Deaths, irregularities break past records: SHUJAN
The number of deaths and extent of irregularities in the ongoing union parishad (UP) elections have broken all previous records in Bangladesh, claimed Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (SHUJAN) yesterday.
At least 101 people have been killed in electoral violence since announcement of the UP election schedule in February, the civil society organisation said in a statement. Around 80 lives were lost in the 1988 UP poll violence, it said.
SHUJAN presented the figures at a press conference at the capital's Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
Election to 725 UPs was held on March 22 in the first phase, 639 UPs on March 31 in the second phase, 615 UPs on April 23 in the third phase, and 703 UPs on May 8 in the fourth phase.
The fifth phase, in which 733 UPs will go to polls, is slated for May 28 and the sixth phase (724 UPs) for June 4.
Reading out the statement, SHUJAN central coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker said partisan election, candidates' desperation for victory, and lax enforcement of laws by the Election Commission (EC) were the main reasons for the loss of the lives.
Major irregularities include "nomination trading", unopposed election of many AL men, large-scale stuffing of ballot boxes, intimidation of voters and rival candidates, involvement of polling officials in ballot stuffing, and forcing of voters to cast votes openly.
According to SHUJAN, at least 211 Awami League chairmen have been elected unopposed, while BNP has no candidates in around 554 UPs till the sixth phase.
“The culture of many aspirants being elected unopposed is alarming. It may render the overall electoral system ineffective,” the statement said.
The EC has failed to play a bold and impartial role, while the government did not cooperate properly to hold the polls in a free and fair manner, it said.
Of around 2,600 UPs that went to polls in the four phases, AL chairman candidates won in 1,799 UPs, BNP in 238 UPs, Jatiya Party in 32 UPs, and independent candidates in 521 UPs. The rest come from other parties.
Of the newly elected chairmen, only 17 are women, it said.
Addressing the conference, SHUJAN Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said fair elections were not possible under the incumbent EC, and new faces were needed in the commission.
Columnist Syed Abul Moksud termed the polls "an election of deaths" as many people were killed.
Meanwhile, Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee yesterday demanded EC's effective steps to prevent attacks on minorities during polls, deployment of army in vulnerable zones, if necessary, and arresting listed criminals ahead of the polls.
A four-member delegation of the committee visited the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) at the EC secretariat and conveyed their demands.
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