Civil society platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) today slammed the Election Commission and claimed that the union parishad polls were “perverted”.

“The business of selling nomination has reached the grass roots,” Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shujon, told a press briefing. “The union parishad polls were perverted”.

“People are losing their trust on the electoral system, and as consequence the democratic culture is also on the verge of destruction,” he told journalists at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU).

Union parishad polls have begun in Bangladesh, the first phase of which was held through 752 union parishads on March 22. This was the first time such grass roots elections were held in party banners.

At least 12 people died so far in election violence. Election Commission said it was satisfied with the voting that had a turnout of over 70 percent. In majority places, candidates backed by ruling Awami League emerged victorious.

A significant level of violence and irregularities were observed in the elections. The Election Commission must shoulder this responsibility, the Shujan secretary said in the press briefing.

Reading out a written statement, Dilip Kumar Sarkar, an official at Shujan, claimed that the elections to the 752 union parishads held “cannot be termed fair under international standards”.

A fearful situation is prevailing following the violence in the elections, he said. This partisan local government elections will expand the scope for criminalised politics in the rural areas, he added. 

Shujan, an organisation monitoring good governance and the establishment of democracy, organised the briefing titled ‘The first phase of union parishad polls: Highlights and learning’. 

Parliamentary aspirants along with their supporters hit the campaign trail yesterday as electioneering formally kicked off soon after the candidates were allocated polls symbols.

The election fever is about to grip the nation some ten years after the last competitive general election held on December 29, 2008, contested by 1,567 candidates. The 2014 polls were widely condemned as “one sided”.

This time 1,841 candidates -- 1,745 from political parties and 96 independent -- are vying for 300 parliamentary seats, according to Election Commission sources.

The aspirants have until December 28 midnight for electioneering.   

Violating the electoral code of conduct, supporters of Awami League candidate for Dhaka-12 Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal campaign with coloured posters in New Eskaton area last night. The code prohibits use of coloured posters in electioneering. Photo: Amran Hossain

The Awami League, BNP and other parties have planned rallies in divisional and district headquarters and roadside meetings to drum up public support for their candidates in the December 30 election.

AL President Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate her party's mega and hectic campaign from Tungipara in Gopalganj tomorrow after paying tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his grave.

She will leave Dhaka tomorrow morning for Tungipara by road, said Jahangir Kabir Nanok, joint general secretary of the AL, at a press briefing at the party chief's Dhanmondi office yesterday.

The prime minister will address a rally in her own constituency in the morning and another rally at Kotalipara at noon. She will also tour different parts of the country as part of the electioneering, Nanok added.

AL sources said Hasina will not enjoy government privileges during the campaign.

Earlier in the day, BNP candidate for Dhaka-9 Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas distributed leaflets among voters in Shahjahanpur area. Photo: Amran Hossain

 After spending a couple of days in the capital for the Victory Day celebration and unveiling of the party's election manifesto, Hasina may visit Sylhet to offer prayers at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA).

The party is likely to launch the manifesto on December 18, insiders said.

“If she [Hasina] goes to Sylhet by air, she will return to Dhaka by road. On her way back, she will campaign in different important areas including Sunamganj, Habiganj and Mymensingh,” an AL leader said, wishing anonymity.

The party chief will finalise her tour plan soon, he added. 

Another AL leader said that after her Sylhet tour, Hasina along with her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy may visit Rangpur to carry out electioneering in the northern districts.

Her archrival, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, will not be present in campaigns for her party this time as she has been in jail since February 8 being convicted of corruption. Her bid to contest the polls from three constituencies was rejected by returning officers.

She also lost appeals with the Election Commission against rejection of her nomination papers by the ROs. The High Court held a long hearing on her writ petitions yesterday and will come up with its order today.

With the party chief behind bars, the BNP forged a new electoral alliance with Dr Kamal Hossain-led Gonoforum and some other parties in addition to the 20-party combine. 

The BNP has planned to carry out electioneering under the banner of Jatiya Oikyafront, the new alliance, and also the 20-party combine, sources in the party said.

The party has primarily divided the whole country into four zones with four Oikyafront leaders given the responsibility for one each. They will arrange rallies and coordinate campaigns in respective zones.

The Oikyafront may hold its first rally in Sylhet after offering prayers at the two shrines. The date may be finalised today, said sources in the alliance.

Dr Kamal Hossain may not be able to campaign across the country due to illness. He is likely to join in the rallies in divisional headquarters and in the capital.

Many senior leaders of the Oikyafront and BNP-led 20-party alliance may not be able to take part in countrywide tour as they will remain busy with their own electioneering.

Holding BNP's electoral symbol “sheaf of paddy”, Jatiya Oikyafront contender for Narayanganj-4 Mufti Monir Hossain Qashemi, centre, and his supporters march in procession in front of the deputy commissioner's office in Narayanganj city. Photo: Star

The situation is almost the same for the ruling AL-led grand alliance. Top leaders of the alliance may not carry out electioneering from a common stage in different parts of the country as almost all of them will remain busy with own campaign in their respective constituencies, sources said.

Leaders who are not running for the election will jointly work for the grand alliance candidates. 

Unlike the AL and the BNP, the Jatiya Party does not have any plan for formally launching its election campaign.

SM Foysal Chisty, a JP presidium member who is also contesting from Dhaka-11, said party Chairman HM Ershad will join their election campaign after his return to Dhaka from Singapore. 

The JP boss left for Singapore last night for medical check-up.

Foysal also said their party candidates have already started electioneering in their respective constituencies.

The Left Democratic Alliance, a combine of leftist parties, will start their electioneering by placing flowers at Central Shaheed Minar today. It will hold a brief rally there, said a press release yesterday.

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) today urged the Election Commission (EC) to take stern action against contestants of the next parliamentary elections if they provide false information in the affidavit.

Shujan also demanded action by the EC if any candidate conceals information in the affidavit.

Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar placed the demands at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium in the capital this afternoon.

In a written statement, Shujan urged to incorporate five additional provisions in the affidavit.

The five suggested provisions are: mentioning candidates’ age if he or she is a foreign national, detail on candidates’ source of income and dependents of the contestants’ source of income and mentioning whether the candidates are involved in business with the government. 

The civil body during the press conference strongly criticised a political party, without mentioning its name, for proposing the EC to scrap the provision of submitting affidavit by the candidates.

Citing that no political parties had kept all of their promises after assuming power in the previous election, Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) today urged the party, regardless of whoever wins, to fulfill their manifesto this time.

“All political parties come up with optimistic pledges in their manifestos but they become valueless if the elected government is unable to implement them,” Shujan General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said.

He was addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in Dhaka when he made the comments.   

Badiul Alam hoped that the presence of voters will be higher in this election than previous one as it is a participatory election.

Shujan, the civil society platform, compared the manifestos of different parties contesting the 11th parliamentary election.

Speaking at the programme, former adviser to a caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan expressed worry that the election will not be held in a free and fair manner as the activities of the Election Commission could not build the trust.

The election atmosphere is not positive till now but it might change as the army will be deployed from tomorrow across the country, he added.

WHEN ARMY WILL BE DEPLOYED?

Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, on December 13, said armed forces would be deployed in the country from December 24 as a “striking force”. The armed forces will carry out their duties till January 2.

WHAT IS THE ELECTION SCHEDULE?

As per the revised polls schedule, the 11th parliamentary election will be held on December 30.

The Election Commission had fixed November 28 as the deadline for filing nomination papers, December 2 for scrutiny and December 9 last date of withdrawal.