Situation conducive to prepare for local govt polls: Jatiya Nagorik Committee

Jatiya Nagorik Committee is in favour of holding the local government elections before the election to the Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament). The organisation feels the present circumstances are conducive to start the process of the local government polls. The government can begin this in the next two or three months and prepare for the local government and national elections simultaneously.

This observation was made by Jatiya Nagorik Committee central executive member Alauddin Mohammad at a press briefing held today, Saturday, at the Jatiya Nagorik Committee office at Bangla Motor of the capital. The press briefing was called to demand a withdrawal of the ordinance to increase Value Added Tax (VAT) and supplementary tax on over a hundred commodities and services. Jatiya Nagorik Committee member secretary Akhter Hossain, speaking at the press briefing, made the demand to withdraw VAT on over a hundred items.  

The issue of local government elections is being discussed at present in the political arena. The matter came to the fore after a statement made last Wednesday by chief advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus. The chief advisor had said that the interim government was preparing for the local government elections alongside the preparations to the national elections. The chief advisor had made this statement when the European Investment Bank (EIB) vice president Nicola Beer called upon him that day at the state guest house Jamuna.

After that, on Thursday at a press briefing arranged by the chief advisor's press wing, advisor to the interim government Mahfuj Alam said, "Based on discussions with the political parties, we will be able to proceed towards this (local government elections)." But he did not clarify whether the local government elections would be held before the national election.

When journalists asked the Jatiya Nagorik Committee's stand on local government elections at the press briefing today, Alauddin Mohammad replied, pointing out that the local government structure had collapsed and the basic services like issuing birth certificates and death certificates were being hampered. This was a vital issue. They observed that the government has preparation for this. The Jatiya Nagorik Committee also felt that that the new election would be able to show its capability before the national election. The election was needed to build up a strong local government, considering the local level people's representatives as separate from national politics.

Alauddin Ahmed felt that the present time was conducive to start the election process. He said, this can start within the next two or three months and the government can carry out the local government and national election process simultaneously.