Election 2008

'A mandate against corruption, intimidation'

Cross-sections of people tell The Daily Star in Barisal, Patuakhali, Pirojpur

31 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Emran Hossain and Rafiqul Islam, from Barisal

The December 29 election was a mandate against corruption, militancy, intimidation and abuse of power in Barisal division, according to views expressed by cross-sections of people. People exercised their franchise freely as law and order was ensured. As a result, BNP-Jamaat alliance bagged only two seats out of 21 in Barisal division this time against 18 out of 23 in 2001 poll. Awami League won 16 seats, Jatiya Party two and BJP got one in the just concluded national election. “Union Parishad chairman and members were so powerful during last five years that they could do whatever they liked. So it was obvious that people would not vote for BNP this time,” said petty employee Mohammad Jalal, a voter in Patuakhali-1 constituency. Advocate Manabendra Batabayal, former president of Barisal District Bar Association and district convener of Conscious Citizen Committee of TIB, said corruption and bad governance caused defeat of four-party alliance in the district. Advocate Nazrul Islam Rajon, district BNP secretary, however, claimed that feuds in BNP and in the alliance and so many rebel candidates were the main reasons for their polls debacle. The most amazing polls result was in Pirojpur-1 constituency where a festive mood prevailed among voters, particularly minority community people, this time. All were united not to vote for alleged war criminal four-party alliance candidate Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Syedi. The issue of war criminals played a major role in voting, many people in the area told Daily Star correspondents. Another factor was that law and order was ensured and there was no intimidation, they said. Minority community people exercised their franchise without any fear, they said. Around 80 per cent votes were cast in the constituency. In last poll, they could cast their votes in many areas. Last year many of Hindu voters could not cast their vote in many areas under Some enthusiastic people even phoned Star correspondents fom remote Shuktagar union in Jhalakathi as they knew results of Jhalakathi-1 constituency. BNP men loyal to Shahjahan Omar, the then lawmaker in Jhalakathi-1, were responsible for corruption, misdeeds and harassment of political rivals and minority community people during 1996-2001, they said. Many people were prevented from voting in 2001 polls, they said. Another factor was new faces. Voters had a general tendency to vote young candidates having 'clean' images so far, rejecting former lawmakers having tainted backgrounds, many people said. Abdus Sukkur, a vegetable vender in Barisal-2 constituency (Barisal city) said he wanted a new candidate in his constituency as older ones 'failed to improve their condition'. “The earlier lawmaker, Shahidul Alam, became a lawmaker from a Union Parishad chairman in a short under protection of godfathers. He had forcibly occupied lands in char areas, looted paddy and was known as a dacoit”, said Shahidul of Patuakhali-1. “His defeat was certain”, he added. Many female voters said price hike of essentials was another reason behind BNP's defeat. Female voters are more than half of the total voters in the area. “A mother will not vote for the government during whose tenure she could not manage rice for her children once a day,” said Mohona, a voter in Jhalakathi. Begum Faizun Nahar, lecturer at Islamia College, said people elected grand alliance candidates with hope of controlling price of essentials, curbing corruption and terrorism. Mezbah Uddin Farhad of BNP in Barisal-4, Golam Kibria Tipu (Barisal-3) and advocate Talukdar Md. Yunus of AL in Barisal-1 were elected lawmakers for the first time in the district. Among former lawmakers and heavyweight candidates in Barisal district, Shahidul Huq Jamal and former whip Begum Selima Rahman lost the election.