4-party lodges complain against ATN Bangla for terming Jamaat leaders war criminals
Staff Correspondent
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said a favorable atmosphere is prevailing in the country and the EC is waiting for holding a successful parliamentary election slated for December 29. He also urged both print and electronic media to telecast the informative news and not to broadcast any news based on rumour.
He was talking to reporters after a meeting with a BNP-led four alliance delegation that visited the commission yesterday and lodged a complaint against ATN Bangla, a private TV channel, for terming some four party leaders as War Criminals without having any proofs in their hands.
CEC assured the delegation of examining into the allegations and said the EC could not formulate an electoral code of conduct as the media protested the EC’s move saying that this effort is nothing but a control on the media.
“We wanted to set a media code of conduct for electronic and print media, but in the face of massive protest from journalists, the EC could not pursue the decision,” CEC said.
Responding to a query, CEC said the EC would examine the allegations of violating electoral code of conduct by ACC which published a report against Arafat Rahman Koko recently for siphoning money to Singapore.
“If any party or candidate lodges any compliant against ACC with the EC, we will definitely look into the matter,” CEC said.
About the Court order in giving back specified election symbol to some candidates, the CEC said the commission directed the returning officers of concerned parliamentary constituencies to allocate symbol of Sheaf of Paddy to Manzur Quader in Sirajganj-5 and Mobasher Alam Bhuiyan in Comilla-10 while Boat Symbol to Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir in Chandpur-1 parliamentary constituencies. “We have lawfully done the job,” he said.
Asked about the present situation in the country ahead of election, he said the whole atmosphere in the country remains good. “There’re no problems in the country,” he said.
Earlier, the BNP-led four-party delegation led by BNP joint secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan had a two hour long parley with the CEC Huda and Commissioner Brig General (Retd) Shakhawat Hossain and urged the EC to take necessary steps so that nobody could raise any objections against rivals without having valid reasons and proofs.
Emerging from the meeting, Nazrul Islam Khan said that they want to see an election which will be held beyond any doubt.
“We have been observing for last few days that our opponents are hampering the environment through spreading rumour against us. We hope that the EC will take steps to stop this for holding a free, fair and credible election,” he said.
He said the commission assured them of taking necessary steps to make sure that political leaders refrain from making any indecent remarks against their opponents.
“Without having enough evidences and specific reasons, the leaders of political parties should refrain from making any allegation against their opponents. The EC should look into the matter immediately,” he said.
Talking to reporters after meeting, Jamaat leader Barrister Abdur Razzak said they want to establish rule of law in the country. He said ATN Bangla has violated the electoral code of conduct through telecasting malafide news items in which they termed some party leaders as war criminals. “No war criminal can take part in the election as per the RPO. The ATN Bangla in its news item termed some of our leaders as war criminals which is a complete violation of the electoral law. As the court is yet to identify anybody as war criminal, the people cannot call anybody war criminal,” he said.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
