'People's participation a must for free, fair elections'

"Amid reports of wholesale politicisation of administration, destruction of supreme institutions, and oppression on ethnic and religious minorities, people now hold different views whether it will be wiser to go for election," said Professor Khan Sarwar Murshid.

While speaking as chair at the discussion styled 'Politicisation of administration, judicial service and Election Commission hinders the process of holding a free and fair election' at Cirdap auditorium in the city, he said if people follow the model of Chittagong mayoral election, the attempt to snatch away the democratic rights can be thwarted.

Terming the situation utterly depressive and disturbing, he said the blockade or counter-blockade are not the means to forge a battle, rather vigil will have to maintained on the activities of all government officials to protect people's rights to franchise.

Proshika Chairman Dr Kazi Faruq Ahmed stressed people's participation at the election process 'since favoured election officers, assistant returning officers and returning officers can do intentional mistakes during tabulation, compilation or the announcement of result'.

With at least 23 partisan deputy commissioners as shown by a Proshika study and 252 election officers having political affiliation as shown by another report of Sammilita Nagorik Andolon, Dr Faruq apprehended that there may be a ' media coup.'

The study of Sammilita Nagorik Andolon, presented by the keynote speaker Waliur Rahman, former ambassador, showed that rejecting the annual confidential report (ACR), 70 secretaries, 200 additional secretaries, 450 joint secretaries and 800 deputy secretaries were promoted on the basis of their political affiliation.

Besides, 499 assistant superintendents of police (ASP), 1822 sub-inspectors (SIs), 268 sergeants and 24270 constables were appointed during the tenure of four-party alliance, and there are another 263 SIs, 118 sergeants and 406 constables, who are politically biased, are now in the pipeline for appointment.

Citing the names of Ekramul Haque, a charge-sheeted offender in Rakesh Biswas Abduction Case, Mizanur Rahman, an accused in Ramna Bomb Blast Case, and Masud Rana, a JMB cadre, Waliur explained how the police administration was tainted by them.

Professor Zillur Rahman Siddiqui said the unwillingness of Election Commissioner SM Zakaria to go on leave with the strong support from the four-party alliance proves his incompetence.

JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu blamed the President for destroying the structure of caretaker government, the Chief Justice for tainting the image of judiciary and the chief election commissioner on leave for shattering the election commission.

Clarifying the aim of Sammilita Nagorik Andolon, Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, steering committee member of the movement, said they are not insisting on involving the leaders of Awami League or Communist Party in supreme administrative and judicial bodies, but want to depoliticising them.

Eminent litterateur Shariar Kabir called for ensuring an environment so that the minorities can cast their votes freely and have the protection during post-election violence.

"Please keep vigil on 35 European Union funded NGOs for election observation as 20 of them are leant to be pro-BNP-Jamaat coalition keeping Proshika out of the whole process," he added.

Muktijoddha Kendrio Command Council President Principal Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Secretary Golam Quddus and Nari Sangram Committee Convener Shirin Akhtar also spoke on the occasion.