'Use a UK Vote' launched

8 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

A campaign called 'Use a UK Vote' was launched in the country yesterday to influence the candidates in the general election of the United Kingdom scheduled for May 6. Give Your Vote - UK and the Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh (equitybd) jointly launched the campaign at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium. The campaign aims to pursue the UK politicians to change their policies that affect the Bangladeshi people with regard to different issues like climate change, migration, trade and workers, said the organisers. Mostafa Kamal Akanda of equitybd, Clemmie James of 'Give Your Vote - UK' and Atiqul Chowdhury of 'Use a UK Vote' were present at the press conference. Similar campaign was also launched in Afghanistan and Ghana. Clemmie James presented a paper on the campaign. 'Use a UK Vote' is a campaign for a more democratic world that offers Bangladeshis a chance to vote in the 2010 General UK elections. The campaign will see thousands of people in Bangladesh voting in the UK election. They will use votes donated by British citizens to decide which one of the UK's three major political parties - if any - get their support. UK participants will go to the voting booths on the day of elections and will cast their votes on behalf of individuals in the countries of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ghana in an act of solidarity and protest. 'Give Your Vote' is calling for politicians to be accountable to those their policies affect. Over the next 3 weeks Bangladeshis will be able to pose questions to UK political candidates via the website -- www.useaukvote.org. Depending on the answers from the politicians, they will decide who to vote for. The campaign will be conducted in different parts of the country, including island areas and universities.