Clean candidates for the election

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There is now some awareness among people about how important it is to nominate honest and capable candidates for the coming national elections. But not many people are yet absolutely against business as usual after the elections. They have to be made keen to have persons of integrity, high calibre and competence to become their representatives and lawmakers through the election process.
It has become clear how the people of the country were again and again getting cheated in all fields from corrupt governance. Bangladeshis love democracy and they have been making great sacrifices for it. But this quest for democracy must not end with only creating conditions for free and fair holding of the election by bringing about changes in the Election Commission which is to oversee and conduct every phase of the election process.
It will only make sense when the people not only win their rights to franchise in a free and fair polls but also are enthused for casting their votes to select reasonably clean persons compared to those of the past. They should be inspired to elect only those who may be relied on to govern the country in the best public interest and who would not misuse their powers or indulge in corruption.
Free and fair elections cannot be an end in itself. It must lead to selection of men and women of high integrity and abilities to work for the public good to make meaningful changes from what have happened in the country in the past.

Amin Ahmed Chowdhury
New Eskaton,
Dhaka