Fewer running for city offices
The number of aspirants for the mayor and councillor posts in the two upcoming Dhaka city elections has seen a sharp fall compared to 2015.
Five years ago, 1,681 aspirants collected nominations forms to take part in the election, but this year it is 1,039.
This time, there are fewer contenders for all three posts -- mayor, general ward councillor and reserved woman ward councillor -- of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), shows Election Commission data.
Although the inclusion of new wards in DNCC and DSCC in 2017 added 48 new posts, the number of aspirants did not increase in relation to that.
Abdul Baten, DSCC returning officer, said this was the first time political parties were nominating mayoral candidates and they had also extended support to the ward councillor and reserved ward councillor posts. “It is a big reason for reduction of aspirants,” he said.
In the previous local government elections, political parties could not nominate candidates directly as per the rules. The rule, however, was lifted this time around.
Professor Nurul Amin Bepari of the political science department of Dhaka University, however, said, “It is a reflection of people turning away from elections. Since 2014, by and large, a true election is not taking place. Many consider taking part in the election to be a waste of money.”
He also said there was a lack of trust in the Election Commission (EC) and that many believed the ruling party manufactures electoral results.
According to the DNCC returning office, for the three posts in this year’s January 30 elections, 470 aspirants submitted their nominations -- seven
for mayor, 374 for 54 general ward councillors and 89 for 18 reserved women councillors.
650 aspirants had submitted nominations in 2015.
Of them 21 ran for mayor, 494 for 36 general ward councillors and 135 for 12 reserved women councillor positions.
On the other hand, the DSCC returning office saw 569 aspirants submit nominations for the Jan 30 election. Of them, seven are in the running for mayor, 460 for 75 general ward councillor and 102 for 25 reserved women councillor posts.
In 2015, 811 aspirants collected nominations. Of them 26 were for the mayoral post, 632 for 57 general ward councillor and 153 for 19 reserved women councillor posts.
Sources within the EC said the number of ward councillor candidates dropped significantly as Awami League and BNP, the two major political parties, announced their support for candidates well before the last date of nomination submissions.
According to EC statistics, although over 2,200 aspirant candidates collected nomination forms for the city polls, less than half of them, 1039, submitted those to the commission.
Nurul Amin Bepari said extending party support for the positions of ward councillor of city corporation or upazila parishads and other local government organs was a shift in the political scene.
“Earlier, many local government aspirants became successful in these elections due to their own personal qualities. People, irrespective of party affiliations, used to elect those candidates who stood beside them in tough time,” he said.
“But now the election has become political, so people will cast their vote based on party symbol,” he added.
BNP CANDIDATES BRING ALLEGATIONS
Ishraque Hossain , the BNP DSCC mayoral candidate, yesterday filed a written complaint with the returning officer alleging that BNP-supported candidates were being intimidated.
He also sought necessary steps be taken to stop arrest and intimidation of BNP-supported candidates in order to ensure a free and fair election.
He alleged that BNP supported councillor candidate Tajuddin Ahmed Taijul was arrested as part of the intimidation.
Tajuddin was arrested on Thursday in an old case filed against him for torching vehicles during the 2015 movement of BNP.
RO Abdul Baten said he had received the complaint and would take necessary steps after investigations.
Meanwhile, BNP mayoral candidate for DNCC Tabith Awal on the same day lodged a written complaint with returning office alleging that AL DNCC mayoral candidate Atiqul Islam breached electoral code of conduct.
Tabith alleged that Atiqul took part in the election campaign in Gulshan-1 area using loud speakers and setting up a stage.
He demanded exemplary punishment of Atiqul for breaching the electoral code of conduct.
According to the code of conduct, none will be allowed to carry out formal campaigning before allotment of the symbols.
Contacted, RO Abul Kashem said he had received the written complaint. “We will take actions in line with code of conduct after investigations,” he said.
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