SUJAN calls for congenial election atmosphere

Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) recommended on Saturday that the government ensure a congenial atmosphere so that candidates can participate in the upcoming election in three city corporations without fear and intimidation.  

"We are not against the city corporation elections. We want the government and the Election Commission (EC) to ensure a congenial atmosphere that will allow the candidates to contest the polls without fear and intimidation," Sujan secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumder told journalists at a press briefing at the Diploma Engineers Institution at Kakrail in the capital.  

He said the EC announced schedules for elections to Dhaka and Chittagong City Corporations hurriedly amid a tumultuous political situation to the anxieties of the people. 

He said that political violence like petrol bomb attacks and extrajudicial killings were going on. Many aspirant contestants were languishing in jail after arrest in different cases.

"So, in view of the present situation, many people believe that if the government waits for at least three weeks from the date of the election schedule in April, then it will help ease the present tumultuous political situation and create a comparatively favourable atmosphere for polls," Dr Majumder said.   

He urged the government to free the detained aspirants on bail and make sure no threat is issued to the leaders who are still on the run for the sake of fair elections.  

He called upon the EC to take initiatives so that the candidates aspiring for contesting election could make their affidavits within the stipulated time.  

Sujan chairman M Hafiz Uddin, assistant secretary Zakir Hossain and member Hamida Hossain, among others, were present.

    talhabinhabib@yahoo.com