Against the backdrop of the bloodcurdling seven plus four abduction and ghastly murders on April 27 sending a panic wave across Bangladesh; confessional statements before a Narayanganj court under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code by sacked commanding officer of RAB -11 Lt Col (retd) Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, as well as Lt Commander (retd) M M Rana and Major (retd) Arif Hossain, also former RAB officials making a clean breast, the prime accused Nur Hossain pleading guilty to Kolkata police his involvement in the crime and the Osman Brothers factor, the Narayanganj by-poll result has gone in favour of one of the formidable Brothers, who enjoy PM Sheikh Hasina’s support and blessing.
Around 30 per cent polling centres in Narayangaj- 5 by-election witnessed huge fake votes, said Election Working Group (EWG), an alliance of 29 civil society organisations working for ensuring transparency and accountability in electoral process. Three days ahead of the by-poll, independent candidate in the Narayanganj-5 by-election, S M Akram, alleged that his opponent, Jatiya Party’s aspirant Selim Osman, had threatened to seize polling centres, however, Osman denied the allegation.
Sheikh Hasina practically made herself prime minister having selected 153 lawmakers of her party Awami League (AL) and another 147 MPs in a ridiculous and farcical polls [in which an insignificant number of voters turned out] since on 5 January 2014 an overwhelmingly large segment of the body politic rather spontaneously rejected the charade of an election-which had already been boycotted by the main opposition BNP-led alliance headed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
With his unique record of being a man of ‘words’, H M Ershad, frequently changing his stance like refusing to participate in Sheikh Hasina’s engineered general elections throughout 2013—-using extreme terms that if he did then people would spit on his face, allowing himself to be forcibly taken out of his residence at night by a contingent of RAB force who get him admitted to the Combined Military Hospital for involuntary treatment, political somersault again prior to the farcical sham general polls—-yet again staged a drama over selecting the party candidate for the Narayanganj-5 by polls.
Curiously, the latest flip flop of the former military dictator, Hasina’s reliable political partner since long, followed a closed-door meeting between him and Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman. [To refresh our memory, in the parliamentary elections of 1986, held under Martial Law, Awami League, led by Sheikha Hasina participated, while the largest political party of the second Parliament, Khaleda Zia, head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), remained firm in her decision to boycott the poll.]
News report said, the ruling Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman allegedly tried to intimidate an assistant superintendent of police in Narayanganj into letting fake votes be cast for his brother Selim Osman at the by-election. “I am Shamim Osman. Listen to me. Why bother listening to the superintendent? Only I can protect you,” ASP Bashir Uddin of Narayanganj claimed that Shamim had said this to him over the phone.
Bashir at Keodhala Govt Primary School polling centre said: “My police officers told me that former Madanpur union parishad chairman Abdus Salam was causing havoc in the voting centre by casting fake votes. So, I called Salam and told him to cast his vote only and leave.” Bashir told the media that Salam threatened policemen saying, “If you do not allow me to do what I want, none of you will be able to leave this place with your head.”
The ASP called in reinforcements in the form of Rab and BGB personnel after his superior instructed him to arrest Salam and his men. Bashir claimed that a few minutes after he called for reinforcements, he got a call from Shamim Osman.
“Osman said, “Why did you call them [his superior and reinforcements]? Please leave the centre. It will be 4:00pm soon [polls closing] and at least 70 to 80 per cent votes must be cast. Give him [Salam] a clearance to do what he wants’,” the ASP told the media.
“He verbally abused and threatened me when I refused to oblige,” Bashir said, adding that a general diary had been filed in this connection. Shamim denied the allegations before the media. “He [the ASP] is a very petty officer and I do not think I need to comment further on this,” the lawmaker told the press. [Vide Daily Star, June 27, 2014]
Comfortably vacationing abroad throughout the entire general polls time in January 2014, Chief Election Commissioner said, “Action will be taken as per investigation.” It may, in all probability, be an exercise in futility, to wait and see what action by the EC is taken against Shamim Osman.
The Osman family won the Narayanganj-5 by-polls amid allegations of widespread intimidation of voters, as reported by the Daily Star in its news story headlined “Selim Osman wins, Narayanganj loses”. Selim Osman, the candidate of the main opposition Jatiya Party and brother of ruling Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman, beat independent candidate S M Akram by 16,742 votes in the by-poll that saw a low turnout.
Black will take no other hue, so goes an adage. Acquired or innate trait cannot be dispensed with, more so when it is nourished through patronage from the supreme political power house.
Source: Weekly Holiday
