Awami League Presidium member Obaidul Quader is worried about ‘the uncontrolled expenditure’ in Dhaka and Chittagong city elections.
Published : 17 Apr 2015, 09:49 PM
“Money spent in these elections is uncontrolled. The trend, if not checked, will invite trouble in future,” he said while speaking to journalists at Chittagong Press Club on Friday.
Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said: “Honest and competent people will lose interest in elections in near future if excess expenditure cannot be controlled.”
The Election Commission has set a Tk 5 million expenditure ceiling for a mayoral candidate in Dhaka North City Corporation.
The ceiling is Tk 3 million for a mayoral aspirant in Dhaka South and Chittagong city corporations.
The minister also talked about ‘disparity’ in different strata of society.
“Disparity has been there everywhere in society including politics and legal profession,” he said.
He urged all to unite against ‘religious fanaticism and poverty’ removing disparities.
‘No reason to deploy troops’
Quader disagreed with the BNP’s demand for deployment of troops during the city polls.
“Army deployment was not necessary in the past for fair elections. I it will not be required this time as well,” he said.
The minister said the government would cooperate with the Election Commission to hold the polls in a free and fair manner.
The BNP has been demanding deployment of troops claiming that ‘a level playing field’ has not been created.