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Criminalisation of politics still prevails

Shujan says in Aug 4 polls analysis

Staff Correspondent
Easy victory of the candidates, allegedly involved in corruption and crimes, in the August 4 local body polls proves that the country has not got rid of criminalisation of politics, said Shushashoner Janney Nagorik (Shujan).
Political parties are yet to act against criminalisation of politics while a 'feudal mentality' among voters still persists, said a report
prepared by Shujan on the basis of the recent city corporation and municipality polls.
The voters considers partisan loyalty not honesty or competency of a candidate while casting votes, said the report presented by Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder at the National Press Club yesterday.
Besides, voters were not provided with necessary information about the candidates in due time by the Election Commission (EC), which said it would be 'immoral' (o make Information about the candidates public before withdrawal of nomination.
"Moreover, many candidates gave false or incomplete information in their affidavits. But the EC has not taken any punitive measures against them," said Badiul Alam.
The EC, which was far too lenient with selection of nomination papers, did not take any step to cancel the nominations that had inconsistencies in information, he said.
All expected that honest and competent candidates would be elected in the future polLs following the January 11 ’changeover’. But sadly, the political parties did not hesitate to nominate candidates accused of crime and corruption, Badiul Al am said.
"But, we must not be frustrated. For the first time, it has been made mandatory that the candidates will provide their personal information in affidavits," he added.
The EC must crosscheck the information provided by the candidates and make those public in due time to give people the chance to make the right decision during the polls, said Shuian Chairman Prof Muzaffer Ahmad.
He said it is positive that a few new faces have been elected in the recent local body polls.
ASM Shahjahan, former adviser to a caretaker government, said the recent polls have proved that reform is not a matter of imposition, rather it should come from political parties themselves.
"Although many candidates provided false information, the EC did not cancel their candidature," he said.
Jatiya Party (JP) leader GM Quadcr said the political parties are yet to identify their faults.
The present government seems to be flexible about release of political leaders.
"But such actions will lead to criminalisation of politics again," he added.
Another JP leader Sheikh Shahidul Islam said no positive change is visible in political parties as the present government has confined political activities to indoors for a long time.
He also said the compromising attitude of the caretaker government will not help sustain reforms in future.
Former adviser to a caretaker government Hafizuddin Khan, Prof Di) ar a Chowdhury of Jahangimagar University and columnist Syed Abdul Maksud also spoke.