Friends
WAS THE CEC AND WILL EVER BE NEUTRAL ?????????????
PEOPLE BY NOW KNOW THAT HE IS NOTHING BUT ANOTHER NOTI (NACHNEYWALI) DEDICATED OPENLY TO BAL AND NOTHING BUT BAL.
NO POINT QUESTIONING THIS. AS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE EVIL DESIGN OF BAL N HINDUSTANI ORIENTED CTG SO THE PEOPLE ARE VIGILANT.
Faruque Alamgir
On Fri, Oct 31, 2008 at 6:36 AM, Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo.com> wrote:
The CEC Dr A T M Shamsul Huda last week expressed his desire to hold an election that can be compared only with the one held in 1970. Going further down, he warned the deputy commissioners (DCs) who will work as returning officers of their districts at a meeting that he would not like the one held in 2001. This is an impolite aspersion on another Chief Election Commissioner, in this case a former civil servant of repute M A Sayeed, who was chosen by the Awami League while in power.
Misgivings
But so far as it speaks out his mindset, his remarks may carry differential explanations and remain vulnerable to various misgivings and questions. Some critics say the 1970 election was a prelude to liberation war that brought Awami League to power.
When Dr Huda wants its replication, people wonder whether he is speaking in favour of Awami League in the cover of a historic election to bring it back to power in the next election and had indirectly told the DCs to act accordingly.
There is room for further doubt and apprehension when the CEC says he does not want to see the replication of the 2001 election. Critics wonder why the CEC is so critical of that election. What was wrong with it? Is it because through that election people voted the BNP and its four-party alliance to power?
Meaningful signals
People want to know as to what was the right thing with the 1996 election. Was it good only because it brought Awami League to power? Logically speaking, what result can people expect from the 2008 election under this CEC? Indeed, this is a million dollar question only time can answer.
Why is the CEC talking like this at this point of time, just a few weeks before the election? Some people may wonder the CEC is putting sensitive, critical meaningful signals before the election -- targeting certain quarters. If one scans his recent deliberations, through his actions and utterances the CEC had made himself highly controversial person.
Some parties had already warned the CEC in the past to assess his position and make a choice either to continue in his post or quit. Such demand may find more ground following his last week's comment.
Attempt to split
In this background people believe the CEC's attempt to split and break BNP by creating a rival faction was not an act by mistake. Perhaps he did it with the purported objective; and obviously it was done to benefit its rival Awami League and create an environment for the caretaker government to make transition easier.
It is this CEC who tried to justify such actions quoting the 'doctrine of necessity' and later sought apology terming it an 'unfortunate' event. But it is a very significant development now that a CEC has come out openly to question the credibility of the 2001 elections results. It is perhaps for the first time an incumbent CEC condemned an earlier election held under a previous CEC although its results were acclaimed as free, fair and credible from local and international observers. Even the loser Awami League did not protest the results except complaining of a 'subtle' manipulation of the polls.
What signals?
He told the DCs in the meeting that during election they would be free from anybody's influence except to take advice, signals and orders from the EC. He further told them that he had information "who did what during the 2001 election and one should not do it again". Critics wonder, why he has taken a maligning campaign against 2001 election at this critical stage.
Now if the EC takes a partial stance and put 'signals and orders' to facilitate candidates of certain party or affiliation, what will be the protection to those who will be victimized and will suffer from it.
The EC has already given power to DCs to reject nomination to candidates who may fall in an 'exclusion list' prepared under the controversial People's Representation Ordinance (RPO) although legally they can not be barred from taking part in election. Deputy Commissioners may also disqualify candidates during election run on so-called charges of violation of electoral rules which may not prove true later on.
Yahya's 'legal framework'
Moreover, people wonder why the CEC is so much fond of former Pakistani President Gen. Yahya Khan's 'legal framework' for 1970 election or Gen Ershad's 'martial law framework' for 1986 election. It is not compatible with the principle of democracy and spirit of law under which the CEC has taken the oath to office.
Critics wonder in a situation where if the CEC loses neutrality how a free and fair election can be held that can be credible at home and abroad. This Caretaker Government is in office to restore democracy under a credible election to be held under a neutral administration. But whether such situation now persists in the country is a big question now emerging from the CEC latest statement.
Moreover, his love for Gen. Yahya's legal framework or election under Ershad's martial law is no doubt a big shame, as observers say. Gen.Ershad's presence at the center of the country's political process at a time of cleaning politics and campaign against corruption is high on the government agenda, also comes as a big surprise.
On the economic front, reckless politics is destroying the nation's business and finance. As the election is approaching making politics increasingly uncertain, the country's stock market is becoming the immediate victim of it. There is a looming danger coming to it from what may be called the 'election tsunami' which may wash away thousands of small investors of their money they have put in the bourse.
The country's bourse sharply fell last week and the biggest destabilizing factor remains the highly shrouded election roadmap under which the government is gambling to achieve its political goals. Here the caretaker government is working on a plan to creating a new political landscape in the country with hand picked 'kingpins' while political parties are bickering among themselves to take power through election.
In the process, the economy has no good news and the bourse nosedives bringing panic to investors. As most share prices moved downward, last week institutional buyers intervened to arrest the fall. But their resource is not enough to sustain it over a longer period.
Here in this background people are speaking of an approaching tsunami in the bourse. But the leaderships and policy seemed to be in no haste to take contingency measures for the dangerous developments.But it appears that they are not sensitive to a tsunami of their own creation in the domestic capital market by way of irresponsible moves in the political front piloting the country to a volatile situation and destroying every chance to economic growth. The apprehension finds further wind when the caretaker government remains highly reclusive of its final objectives; critics say pointing to widespread speculation that election may not be held in December.
National government?
Press reports said adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman in his meeting early this month with BNP Chairperson Begum Zia suggested sharing of parliament seats between major stakeholders. His formula that BNP and Awami League take 100 seats each, leaving the remaining 100 for others speak of a severe undemocratic approach towards a national government.
If it is true, critics wonder why then the government is playing the election game with the hidden motive behind it?The government's apathy to listen to legitimate demands of parties and their concern are further creating confusion. Their demand for withdrawal of the state of emergency before election is being overlooked. The demand for delaying upazila election remains unheeded.
Moreover, the Election Commission is behaving in a manner to give the impression that it has little respect for political parties except to use them as 'guinea pig' on the way to achieving the government's political goals. And in doing so very often it is acting in a way in direct violation of the basic constitutional rights only to serve strategic goals of the ruling elite.
There are about a dozen case in the high court at the moment including the delimitation of constituencies case now being heard by a bench, and critics say only one such case is enough to kill the entire election process, now claimed to be on the 'highway' to election.
In this situation, despite the announcement of the election date major parties like BNP, Awami League, Jamat-e-Islami and others are not sure if election will be held in time. To make it further unsure there are many splinter groups at work to derail the election. Some of them are out to stop certain parties from taking part in the polls.
They even favour an undemocratic government in power to avoid the chance of BNP and its allies returning to power. The CEC should however, keep above the controversy to minimize the risks to election.
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