1 February 2020, Sat, 11:09

Dhaka city polls ends with violence and irregularities

Secretary General urges to restore people’s voting rights, puts stress on all-out movement

blames EC for its subservient role and EVM complicacies

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General and former member of the Parliament Professor Mia Golam Porwar has issued the following statement on 1 February 2020 urging to stop the farce in the name of election and also to restore the voting rights of the people.

“The nation has witnessed another farcical election in Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporation election today. Even the chief election commissioner expressed his regret by saying that ‘We did not want to see such election.’

Today’s polls have been concluded amid capturing poll centers, expelling opposition backed candidate’s polling agents from the centers, rigging, irregularities, obstructing voters and unprecedented complicacies with undetectable finger prints. Different media have showcased the ‘wasteland’ type scenario of the polling centers which clearly substantiated that the people have totally lost the interest of casting votes. The countrymen have lost interest and charm about the election process due to severe irregularities and the subservient role of the election commission. For last 10 years, both the government and the election commission have been playing a hide and seek game with the people which have ruined people’s attraction towards election. Such a situation is not positive for the democracy at all.

The voters had assumed another one-sided election and as such they became refrained from casting votes. Practically, by avoiding the election process, the fellow countrymen have expressed their no-confidence about the government and its subservient election commission.

Jamaat-e-Islami have been raising voices for restoring democracy and people’s voting rights for years. The party also decided not to take part in this election assuming that election would never be fair and impartial under a political government. Jamaat’s assumption have been proved genuine and accurate once again.

Some ruling party leaders ridiculously claimed that, the people are not showing interest to cast votes as they are happy with the development activities of the government. If it is so, then the people of the developed countries would avoid the electoral process too. These statements are nothing but a mockery with the people.  

Under the circumstances, I am urging the election commission and the concerned authorities to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a free, fair and credible election. Besides, I am calling upon the countrymen and the opposition parties to launch a united movement to regain the voting rights of the people.”