Election fray continues to be marred by threats

Threats continue unabated in the election fray. Activists and supporters of the opposing sides are threated that their arms and legs will be broken, threats are issued to voters that their social safety net benefits will be stopped if they don't vote for a particular symbol, people are threatened with eviction from their localities unless they work in favour of a certain party and so on. Even on Sunday night, a leader of the ruling Awami League in Panchagarh issued instructions to identify those who are opposed to the 'boat'.

There have been at least 15 incidents reported in the media of such threats being issued over the past one week since the election campaigning began. In most cases the concerned election inquiry committees are investigating these allegations. So far, however, no palpable action has been taken against anyone making these threats.

Around 100 executive magistrates are active in the field to check whether the code of conduct is being followed. Also, in every constituency there is an election inquiry committee, comprising judicial magistrates. According to the law, the election inquiry committee is to investigate any allegation and submit its report to the Election Commission (EC) within three days. The commission will take action accordingly. Other than one or two exceptions where the code of conduct was violated, in most cases the accused was merely cautioned.

In Panchagarh, the district Awami League former health and population affairs secretary Md Nuruzzaman issued a warning that the legs of any one opposing the vote symbol would be broken if seen anywhere near the 'boat' after 7 January. According to the election code of conduct, it is an offence to make any sort of instigative statements on behalf of any political party or candidate. There is provision for a jail sentence not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding Tk 50,000 or both in the case of such an offence.

The Representation of People Order states that it is an offence of any candidate issues a call not to allow any particular persons to vote because they are of a particular religion, community, race, caste or ethnic group. This offence will be considered an act of corruption. The punishment in such cases is two to seven years rigorous imprisonment and a fine.

Additional secretary of the election commission Ashok Kumar Debnath, speaking to Prothom Alo last night, said, steps are being taken against violations of the code of conduct. Based on the reports of the election inquiry committees, cases are being filed against candidates in many areas and more cases will be filed. After that, the election commission may even take decisions like cancellation of candidature.

Allegations of threats

In Panchagarh, the district Awami League former health and population affairs secretary Md Nuruzzaman issued a warning that the legs of any one opposing the vote symbol would be broken if seen anywhere near the 'boat' after 7 January. He made this statement on Monday night while inaugurating the election office of the Panchagarh-1 Awami League nominated candidate Naimuzzaman Bhuiyan in Kazirhat Bazar of Amarkhana union in the Sadar upazila. This video has gone viral on Facebook.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Panchagarh returning officer and deputy commission Zahurul Islam said, the election inquiry committee of the election commission is looking into the matter and will take measures in accordance to the rules.

The 'boat' candidate and incumbent member of parliament BM Farhad Hossain, at a public meeting on Friday, threatened the Kunda union parishad (UP) chairman in Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency, for supporting the independent candidate there. The election inquiry committee summoned BM Farhad Hossain in this regard. On Monday he replied to the committee and promised to follow the election commission rules henceforth.

There are allegations that the Meherpur-1 (Sadar-Mujibnagar) independent candidate and former district Awami League president and former member of parliament Abdul Mannan threatened the Sadar upazila health and family planning office Alok Kumar Das over phone. The inquiry committee of that seat on Monday issued a show cause notice to Abdul Mannan. He has been told to appear at the election inquiry office on 27 December in persons or send a representative in his stead  to give his reply.

At an event on Friday, Rajshahi district Awami League organising secretary Abdus Samad said, "There is no need to come to this polling centre unless the vote for the 'boat' is ensured." A video of this has been making rounds on Facebook. The independent candidate of Rajshahi-5 and former district Jubo League vice president Obaidul Rahman on Sunday submitted a written complaint in this regard to the returning office. Till yesterday, Monday, no steps were taken. The assistant returning office AKM Nur Hossain on Monday told Prothom Alo that measures would be taken about the matter.

Asibur Rahman Khan, son of the Madaripur-2 (Rajoir-part of Sadar) member of parliament Shahjahan Khan on 11 December issued a threat to strangle anyone who spoke other than in favour of the boat. On Sunday he gave a written reply to the show cause notice issued by the election inquiry committee. So far no action has been taken against him.

A statement made at a street meeting on the same day by Alok Chakraborty, the Gourighona union Jubo League convener in Keshabpur of Jashore, went viral on Facebook. He had said, "Only those who are with Awami League, who believe in development, can go to the polling centres." No action was taken about this till yesterday, Monday. Alok Chakraborty claims that the video had been tampered with and edited.

There are allegations that the Awami League candidate of Lalmonirhat-2 (Aditmari-Kaliganj) and minister for social welfare, Nuruzzaman Ahmed, has threatened to break the neck of a heroic freedom fighter. The minister had issued this threat against the freedom fighter for speaking at an election campaign in favour of independent candidate and district Awami League vice president Md Sirajul Huq on Saturday night. No action has been taken so far.

Awami League candidate and present parliament member of Faridpur-2, Shahdab Akbar, gave a reply to the inquiry committee's show cause notice issued on 17 December as to why he had threatened to march an Awami League leader around with a garland of shoes around his neck. He replied on 19 December. So far no action has been taken against him.

Awami League leader Nur Islam threatened to take over the centre in Pabna, ensure 'open voting' and force people out of the area after breaking their bones. He was sent a show cause notice on 17 December.

Shatakhali union Awami League president in Shalikha upazila of Magura and UP chairman, Md Anwar Hossain alias Jhontu, threatened to cancel the allowance cards of various beneficiaries of the government's social safety net programme, if they did not turn up at the polling centres to vote.

Awami League leader Hatem Ali threatened to cancel the government allowance cards of anyone in the Jamalpur-5 (Sadar) seat, who did not turn up at the meetings of the 'boat' candidate. He has replied to the inquiry committee, but so far no visible action has been taken in this regard.

If the BNP supporters do not go to vote, their names would be slashed off the lists of beneficiaries of various projects, threatened the Thakurgaon-1 Awami League candidate Ramesh Chandra Sen. Thakurgaon district election officer Manzurul Hasan, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that the reply given by Ramesh Chandra Sen to the inquiry committee's notice had been be scrutinised and a report sent to the election commission. He said he did not know what recommendations had been made in the report.

According to EC sources, the election inquiry committee has recommended that legal action be taken against the Cumilla-7 Awami League candidate AKM Bahauddin for violating the code of conduct. Bahauddin has been summoned before the election commission tomorrow, Wednesday. After several warnings, the Barguna-1 Awami League candidate Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu has also been summoned to the election commission on Wednesday. A case was filed on Sunday against Awami League candidate of Jhenaidah-1 (Shailakupa), Abdul Hai, for violating the code of conduct.

Earlier, the election commission had instructed that a case be filed against the Chattogram-16 Awami League candidate Mustafizur Rahman for violating the code of conduct. Banshkhali upazila nirbahi officer Jesmin Akhter said that a case is supposed to be ledged against him today, Tuesday, at the Chattogram court.

Upon recommendations of the inquiry committee, the election commission has issued letters of caution to Magura-1 Awami League candidate Shakib Al Hasan; Narayanganj-1 Awami League candidate, minister for textiles and jute Golam Dastagir Gazi; Dhaka-9 candidate, state minister for disaster management and relief Enamur Rahman; Munishiganj-3 candidate Mrinal Kanti Das; Gazipur-5 candidate Meher Afroz, and others. The election commission had also summoned Awami League candidate Amir Hossain Amu. However, the election commission has expressed their satisfaction with his explanation.

Secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) Badiul Alam Majumdar, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that the election commission must deal with the violations of the code of conduct by their actions, not words. Tangible action must be taken. If the candidates and their supporters get away with these offences, they will be emboldened to carry out even bigger offences.

(Prothom Alo's correspondents in the concerned areas assisted in the compilation of this report.)