Borrowers dominate CCC polls
Saturday, 5 June 2010
A large number of candidates contesting in the upcoming Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) polls are borrowers.
Of them, two out of eight mayoral candidates have an outstanding loan of over Tk 100 million (10 crore), while a total of 59 general councillor candidates owe money to the banks; ten of the counciler candidates owe between Tk 10 million and Tk 100 million, reports bdnews24.com.
Of the general candidates, each of ten general councillor candidates each have a loan amounting up to Tk 100 million from Tk 10 million.
Sushashoner Janya Nagorik (Citizens for Good Governance), a citizen's watchdog, revealed the findings at a news conference held at the city's Dhaka Reporters' Unity office Friday.
"We hope to build voters education culture through these kinds of effort," Sujon President Prof Muzaffar Ahmed said.
Sujon, however, did not make any evaluation, on which Ahmed said, "Voters will evaluate this, not us."
The advocacy group also revealed that only half of the eight mayor candidates pay income tax.
Ruling Awami League-backed ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury pays Tk 10,900 while main opposition BNP-backed M Manzur Alam pays the highest, about Tk 13,000.
In terms of the candidates' assets, it revealed that two mayor candidates and five councilor candidates were billionaires.
Sujon found that five mayoral candidates and 189 councillor candidates were businessmen.
However, 54.23 per cent among female councillor candidates are housewives.
Shujon Vice President Hafizuddin Khan and Columnist Syed Abul Maksud, among others, were present at the press conference.
Of them, two out of eight mayoral candidates have an outstanding loan of over Tk 100 million (10 crore), while a total of 59 general councillor candidates owe money to the banks; ten of the counciler candidates owe between Tk 10 million and Tk 100 million, reports bdnews24.com.
Of the general candidates, each of ten general councillor candidates each have a loan amounting up to Tk 100 million from Tk 10 million.
Sushashoner Janya Nagorik (Citizens for Good Governance), a citizen's watchdog, revealed the findings at a news conference held at the city's Dhaka Reporters' Unity office Friday.
"We hope to build voters education culture through these kinds of effort," Sujon President Prof Muzaffar Ahmed said.
Sujon, however, did not make any evaluation, on which Ahmed said, "Voters will evaluate this, not us."
The advocacy group also revealed that only half of the eight mayor candidates pay income tax.
Ruling Awami League-backed ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury pays Tk 10,900 while main opposition BNP-backed M Manzur Alam pays the highest, about Tk 13,000.
In terms of the candidates' assets, it revealed that two mayor candidates and five councilor candidates were billionaires.
Sujon found that five mayoral candidates and 189 councillor candidates were businessmen.
However, 54.23 per cent among female councillor candidates are housewives.
Shujon Vice President Hafizuddin Khan and Columnist Syed Abul Maksud, among others, were present at the press conference.