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Betrayed again

16 July 2004, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By AFM Salimullah, Nayatola, Bara Magbazar, Dhaka
16 July 2004, 18:00 PM
The whole nation was stunned at the fashion the by-election in Dhaka 10 seat was held on 1 July.Dhaka residents like me read in the newspapers about the rigging wrought in Magura by-election in 1995, but this time we saw it for ourselves the wonders of rigging, and the following day coverage in all the leading dailies that gave graphic accounts of the coercion, fraudulence resorted to by the cadres and activists of the party in power and dereliction of the election officials were enough to obfuscate fairness of an election. High Court order was flouted by keeping the army personnel away from the polling booth and the cadres made free use of their might and mettle. What a crime was it to buy and bring bus loads of people from far-off places to cast vote in different centres in favour of the government party candidate rendering the locals who were the genuine voters to cry in the wilderness? Such acts were reported to have been accomplished at the behest and presence of some MPs. Such was never ever seen before. The polling officials made no query of their identity! What a mockery in the so called democratic election!

A contestant for the election to the highest body of legislature who by virtue of the position becomes a dignitary and deserves to be so treated by officials of the Republic. But we were struck with surprise and sadness that the Bikalpa Dhara Candidate Major (Rtd) A. Mannan was humiliated (his clothes were torn off) by the rowdy elements of the party in power, and the police stood pat to enjoy the sight. Major Mannan's protests against fake polling were outright turned down even without caring a damn to look into the allegations. The print media's photo coverage of fake voting in many centres and election observers' unambiguous comment to that effect were the glaring examples of massive rigging, calling for cancellation of polling at those centres but the jet speed EC declared the govt. party candidate having won the fray. And the Gen. Secretary of the BNP claimed that the election was fair and free. We are saddened at the lies our leaders spew for the sake of wresting prestige, leaving aside their education, ethics and the trust we reposed in them.

Election authorities just acquiesced in what the government wished and the manipulated victory for the latter's candidate has sullied both the government and the EC. As a nation we are betrayed and blotted.

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