Gerrymandering?
Well, one fine morning, Thursday, May 1, 2008 through the daily Prothom Alo, we came to know out of the blue that one hundred and thirty-three constituencies had been reformed. We understand a constituency can be changed for many reasons. There may be rationale for administrative account or may be for transportation or agricultural block development or anything else which are beyond the discernment of general people like me. But one thing comes to my mind that the Election Commission has just finished their pre-discussion meetings with different political parties, and arguably they got the opportunity to share their idea about constituency reformation. If they shared their views regarding this reformation there should be no objection from the political parties, while they publicly published it. But we know the situation is completely different as just after the publication of the new constituency definition, the Awami League, a large political party, rejected the new constituency reformation. Some other parties also raised objections. Now the question arises as to why the Awami League does not agree with the reformation. Do they find it some kind of gerrymandering? If so, gerrymandering for whose benefit and against whom? Why the EC is silent?
They should explain the rationale behind the reformation. We have the right to know. If they can prove they are right the general people will be with them, and if they cannot the people will not accept any imposed idea with some ulterior motive to manipulate the national election of 2008, which we view as a gateway to true democracy.
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