The Transparency Inter-national Bangladesh (TIB) expressed its grave concern over the failure of the Election Commission in holding fair and peaceful city corporation polls by preventing unethical obstacles to election monitoring by journalists and foreign observers and creating a level-playing field.
In a statement issued Wednesday by TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman, the elections in three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong were marked by unprecedented manipulation, violence and conflicts. Voters were barred from casting votes alongside the failure of the law enforcers in playing their roles, it added.
The TIB, on the other hand, indicated the controversial boycott of the polls in the mid way through election created risks for establishing a proper environment in the field of politics.
In this context, the TIB called upon all the political parties to exercise restraint and remain enduring and respectful to the democratic practices.
Mr Iftekharuzzaman said the recently completed three city corporation polls had come under questions due to widespread irregularities under the political shelter and the use of muscle power.
"We are deeply frustrated at the failure of a constitutional institution like Election Commission (EC) which could not enforce law and play a neutral role," said Mr Iftekharuzzaman.
He said despite credible information and proofs of vote manipulation, the EC resorted to lies and denial instead of taking actions. The EC not only failed in dispensing its duties but also dented the people's confidence with the partisan attitude towards political parties, he added.
Mr Iftekharuzzaman alleged that the law enforcers not only failed by remaining inactive onlookers instead of helping the voters in casting their votes by creating a sound environment through taking steps against muscle power and preventing violation of law, but also put its role to question by acting as the political weapons.
"The force has damaged its image by creating obstacles to the media personnel in dispensing their duties and failing to provide adequate support to the local and foreign election observers by showing excuse of instruction from the top level," he said.
This kind of failure of the EC and the law enforcers curtailed the people's voting rights and both the organisations embarrassed themselves locally and internationally, Mr Iftekharuzzaman added.
On the other hand, different political parties created an alarming situation by controversially boycotting the non-partisan elections, for which new risks had been created in establishment of a healthy political environment.
Mr Iftekharuzzaman expressed apprehension that a new risk of a conflicting political situation had been created again in Bangladesh over the controversial three city corporation elections of Tuesday.
Msshova@gamil.com
