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Criminals' dominance rising in politics

Observes SHU JAN; reveals 25 out of 465 new upazila chairmen face murder cases

Staff Correspondent
The dominance of criminals in politics shows a rising trend, representing threat to the country's democracy and rule of law, Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (SHUJAN) said yesterday while revealing the affidavit information of 465 newly elected upazila chairmen.
On one hand, the tendency among criminals to become politicians has sharply increased; on the other, the tendency among political leaders to go for criminality has also marked a rise, said SHUJAN officials, addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
"Nowadays, political leaders are taking criminals and miscreants in the party for retaining their power. Taking this advantage, the criminals are coming in the frontline of political leadership,” said DrTofail Ahmed, a local government expert and executive member of SHUJAN.
People, parliament, local government bodies and everything else are in the grip of "criminal leadership", which is alarming, he added. He said miscreants were amassing fortune through tender manipulation, drug trade and shady land business, and putting the money in politics.
Tofail stressed the need for proper scrutiny of the aspiring candidates’ affidavits before elections.
SHUJAN Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said criminals and musclemen were winning in local government and national elections; people could not expect rule of law from them.
Replying to a query on the AntiCorruption Commission chiefs remarks on Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Majumdar said, “It is not acceptable in any way. He works in a statutory body. He can't give threat to harass anyone."
ACC Commissioner Md Shahabuddin
Criminals' dominance
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on Wednesday questioned the transparency of TIB's activities in spending foreign funds.
The SHUJAN report on the 465 upazila chairmen-elect shows that 133 are accused in different cases, while 25 face murder cases. Some 228 chairmen are businessmen.
At least 265 chairmen have completed graduation, while 59 could not complete secondary level education. About 103 chairmen's wealth exceeds Tk 1 crore.
SHUJAN thinks the influence of political parties and spinelessness of the EC are the main reasons for violence, irregularities, and ballot boxes stuffing in upazila elections. It demanded reconstitution of the EC for holding free, fair and neutral elections in future.