JP terms it farcical

The main opposition Jatiya Party yesterday termed the Union Parishad election farcical, while the Election Commission described some news reports and talk shows about the commission as misleading.

"The first and second phases of the Union Parishad elections were not free, fair and impartial, as voters' hopes and desires were not reflected in the election results," JP Co-Chairman GM Quader told a press conference at the party chief's Banani office.   

The party demanded re-votes in the UPs in question.

Asked whether JP will contest in the rest of the UP polls, Quader said the party would decide it after the end of the third phase UP elections scheduled for April 23.

He said around 10 JP men won in the UP chairman post in the first two phases, when election to 1,354 UPs was held. JP contested in around 350 UPs.

Quader said massive irregularities, violence and rigging had led to the party's bad results in the election.

Meanwhile, JP Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader informed the media that the party's national council would be held on May 14 instead of April 14.

He said around 50,000 people including the council delegates, guests, and JP men were likely to attend the council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh and a portion of Suhrawardy Udyan.

In the briefing, Quader said JP could not nominate its candidates in all UPs, as JP men in different unions expressed their unwillingness to contest, fearing reprisal by the Awami League men.

Besides, Quader said, JP chairman hopefuls in many UPs could not win due to the ruling party men's intimidation and muscle power. He added that JP's elected chairmen and leaders and activists came under attack in the post-election period. 

People have lost their interest in the election system after holding of such farcical polls, he said.

On Monday, GM Quader told the media that it was better if the UP chairmen's names were published in a gazette instead of holding such a "farcical election".

"People will lose their interest in the country's electoral system because of the way the local government elections are being held," he added.

EC'S CLAIM

In a statement, the EC said, "It has been noticed that misleading discussions over the Election Commission are going on in some newspapers and TV talk shows."

The EC came up with the statement when it is facing huge criticism from media, civil society, political parties, election experts, and a cross-section of people for widespread irregularities and violence in the recent UP polls.

Newspapers and television channels reported the irregularities, while TV talk shows discussed those.

Election to 725 UPs was held on March 22 in the first phase and 639 UPs on March 31 in the second phase.

Widespread violence and irregularities marked both phases, killing at least 33 people and injuring over a thousand, according to media reports.

The EC, however, claimed in its statement that it had taken all necessary measures to hold free and fair polls. It  also sought cooperation from all to hold the next phases of UP polls in a "more acceptable" manner.

The statement said the commission had suspended 11 cops and transferred three Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) and four officers-in-charge (OCs) for negligence in duties in the last two phases of polls.

Moreover, mobile courts jailed 12 persons and fined 130 persons over Tk 4 lakh for violation of the electoral code. Besides, a lawmaker was sued for violating electoral law. 

Voting to 102 polling stations was suspended for irregularities and violence, the EC claimed.

Election to 621 UPs is slated for April 23 in the third phase, 743 UPs on May 7 in the fourth phase and around 1,400 more UPs in two other phases till June.