GAZIPUR CITY POLLS
Ajmat, Mannan trade accusations before CEC
The two major mayoral candidates —Ajmat Ullah Khan, backed by the ruling Awami League-led alliance, MA Mannan, backed by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance, — on Monday traded accusations against each other in front of the chief
election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.Ajmat accused Mannan and his supporters of cashing in on Islam to carry out campaigns against him while Mannan accused Ajmat of using local administrations in his electioneering.
They made the accusations at a view exchange meeting held at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute auditorium in Gazipur between the chief election commissioner, election officials and the candidates in the elections to Gazipur City Corporation scheduled for June 6.
Other mayoral candidates at the meeting expressed concerns over continuous electioneering by the national leaders in favour of their respective candidates.
Ajmat alleged that Mannan was inciting religious fanaticism and even they were branding certain candidates as atheists although the electoral code of conduct prohibited such things.
He also accused the supporters of his rival candidate of launching attacks on his workers and activists.
Mannan alleged that the government officials in the local administration were campaigning in favour of the ruling party-backed candidate, Ajmat, violating the electoral code of conduct.
He alleged that health secretary MM Niaz Uddin held a ‘secret’ meeting at Chandna Chourasta on Sunday night with the officials of the health department.
He further said that another high official Madan Kumar Saha also held a secret meeting.
‘We want to know that on which purpose they held the meetings,’ he said.
Mannan also accused Ajmat’s supporters of distributing ‘indecent’ and ‘objectionable’ leaflets against him.
The lone female mayoral candidate expressed concern over giving the Gazipur civic polls the colour of national election while another candidate Nazim Uddin Ahmed alleged that the AL and BNP-backed candidates were violating electoral code of conduct from the very beginning of their campaigning.
The chief election commissioner in response to Ajmat’s allegation voiced concerns over the use of religion in the polls and called on all to stop cashing in on religion.
Kazi Rakibuddin said the commission was resolute to ensure a free, fair and credible election in Gazipur and sought cooperation from all.
In response to the allegations raised by Mannan, he said that the commission would take stern actions against the government officials if found guilty.
Presided by Gazipur deputy commissioner Nurul Islam, the meeting was also addressed, among others, by election commission sectary Muhammed Sadique, superintendent of police Abdul Baten and returning officer Motiar Rahman.
On the sidelines of his campaigning, Mannan claimed that all of the leaders and activists of the local unit of Jatiya Party were working for him in the polls.
Ajmat, however, on Monday morning met Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad at his Baridhara house to seek his blessings.
After the meeting, Ajmat told newsmen that he sought blessings from Ershad and he was blessed.
Ershad’s press secretary Sunil Shuvo Roy said that Ershad told Ajmat that he could not openly support any candidate for electoral codes.
-With New Age input
