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Local govt polls should be partisan

PM tells Sangsad

Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said local government elections should be held in a partisan manner and laws in this regard should be amended.
"The way national election is held and election campaign is conducted, the same way, I think, the local government polls should be held," she said
while replying to a lawmaker's query during the PM's question-answer session in parliament.
Hasina said current local government elections are nonpartisan in nature and there is no chance to give party nomination in the polls. But the results are counted in the name of a party.
Referring to local government elections held in the USA, the UK and India, the leader of the House said, "The lawmakers and I in parliament think the local government law needs to be amended so that elections to all local government level are held in a partisan manner and all political parties can give nominations in the elections." The PM said there should be accountability of an elected mayor or councillor. If there is party's control over them, they could be monitored by the party as to whether the elected person is implementing his or her commitments or working for the welfare of the people, added the premier.
The Awami League chief said although the elected person is known by party name, no measures can be taken if he or she commits a crime.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the local government polls should be held like the general election, saidHasina.
Replying to another query, the PM said ministers must not take part in election campaign under any circumstances.
“They must abide by the Election Commission's law," she said. There have been allegations that ministers were working for Awami League-backed may-oral candidates in Dhaka and Chittagong.
CITY POLLS WILL BE FAIR
Replying to a query, the PM said the Election Commission would hold the Dhaka and Chittagong city polls in a free, fair and neutral manner and the government would provide all assistance to this end.
She said the government would not interfere in the elections under any circumstance.
Referring to the BNP’s decision to take part in the elections, Hasina said good sense had prevailed upon the BNP as the party decided to back candidates in Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation elections due on April 28.
About level playing field, the PM said all opportunities are there for a free and fair election. The BNP, she said, has been using "level playing field" issue in order
to backtrack from the election race. "It is not understood what they are seeking in the name of level playing field.”
"I can say that the government won't interfere in the elections," she mentioned.
Hasina, also the president of the Awami League, said if the Election Commission seeks assistance from the government for holding a free and fair election, the government would provide that.
KHALEDA'S PROGRAMMES WILL DESTROY BNP
Replying to another query, the leader of the House said the government would forfeit the property of the BNP chief and distribute those among the affected people of the ongoing countrywide blockades and shutdowns, if the court gave a directive to this end.
She said if Khaleda did not surrender before the court, police would take necessary steps once the arrest warrant reached the police station.
Hasina said Khaleda's hartal and blockade programmes that entered 85th day yesterday would push BNP into extinction, and that would be the rationale consequences of her so-called movement.
The AL chief said the countrymen knew that there was no political movement except for subversive activities in the name of Khaleda's movement.
Khaleda Zia is unleashing terrorist and militant acts across the country the way terrorist and militant outfits conduct such acts across the world, she alleged.
Urging the countrymen to resist the subversive acts of the BNP-Jamaat nexus, the PM said there is no participation of the people in the BNP-Jamaat-led movement. She also asked the people to carry on with their usual works. "We're always with the people."