40 noted citizens demand scrapping of polls schedule
Forty eminent citizens have demanded cancellation of the polls schedule and dissolution of parliament in the third week of January to pave the way for a free, fair, and competitive election.
In a joint statement yesterday, they urged the government and the Election Commission to hold an election within 90 days after dissolving parliament. They also stressed the need for creating scope for all political parties to participate in the election.
"We are observing with grave concern that the government and the Election Commission have taken measures to arrange a one-sided election on January 7 as per the polls schedule," reads the statement.
It said the opposition leaders and activists have been forced to keep from the electoral race and politicsby filing cases indiscriminately, mass arrests, torture and handing down jail sentences in a "controversial process".
The statement said the upcoming election is going to be contested by the ruling party nominees, their dummy candidates and the aspirants from their allies. As a result, the citizens will be deprived of their right to elect their representatives according to their choice.
"From the experiences of the two previous elections, we have seen that such a controlled election weakens the government's accountability, makes the state organisations more subservient, breaks economic management, and makes the rule of law a far cry," it added.
The eminent citizens said if steps are taken to conduct a free, fair, and competitive election, there will be enough time for holding dialogues with the opposition parties on the election-time government, releasing or granting bail to opposition leaders, and holding a free, fair, and competitive election through announcing a fresh schedule.
The signatories to the statement include M Hafizuddin Khan, former adviser to a caretaker government; Md Abdul Motin, retired justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court; Salehuddin Ahmed, former governor of Bangladesh Bank; M Sakhawat Hossain, former election commissioner; Anu Muhammad, former professor of Jahangirnagar University; Hameeda Hossain, human rights activist; and Asif Nazrul, professor of Dhaka University.
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