8 lawmakers facing murder charges

At least eight incumbent lawmakers are accused of murders and 23 of their colleagues accused in other criminal cases, claims Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (Shujan).
The House witnesses a dominance of businesspersons with half of the lawmakers representing them, according to a report of Shujan, a civil society organisation working for establishing good governance.
The report, which was prepared on the basis of affidavits of the lawmakers submitted before the January 5 national polls, was revealed at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday.
"As in previous years, businesspersons and wealthy people have got a priority in the selection of candidates in this election," says the report.
The report, however, does not identify the businesspersons or the accused among the lawmakers.
Asked for the names, Shujan officials said they had prepared the report using a piece of software, which only showed the numbers.
On educational qualifications, the report says 275 of the 350 lawmakers have graduated and only 15 did not pass the secondary level.
The annual income of 55 lawmakers is above Tk 1 crore, while 17 earn less than Tk 2 lakh a year. At least 226 lawmakers and their relatives own property worth more than Tk 1 crore, it adds.
Besides, 258 lawmakers pay taxes regularly and 31 of them pay more than Tk 10 lakh, says the report.
Terming the January 5 national polls 'unacceptable', Shujan once again demanded an immediate parliamentary election in the participation of all political parties.
It also emphasised the formulation of a 'National Charter' in consensus of all political parties aiming at a permanent solution to ending the political deadlock.
The charter would clearly outline the poll-time government system and its duty between pre-election and post-election periods, the organisation added.
On the role of the Election Commission in the recent upazilas elections, the report says the EC had failed to ensure free and fair elections, which were marked by widespread violence, vote rigging, ballot box stuffing and other irregularities.
The EC does not have enough psychological integrity, professional efficiency and quality to work honestly and impartially, Shujan claims.
It also strongly criticised Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad's recent comment that the EC would not take the responsibility of violence occurring in the upazila polls and the same would have occurred had he been in the country.
The commission should be reconstituted in order to hold free and fair elections in future, Shujan demanded.
Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, executive member Ali Imam Majumder and local government expert Prof Tofail Ahmed, among others, spoke on the occasion.