Returning officers promise to level the playing field for all city polls candidates

Returning officers for the three largest city corporations have promised to level the playing field for all contenders.

Moinul Hoque Chowdhurybdnews24.com
Published : 29 March 2015, 07:29 PM
Updated : 29 March 2015, 08:05 PM

The aspirants for Chittagong, and Dhaka North and Dhaka South City Corporation submitted their nomination papers on Sunday amid an anti-government movement of the BNP-led alliance.

The returning officers made the promise following back-to-back allegations from the aspirants backed the BNP and its allies and the ruling Awami League since the Election Commission announced the polls schedule.

Although the BNP is continuing its transport blockade, begun on Jan 5, and the shutdowns, which it started to enforce from the beginning of February, to push for a snap election, some leaders of the party are also running for mayor in the city corporations.

After submitting the nomination papers at the offices on Sunday, some aspirants and representatives of several others in Dhaka and Chittagong alleged that the EC was yet to create equal opportunities for all runners.

BNP leader Abdul Awal Mintoo’s sons Tafsir Mohammed Awal and Tajwar Mohammed Awal submitted his nomination form for Dhaka North mayoral election.

Tafsir later told reporters they hoped the EC would create an election-friendly environment.

He said his father running the race would depend on the environment.

DNCC Returning Officer Md Shah Alam told reporters, “All measures will be taken to enforce the electoral code of conduct… to level the playing field.”

He mentioned that a mayoral aspirant was fined Tk 20,000 on Sunday for breaching the code.

“We’ll strictly follow the code of conduct. The treatment will be same for everyone. There is no heavyweight or lightweight contenders.”

“Everyone is same in the eye of the Election Commission,” Alam said.

After filing the nomination papers for her husband earlier in the day, BNP leader Abdus Salam’s wife Fatema Salam told reporters that the current environment was election-friendly.

“But we hope it will take immediate measures to ensure a fair environment and level playing field for contenders from all sides,” she said.

Salam hopes to receive support from his party in the run for mayor of Dhaka South.

DSCC Returning Officer Mihir Sarwar Morshed also echoed his colleague’s remarks.

He said they will form several monitoring teams.

Sunday was the last day to submit the nomination forms in both Dhaka and Chittagong.

The nomination papers will be screened on Apr 1 and 2. A candidate will be able to withdraw his papers until Apr 9.

The elections at the three city corporations are slated for Apr 28.

BNP leaders in Chittagong allege that the Awami League-supported mayor aspirant AJM Nasir Uddin has violated the electoral rules.

Chittagong City Corporation election Returning Officer Abdul Baten also assured journalists when approached that they will ‘treat’ all candidates equally.

“The aspirants have submitted the nomination forms. Now they will have to follow our (the EC’s) rules.”

The Election Commission in a media statement said the candidates will not be allowed to start campaigning 21 days before the voting. That means they will have to start campaigning from Apr 7.

EC officials said the candidates can hold rallies and meetings following the rules after they get their electoral symbols on Apr 9.

1,833 candidates in total

EC Secretariat’s spokesperson SM Asaduzzaman said altogether 1,833 aspirants submitted nomination papers to run for the posts of mayor, ward councillors and reserved ward female councillors in three city corporations.

Nearly 3,300 had collected the forms.

Twenty-six people submitted nominations for Dhaka South mayor, 632 for councillors and 153 for reserved wards.

In Dhaka North, 21 people joined the mayoral fray while 494 submitted nominations for councillors and 135 for reserved wards.

In Chittagong, 13 aspirants filed nominations for election to the office of mayor, 288 for councillor and 71 others for reserved ward.

The Awami League and Jatiya Party have announced their support for one candidate in each city corporation.

The Chittagong City BNP unit has thrown its weight behind one candidate, but the party is yet to officially back anyone in Dhaka’s city corporations.

There are, however, several BNP leaders who have already submitted nominations to contend in Dhaka North and South with the hope of winning party support.

A total of 60 aspirants, including those of CPB, JaSaD, BaSaD, Ganasanghati Andalon, BNF and some other organisations and independent ones, are hoping to battle it out for the mayor’s office in the three civic bodies.