Dear Alochoks
I saw this debate on tv last night and it was a landmark event.
It was well organised and conducted. It was obvious that there was
healthy scepticism in the audience and sharp, challenging questions
were put forward. It was not a debate in the true sense of the word.
Candidates did not challenge each other. The audience was invited to
ask each candidate about why they thought they could a good job.
It was very exciting to see the audience ready to ask such questions.
As this aspect our democracy develops our politicians will find it
difficult to depend on old tricks. Sure they will develop new tricks -
but we've had enough of the old tricks!
Some of the candidates were obviously unfit for the the job. They
belonged to an era which is, hopefully, on its way out. When asked
about corruption, candidate MA Khan (close to Saifur Rahman) said
that he was not in office when his party, BNP, was in power :)
It is appalling the AL Central Committee has endorsed their man
Kamran to be mayor of Sylhet. This is a decision that will have far
reaching consequences. It is indicative of how little AL has matured
since 1/11. If AL was a mature party it would have picked someone
else other than the scoundrel Kamran. Its pathetic - as if AL in
Sylhet has no honourable members.
Teh candidate Mukith Khan said he was ashamed to be called a
politician and so has left politcis - but I think he was a three term
MP for Jatiya Party (or maybe other parties too)!
The best candidates appeared to be a college lecturer and an
independent local area chairman.
I don't know how Kamran got to be a candidate. I hope the CTG stops
him in a 'decisive' way.
AL have also backed Abdul Khaleq as mayoral candidate for Khulna.
Another rubbish decision.
AL - GROW UP!
Ezajur Rahman
Kuwait
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, "Ezajur Rahman" <ezajur.rahman@...>
wrote:
>
> First-ever Mayoral Debate In Sylhet
>
> Candidates pledge graft-free city admin
>
> Staff Correspondent
>
>
>
> The mayoral candidates of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) yesterday
said
> they, if elected, would work to make the city corporation
administration
> free of corruption and solve problems the city dwellers are facing.
>
> During an electoral dialogue held at the Jalalabad Gas Auditorium in
> Sylhet, they said they would admit to their failures and resign if
they
> fail to carry out their duties.
>
> The Election Commission (EC) took initiative for the dialogue and
BBC
> Bangla Service organised the dialogue. The elections to the SCC and
> three other city corporations are scheduled for August 4.
>
> Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar aired the programme
> live.
>
> Seven out of the 15 mayoral candidates of SCC took part in the
first of
> two such dialogues. Around 200 people, including students,
businessmen,
> government and non-government officials, were present at the
dialogue
> and raised different problems they are facing in the city.
>
> They candidates who took part in the dialogue yesterday are AFM
Kamal,
> Abdul Mukit Khan, Abdul Haque, Abdus Samad Nazrul, Alhaj Maulana
Sirajul
> Islam, M Kutubuddin Ahmed and Kazi Kamal Ahmed.
>
> The incumbent SCC Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran is in detention
while
> the rest seven candidates will take part in the second dialogue
> scheduled for tonight.
>
> About 30 people asked the candidates questions on their plans for
the
> city's development. The questions were largely on issues like clean
> water and sanitation, water logging, land grabbing, law and order
and
> corruption.
>
> They even questioned the candidates' competency as well as their
past,
> present and future.
>
> The candidates assured the viewers and listeners of making the SCC
an
> efficient institution by rooting corruption out. They also said they
> would take measures to provide essential services to the city
dwellers
> within a limited time.
>
> They said they, if elected, would make the SCC politics-free.
>
> As people asked questions on how they would solve the drinking water
> problem in the city, the mayoral candidates said they would try to
use
> water-recycling and water treatment plants.
>
> Abdus Samad Nazrul said, "Water supply is a major problem of the
city.
> If elected, I would try to implement water-recycling projects since
the
> city is encircled by the Surma [a river]. I hope to complete the
work of
> installing deep tube wells and widening water supply lines within a
> year. I would try to ensure smooth water supply under a two-year
plan."
>
> Another mayoral candidate Sirajul Islam said, "First, we have to
stop
> corruption and the trend of lifting water from the corporation. I
would
> try to increase water supply by setting up a water treatment plant
on
> the Surma."
>
> On the drainage system, they said they would ensure proper drainage
> system to help reduce the water logging problem in the city.
>
> They also said they would try to recover land of water bodies
encroached
> on by land grabbers.
>
> The candidates were asked why they think they are eligible for the
post
> of mayor.
>
> Abdus Samad Nazrul said he would not let the people of Sylhet city
down
> since they have confidence and faith in him.
>
> Abdul Haque said, "I believe that I am an honest candidate. In the
past
> I was leader of a political party due to my honesty and competency."
>
> The participants of the programme also asked whether the candidates
> would cooperate with them if they were not elected mayor.
>
> Nazrul said, "It is my duty to cooperate with you."
>
> BBC's Kamal Ahmed moderated the one-hour programme that began at
8:45pm.
>
> Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda and election
> commissioners Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) Shakhawat Hossain
also
> attended the programme.
>
> Before the programme began, the CEC said the electoral dialogue will
> increase accountability of mayoral candidates and encourage
constructive
> dialogue and interaction between the candidates.
>
> Similar dialogues are being arranged in Rajshahi, Khulna and
Barisal, he
> said.
>
> It is being done to ensure an atmosphere for holding a free and fair
> election, the CEC said.
>
> He called upon the city dwellers to elect honest people to lead the
city
> in the next five years.
>
> Terming the city corporation elections very important, he said they
are
> taking these polls very seriously as this would help them hold a
free
> and fair parliamentary election in December.
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
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