day – will be a general holiday in the municipality areas.
The commission has also formed a special seven-member monitoring committee to look after the overall law and order situation on and before polls day.
Serajul Islam, secretary to the EC Secretariat, said yesterday: “The biggest challenge now is to conduct the polls in a peaceful atmosphere.”
Soon after Khaleda Zia’s press conference, the ruling Awami League announced from its own press conference that the polls would be fair, neutral and acceptable to all.
“It is the Election Commission’s duty to conduct elections and I think the commission will carry out its constitutional task. And it is the duty of the government to maintain law and order and the government will carry it out hundred percent,” said Syed Ashraful Islam, general secretary of Awami League, at the press briefing.
Meanwhile, democracy watchdog Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJAN) yesterday voiced doubts about the freeness and fairness of tomorrow’s elections because of violence.
“Although the Election Commission has adequate power to act against perpetrators, it has remained silent,” said SUJAN General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder.
“Its silence has resulted in the rise of violence inducing doubts over holding a fair election,” he said.
At least 50 incidents of violence have been reported between December 7 and 26 in which three people were killed and 271 injured, Badiul told a press conference.
Political analyst Mizanur Rahman Shelley said that election to local government bodies on party lines is a new experience for Bangladesh.
“Despite near combative positions of major parties at the grassroots level, the situation in the countryside, especially the rural areas, has been by and large harmonious among voters of antithetic political streams.
“With partisan elections in local bodies, the relatively peaceful and tranquil political atmosphere in the countryside may be disrupted. The result would not be good for the country,” Shelley said.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
