Most of the mayoral candidates nominated by ruling Awmai League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the elections to 234 municipal councils scheduled for December 30 are facing or have faced criminal cases.
According to the analysis of the candidates conducted by Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik, 219 – 96 BNP, 33 AL and 90 other party or independent candidates – of the 904 mayoral candidates in the first-ever partisan municipal polls are facing criminal cases.
Besides, 321 mayoral candidates – BNP 109, AL 102 and others 110 – earlier had faced criminal cases earlier.
The civil society platform working for good governance disseminated the analysis of the 904 mayoral candidates at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Friday.
It said that 36 mayoral candidates – 15 of BNP, 7 of AL and 14 others – were now facing murder cases, while 61 candidates – 19 of BNP, 22 of AL and 20 others – had earlier faced murder charges.
The analysis found that 18 of the candidates – 5 of BNO, 4 of Al and 9 others – did not mention their educational qualification in their nomination papers submitted to the Election Commission.
It found that 126 mayoral candidates – 29 of AL, 27 of BNP and 70 others – had master’s degree, 215 candidates – 61 of AL, 56 of BNP and 98 others – had bachelor’s degree, 198 candidates – 57 of AL, 53 of BNP and 88 other – passed high secondary certificate exams, 123 candidates – 30 of AL 25 of BNP and 68 other – passed secondary school certificate exams, and 224 candidates – 40 of AL, 40 of BNP and 144 others – did not cross the secondary level.
Badiul Alam expressed concern over the increasing number of businessmen in the election race as 652 – 165 of AL, 163 of BNP and 325 others – of the 904 mayoral candidates were businessmen.
The analysis found that 8 mayoral candidates – 5 of AL 2 of BNP and 1 other – earned more than Tk 1 crore a year, while 174 candidates – 25 of Al, 26 of BNP and 123 others – earned less than Tk 2 lakh a year.
It found that 146 mayoral candidates had bank loans and 9 of them – 3 of AL 4 of BNP and 2 others – had borrowed more than Tk 5 crore each.
It, however, found that although four BNP candidates had borrowed more than Tk 5 crore only two of them had wealth of more than Tk 5 crore.
According to the analysis, 175 of the mayoral candidates are not tax payers.
Releasing the report, its secretary Badiul Alam Majumder criticised political parties for nominating people having criminal records for the mayoral polls.
Badiul Alam doubted if the commission could hold free and fair municipal polls and alleged that the commission was seen to remain silent on several incidents of irregularities and violation of the electoral code of conduct.
Among others Sujan coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker, executive members Hamida Hossain and rights activist Rezwana Siddique were present.
According to the analysis of the candidates conducted by Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik, 219 – 96 BNP, 33 AL and 90 other party or independent candidates – of the 904 mayoral candidates in the first-ever partisan municipal polls are facing criminal cases.
Besides, 321 mayoral candidates – BNP 109, AL 102 and others 110 – earlier had faced criminal cases earlier.
The civil society platform working for good governance disseminated the analysis of the 904 mayoral candidates at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Friday.
It said that 36 mayoral candidates – 15 of BNP, 7 of AL and 14 others – were now facing murder cases, while 61 candidates – 19 of BNP, 22 of AL and 20 others – had earlier faced murder charges.
The analysis found that 18 of the candidates – 5 of BNO, 4 of Al and 9 others – did not mention their educational qualification in their nomination papers submitted to the Election Commission.
It found that 126 mayoral candidates – 29 of AL, 27 of BNP and 70 others – had master’s degree, 215 candidates – 61 of AL, 56 of BNP and 98 others – had bachelor’s degree, 198 candidates – 57 of AL, 53 of BNP and 88 other – passed high secondary certificate exams, 123 candidates – 30 of AL 25 of BNP and 68 other – passed secondary school certificate exams, and 224 candidates – 40 of AL, 40 of BNP and 144 others – did not cross the secondary level.
Badiul Alam expressed concern over the increasing number of businessmen in the election race as 652 – 165 of AL, 163 of BNP and 325 others – of the 904 mayoral candidates were businessmen.
The analysis found that 8 mayoral candidates – 5 of AL 2 of BNP and 1 other – earned more than Tk 1 crore a year, while 174 candidates – 25 of Al, 26 of BNP and 123 others – earned less than Tk 2 lakh a year.
It found that 146 mayoral candidates had bank loans and 9 of them – 3 of AL 4 of BNP and 2 others – had borrowed more than Tk 5 crore each.
It, however, found that although four BNP candidates had borrowed more than Tk 5 crore only two of them had wealth of more than Tk 5 crore.
According to the analysis, 175 of the mayoral candidates are not tax payers.
Releasing the report, its secretary Badiul Alam Majumder criticised political parties for nominating people having criminal records for the mayoral polls.
Badiul Alam doubted if the commission could hold free and fair municipal polls and alleged that the commission was seen to remain silent on several incidents of irregularities and violation of the electoral code of conduct.
Among others Sujan coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker, executive members Hamida Hossain and rights activist Rezwana Siddique were present.
Source: New Age
