Rangpur city polls, a challenge for EC

The Rangpur city corporation elections, with around 400 thousand voters, may be small in comparison to the national election, but it has serious significance. This is a litmus test for the election commission (EC) under Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda.

The national election is scheduled to be held towards the end of the coming year of the beginning or the one after. This has already drummed up considerable interest and activity in the political arena. The Rangpur polls kicks off a series of city corporation elections to be held prior to the national parliamentary polls. After Rangpur, comes the city corporation elections of, chronologically, Sylhet, Khulna, Barisal, Rajshahi and Gazipur. And the death of Dhaka North mayor Annisul Huq gives way to by elections for the Dhaka North city corporation mayoral position. The EC has announced that the election for this by election will be declared at the end of February.

Elections, to the general people, are a matter of festivity, though the two governments which have been at the country’s helm have not failed in curbing the festive spirit. If the coming Rangpur city corporation election can be free, fair and peaceful, this will pave the way towards a free, fair and peaceful national election. Just as the EC is responsible in this regard, so are the political parties. No election can be free and fair without the cooperation of the contesting parties.

At a press conference on Monday, Citizens for Good Governance (Shujan) called upon the people to elect honest and able candidates. But there is no alternative to the candidate nomination and the voting to be free and fair. That is the responsibility of the EC.

The Rangpur city corporation election campaigns have been going on relatively peacefully, with only a few isolated untoward incidents. The election is tomorrow and the EC needs to be alert so that the environment is not disrupted. If necessary, stern steps must be taken. Everyone wants the best candidate to win.

There must be an end to the bad spell that has afflicted the local government elections in recent times. Let the Rangpur election open the way to a fresh trend in elections free of rigging and dishonesty.