‘Violence would have occurred even if I had been there at home’
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Wednesday said the responsibility for the violence taken place during the recently-held staggered upazila elections in his absence does not go to the Election Commission.
The CEC made the remark at a press conference at the EC’s media centre while announcing election schedules for another 14 upazila parishads in the afternoon.
Replying to a query whether the commission will take the responsibility of violence and irregularities, the CEC said, “Why should we take the responsibility… had we not deployed the army, you could have said there was a lapse in our security measures. But, we’d taken the highest security measures!”
“If anyone hits the head of another with a stick, then what can we do? We’re unable to know about it beforehand. There had been violence as all were desperate to win the polls at any cost, even if people didn’t vote one. “It can’t be pinpointed whose responsibility it is,” an aggrieved CEC told the journalists.
Rakibuddin said the violence would have taken place during the upazila elections even if he had been there in the country.
The CEC, who appeared before the media for the first time after he joined the office following his return from the USA after a 42-day vacationing there, faced a volley of questions from the journalists about the polls violence and his absence at a time when the staggered local body polls were underway.
In reply to a query as to why the CEC went on vacation forgetting about his duty to arrange the crucial elections, Rakibuddin said, “It was my personal matter. I had my personal business apart from the official ones. But I’d taken steps in my absence.”
As his attention was drawn to the criticisms by both the ruling alliance and other political parties for his absence during the election, the CEC said, “It’s not necessary that political parties will wrap us with cotton wool all the time. They can criticise. There’s no problem.”
He said that he was in touch with his colleagues round the clock, and made phone calls to the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of Rab, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division.
About PM’s adviser HT Imam’s remarks that the CEC sought leave from the government saying that he got exhausted after holding the January-5 national election, the CEC said, “We need not to seek leave from anyone. There was a misunderstanding.”
Rakibuddin said his absence did not affect the arrangement of election as the EC had taken the unique security measures for all phases of the 4th uplazila elections earlier.
Sought comment over reported massive anomalies, polling station capture and stuffing ballots in the upazila elections, the CEC declined the large-scale election violence and anomalies saying, “It’s not true. There had been stray incidents. Magistrates who deployed in the election duties punished many offenders. They fined Tk 46 lakh and awarded jail to many offenders even woman.”
Explaining the violence in the upazila elections, Rakibuddin said the January-5 parliamentary election was held amid resistance and there had been violence. “In sequel to that, violence escalated in the upazila elections.”
He said the commission lodged a large number of cases in connection with the election violence and irregularities, but it takes time to dispose of the cases.
“The commission actions against the polls irregularities will be visible after three to six months,” he added.
The CEC along with his wife went to the United Stations on March 3 and joined his Election Commission Secretariat office on April 15, a day after he returned home.
In his absence, the elections in 245 upazila parishads were held amid violence and irregularities in the last three phases.
Source: UNB Connect
