Fair election possible under political govt: SQ Chy
Monday, 21 June 2010
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, Jun 20: Influential BNP leader and lawmaker Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury has said a fair election is possible under any political government if it intends so.
"Political government is not a problem if the elections are held fairly. A successful election can be conducted if the Election Commission (EC) wants. It has been proved through this election," Chowdhury said.
He was giving his reaction to the June 17 election of Chittagong City Corporation at his Good's Hill residence in the city Sunday.
The controversial BNP leader was detained for about five hours by metropolitan police the night before the CCC polls for his statement about the list of voters.
Opposition BNP-backed mayoral candidate Md Manjur Alam defeated ruling party (Awami League)-backed ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury by about 0.1 million votes.
His comments came following the election results when the journalists asked him if a fair and impartial election was possible under a political government.
He, however, repeated his distrust in the existing election commissioners who, he said, were appointed by former chief of the army Moin U Ahmed. He said that he did never accept this EC.
"The EC has simply started the process of rectifying its past wrongdoings by conducting this election," SQ Chowdhury commented.
Expressing gratitude to the Chittagong city electorate for their support to Manjur Alam he said, "The government has failed to run the country in the last 18 months. That is what the people have signaled to the ruling party."
He observed the votes Mohiuddin Chowdhury has secured are absolutely his own, and not his party's, for which he thanked Mohiuddin.
Salahuddin said the election has brought a chance to turn Chittagong as a truly prosperous city. He expects that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will extend her full cooperation to the new mayor as she herself has shouldered the responsibility for its development.
CHITTAGONG, Jun 20: Influential BNP leader and lawmaker Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury has said a fair election is possible under any political government if it intends so.
"Political government is not a problem if the elections are held fairly. A successful election can be conducted if the Election Commission (EC) wants. It has been proved through this election," Chowdhury said.
He was giving his reaction to the June 17 election of Chittagong City Corporation at his Good's Hill residence in the city Sunday.
The controversial BNP leader was detained for about five hours by metropolitan police the night before the CCC polls for his statement about the list of voters.
Opposition BNP-backed mayoral candidate Md Manjur Alam defeated ruling party (Awami League)-backed ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury by about 0.1 million votes.
His comments came following the election results when the journalists asked him if a fair and impartial election was possible under a political government.
He, however, repeated his distrust in the existing election commissioners who, he said, were appointed by former chief of the army Moin U Ahmed. He said that he did never accept this EC.
"The EC has simply started the process of rectifying its past wrongdoings by conducting this election," SQ Chowdhury commented.
Expressing gratitude to the Chittagong city electorate for their support to Manjur Alam he said, "The government has failed to run the country in the last 18 months. That is what the people have signaled to the ruling party."
He observed the votes Mohiuddin Chowdhury has secured are absolutely his own, and not his party's, for which he thanked Mohiuddin.
Salahuddin said the election has brought a chance to turn Chittagong as a truly prosperous city. He expects that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will extend her full cooperation to the new mayor as she herself has shouldered the responsibility for its development.