Supporters of Nasir flout polls code of conduct again

Violating the electoral code of conduct, votes were sought, well outside the legally-set period, in favour of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) mayoral candidate AJM Nasir yesterday during an unrelated election to Chittagong Cooperative Housing Society in the port city.

Nasir was declared president of the society's managing committee. Such behaviour in the non-political society's election has cast aspersions over what would happen on April 28, when the CCC election is due to take place.

Campaigning is allowed only in the 21 days prior to the start of voting for the CCC elections.

All throughout the six-hour voting period till 4:00pm, hordes of his supporters, including two former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Chittagong University unit leaders, thronged Ankur Society Girls' High School in Chittagong city's Nasirabad Housing Society to campaign.

"...we took it as an opportunity to campaign for the city polls also," one of the campaigners told The Daily Star.

One of the former BCL leaders, Joynal Abedin, was by Nasir's side while the latter was greeting voters arriving at the polling centre.

"You know this is the time of CCC polls. Though this election is a different issue but the elite people of Chittagong who are the opinion leaders of the society are voters here," he said apparently justifying his actions over seeking votes for Nasir.

Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Senior Vice Chairman Ahsanul Hoque Chowdhury, who contested for a member post, termed it "a bad practice".

Despite repeated attempts to reach Nasir on his cellphone following end of voting, calls were not received at the other end.