The same report of the newspapers, that remain uncontradicted as yet, gives out that of the 150 appointees from the JCD cadres, 80 come from the JCD activists of the Dhaka University alone and the rest from Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jahangirnagar Universities as well as Agriculture University in Mymensingh, Islamic University in Khulna and from other colleges of different districts.

From Bogra alone, despite being a mofassil district, 15 UEOs have come up allegedly in consideration of the privilege it enjoys to be the district of founder President of the BNP late Ziaur Rahman and his successor the Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. In the same vein Leader of the Opposition's district is alleged to be penalised with none coming into the list of UEOs.

It is further reported that the controversial appointment list of UEOs may have contained more names, loyal to the coalition government, than those 150.

Reportedly, out of 328 selected for appointment as UEOs, 28 were dropped on police verification. It is alleged that they were victimised on being suspected of their loyalty to the existing government.

In sheer haste all the appointees were asked to join their respective posts by September 25, according to an Election Commission notification.

Next followed the usual game of ignorance, denial and justification from the government officials and ruling party leaders. When asked about the appointment of the JCD activists as UEOs, one Election Commissioner Mr A K Mohammad Ali said that if it really happened then it was a matter of concern. He further told that the Election Commission (EC) had no responsibility in this matter. The PSC was to testify to the eligibility of the candidates and the police was to verify if the candidates had any political identity (the Prothom Alo of Sept 21).

Another Election Commissioner Mr. M M Munif Ali told that the appointments were made by the PSC, they had no information on this matter in their hand, hence they should not make any comment (ibid of Sept 21).

Answering a press query the CEC Justice M A Aziz was overenthusiastic to certify the process of the PSC to recruit UEOs and he over-smartly asserted, in advance, if a UEO failed in his job, action would follow. The government may arguably feel happy that their choice for CEC did not fall on a wrong person.

One top JCD leader said that the JCD was composed of young, talented students bound to fare well in examinations. It was not anyway unusual if 50 percent of the total appointees came out from this cadre. He continued, a greater percentage should have come out from them.

If there were any fault that obstructed the access of greater percentage of JCD activists to the appointment of UEOs, it was with the scheming of five top JCD leaders, present and past, reported to have jointly prepared the list of their nominees for recruitment as UEOs, duly endorsed by the Hawa Bhaban, reported to be the alternative power base. It is these five top leaders of the JCD who alone could say why they did not send a fatter list containing more names recommending for appointment to that post.

The chief opposition AL with leftist political parties clamoured for appointing CEC on the basis of a consensus among the political parties. The government totally ignored their claim and appointed Justice M A Aziz as CEC on government's own choice.

The new CEC expressed the optimism that he would be accepted by all political parties and would justify his neutrality by his acts and deeds.

Soon after assuming the office the CEC jumped upon an unnecessary exercise of holding a dialogue with all political parties. The main opposition AL and other leftist parties boycotted the dialogue. The CEC remarked that their non-participation had not affected the purpose of the dialogue, though the people could not understand what the EC achieved by conferring with over several scores of political parties mostly existing in name and letterhead only.

As and when the newly recruited UEOs will start working, particularly in the field preparing new voters lists or updating the old ones, people may experience the might and manoeuvring of the ruling cadre UEOs who will be difficult to be restrained by their controlling officers from doing fictitious jobs and harmful excesses.

To detect a crime the investigators' first problem is to find out the clues following which they can reach the truth. Here in this case of alleged fabricated appointment of UEOs, abundant clues remain bare inviting an investigator, if any, to link them up into making a complete thriller exposing the network of perpetrators literally sunk under government favour and indulgence.

The main opposition with 14-party alliance observed that when they were demanding specific reforms in the rules, regulations governing the caretaker government (CTG) and Election Commission to make them work more free, fair, neutral and transparent, the government by appointing the JCD activists as UEOs had proved once again that the opposition were not wrong to express concern over how far it was safe for the coming parliamentary polls to be held free, fair, transparent under the prevalent conditions.

Make no mistake that the BNP as a political party is a class by itself that does not bother about to hide its questionable acts to reach out to its political agenda of retaining power by hook or by crook. Maybe the BNP is prone to doing too excessively and too rashly to allow a lid on them. Allegedly the BNP has already politicised the key post of the Chief Adviser of the caretaker government (CTG) by extending the retiring age of the judges. Many other important sects of the government have been blatantly yoked to the BNP's politicisation mechanism.

The newly appointed CEC has already proved his fealty to the BNP. Inducting 150 JCD activists as UEOs is only a tiny cog in the giant wheel of the election machination machinery now being speedily trimmed to render it to be tip-top.

The AL with 14-party alliance have declared that if the government does not admit of their proposal for reforms in the existing structures and systems of the CTG and the EC, they would launch all out movement bringing people on their side to oust the coalition government to realise their demand. Till now the threat does not promise any close to be fruitful.

Taking too much medicines sometimes damages health. Likewise injecting excessive parochial steroids into the body politic without considering relevant factors may ruin the state. What a disaster will befall the nation if drunk with power the present coalition government led by the BNP misses this blatant truth.

A R Shamsul Islam is retired Principal, Govt Mohila College, Pabna