Our representatives are so accountable to the people that whenever anyone critisises they just burst into anger. As if they want to say, since I have been 'elected' by the people's vote, who are you to criticise? Journalist Shafiqul Islam alias Kajol has served many days in jail in a case filed by a member of the current parliament. UP chairman, and local Awami League leader Mahmudul Alam is the main accused in Jamalpur journalist Golam Rabbani's murder. They are also our representatives.
Let alone the criticism of Mustafizur Rahman, member of parliament of Chattogram-16 (Banshkhali) constituency, even asking any question is tantamount to audacity for him. Last Thursday he submitted his nomination paper to Chattogram deputy commissioner and returning officer Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman along with 10 followers at around 11 am in the morning. Outside the room awaited 10 to 12 more followers during the submission which is the breach of electoral code of conduct.
When Independent TV journalist Rakib Uddin asked about it, the MP turned on him and beat him. At that time, Mustafizur and his followers pushed some other journalists including the senior vice-president of Chittagong Press Club and the bureau chief of Channel Eye, Chowdhury Farid.
The police remanded him for three days and interrogated him. Last Wednesday, Shahjahan Omar got bail from the first additional metropolitan sessions judge court of Dhaka. The very next day, this former army officer and former state minister of the BNP government announced his participation in the election in a press conference
Journalist Rakib Uddin only wanted to know from the MP as he came to submit nomination papers with so many party workers-supporters, whether it is a breach of code of conduct or not? As soon the MP heard the question, he jumped on the journalist with his followers. Mustafizur Rahman was able to do that as he continues as a member of parliament. This is why political analysts have questioned the rationale of retaining one parliament and electing another. Until the 15th Amendment, elections to the next parliament were held only after the dissolution of the parliament.
Mustafizur Rahman, the nominated candidate of Awami League in Chittagong-16 (Banshkhali) constituency, has been served a show cause notice for allegedly beating up a journalist. He was summoned by the returning officer's office but he did not come, rather sent five associates. But the accusation is directly against him. He knows that nothing happens even if journalists are killed.
Prothom Alo reported on 23 May this year that Chittagong-16 (Banshkhali) MP Mustafizur Rahman Chowdhury joined a procession with a pistol. A candidate who can beat up a journalist for asking a question just by submitting his nomination papers, will only increase his fury after being re-elected.
Crude bomb explosion and anonymous accused
Crude bomb explosions, bomb attacks and setting fire to transport etc. have become an integral part of Bangladesh politics. We regularly see these complaints of the government party against the leaders and workers of the opposition party. So why will the government party lag behind? Recently, a 'craftsman' was killed in an explosion while 'making a bomb' at the house of a Chhatra League leader in Lalmohan, Bhola. It is important to find out how many such craftsmen there are in the country.
Hundreds of crude bomb explosions took place in Shariatpur's Naria on Thursday during the conflict between the supporters of Awami League nominated candidate and independent candidate for the parliamentary elections. Five people were injured on both sides. In this incident, the police filed a case under the Explosives Act against unknown persons as plaintiffs. But no one was reported to have been arrested.
Current MP and state minister for water resources Enamul Haque Shamim has been nominated by Awami League for Shariatpur-2 constituency (Naria-Sakhipur). Jubo League presidium member Khaled Shawkat Ali has submitted nomination paper as an independent candidate. According to the police and locals, when the supporters of both sides clashed, both sides exploded crude bombs.
We who were on stage, the responsibility of the incident of that day cannot be placed on them. Then the other BNP leaders who were on the stage had to be released. But the deadline for submission of nomination papers has already been passed.
Awami League's top leadership is encouraging independent candidates to make elections look competitive even without the BNP participating in it. They said, you can't win without voting. Now it appears that a different kind of competition has started between the rival candidates even before the polls.
When a crude bomb is exploded somewhere during BNP's hartal or blockade programme, the government calls it a violent incident and the police conduct house-to-house searches and arrests and take the leaders and activists on remand. But what will they do when hundreds of crude bomb explosions occur between the supporters of party nominated candidates and independent candidates in a constituency? The victims and the attackers are of the same group. Whom will they arrest? If BNP blasts a crude bomb, it is a symbol of violence, if Awami League does it, that does not become a symbol of peace and development.
AL surprise: from remand straight to boat
Shahjahan Omar was one of the BNP leaders who used to criticise Awami League sternly. Now, he is participating in the 12th national election as an Awami League nominated candidate in the Jhalakathi-1 constituency. Police arrested Omar on 4 November night. On the next day, he was brought to court showing arrest in a case for torching a bus, filed at the Dhaka's Newmarket police station. The police remanded him for three days and interrogated him. Last Wednesday, Shahjahan Omar got bail from the first additional metropolitan sessions judge court of Dhaka. The very next day, this former army officer and former state minister of the BNP government announced his participation in the election in a press conference.
Awami League initially nominated current member of parliament Bajlul Haque Harun for this constituency. Later, his nomination was canceled and the former BNP leader was chosen. Through this, Awami League has proved that the leaders from BNP are much higher in merit and competence than their current members of parliament. If not, the person who was remanded in a case for torching a bus a few days ago, why will he be nominated as Awami League candidate? The leader accused of arson-terrorism cleared himself by riding a boat!
Many Awami League leaders were saying for days that there would be a surprise. Then the names of some BNP leaders were floating in the air. But, none of them left BNP and joined Awami League or King's Party. Those who joined were not one considered important. This is the first time that a BNP leader was taken out of jail by the government and being aboard on a boat. About the incident of 28 October, Shahjahan Omar said, "We who were on stage, the responsibility of the incident of that day cannot be placed on them. Then the other BNP leaders who were on the stage had to be released. But the deadline for submission of nomination papers has already been passed."