Khalekuzzaman, General Secretary, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal : The Gazipur City Corporation election was not a fair one. There were vote riggings. Ahead of the elections, the Election Commissioner had assured us of that it will not be a repeat of the previously held Khulna city election. He pledged to take all necessary steps for free, fair and impartial polls. He said there would be no racketeering, but no effective measures were taken at all.
The Gazipur city polls were rigged very much the same way the Khulna polls experienced, with the tactics adopted being different. The public has lost all faith in the democratic process after witnessing such corruption in the city corporation elections. The people’s expectations did not improve either. The Election Commission has failed to hold fair elections in Gazipur and Khulna cities. Such arbitrary and irregularity-drenched polls are destroying the image of the government’s success in the public’s mind.
Based on an interview by Rashidul Islam Mahin, translated by Abrar Hussain