CONDITIONAL EASING OF EMERGENCY
\nPoliticians, rights groups unhappy<\/strong>
\nShahidul Islam Chowhdury.
\nWhile political parties are seemingly unhappy about the government\u2019s decision on conditional relaxation of restrictions on campaign for the forthcoming general elections, rights groups and labour organisations believe the relaxation will not help any section of society to enjoy democratic liberties and basic rights.
\nThey demanded a complete withdrawal of the state of emergency for unhindered electoral campaigns\u00a0which, according to them, are requisite for creating an atmosphere conducive to popular elections.
\nThey expressed their unhappiness on Tuesday after the military-controlled interim government on Monday repealed two rules of the Emergency Powers Rules 2007.
\nAccording to the relaxed provision, rallies and meetings can be held and procession can be brought out for the election campaign in constituencies for the parliamentary elections and upazila polls, subject to the provisions stipulated in the Representation of the People Order 1972 and the Local Government (Upazila Parishad) Ordinance 2008.
\nIn another gazette notification, the government repealed Rule 5 and 6 of the emergency rules which curbed the media, and anti-government activities and criticism.
\n\u2018Complete withdrawal of the state of emergency is a must as it is required to create an atmosphere conducive to holding participatory elections,\u2019 the acting Awami League president, Zillur Rahman, told reporters in his house in Dhaka.
\nAbdullah Al Noman, a joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, also stressed the need for a complete withdrawal of the emergency.
\n\u2018We are \u201cconfused\u201d about the government announcement of partial relaxation of the restrictions on political activities,\u2019 he told New Age over telephone from Chittagong on Tuesday. \u2018It is not clear to us what the government means by relaxing two rules allowing conditional electoral campaigns.\u2019
\n\u2018We are planning to hold a rally in Laldighi Maidan in Chittagong on November 7 and the party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, is expected to attend and address the rally. But we are confused if the holding of a rally in Laldighi Maidan will constitute violation of the Representation of People Order [2008],\u2019 he said.
\nHe said he personally communicated with the home secretary over telephone. \u2018But he [the secretary] did not give a concrete answer.\u2019
\nHe said as the Election Commission had announced the schedule for the elections, all activities of political parties would necessarily relate to elections.
\nThe Awami League\u2019s left-leaning allies also said relaxing restrictions on election campaigns were not enough to create an atmosphere conducive to free and fair polls.
\nThey said this at a meeting of the 11-Party Alliance in the central Workers Party office which was presided over by the Workers Party president, Rashed Khan Menon.
\nThe meeting also called on the government to immediately withdraw the state of emergency.
\nThe Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami amir, Matiur Rahman Nizami, called on the government to withdraw the state of emergency immediately to create a congenial atmosphere for acceptable elections. He said this as he addressed a central majlis-e-shura meeting of the party in its office on Tuesday.
\nAbbas Faiz, South Asia researcher of the Amnesty International, said the conditions attached to the withdrawal of restrictions on election campaign appear to exclude the possibility of holding rallies and other campaigning activity by civil society pressure groups and human rights defenders. \u2018As it stands, it does not fully restore the right to freedom of assembly,\u2019 he said in an e-mail interview to New Age.
\nCivil society pressure groups and human rights defenders try to obtain commitment and support for their human rights related objectives from political parties contesting elections, he said. \u2018I think it is important for the authorities to relax any restrictions that prevent the enjoyment of human rights.\u2019
\nRights organisation Odhikar\u2019s secretary Adilur Rahman Khan told New Age, \u2018In reality, nothing is relaxed as the state of emergency is still fully in force. This relaxation will not create scope for improvement in human rights situation.\u2019
\nHe said, \u2018There remains space for authorities to harass political activists for the so-called violation of law as long as Article 16 of the state of emergency remains in force.\u2019
\n\u2018There is hardly any scope for probable candidates to campaign freely and to protest against manipulation [if there is any] in elections,\u2019 he said.
\nSramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad leader Shahidullah Chowdhury said, \u2018It is unfortunate the government had failed to understand the need for withdrawal of the restrictions on trade unionism although the labourers are struggling to survive.\u2019
\n\u2018We are considering demonstrations to demand a complete withdrawal of the restrictions on trade unionism as half-hearted relaxation will not benefit anybody,\u2019 said Shahidullah, also president of the Trade Union Centre.
\nAmirul Haq Amin, general secretary of the National Garment Workers\u2019 Federation, echoed Shahidullah. \u2018Labourers are the worst victims of emergency as they cannot protest against the violation of their rights to proper wages.\u2019<\/p>\n

Courtesy: NewAge (newagebd.com)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CONDITIONAL EASING OF EMERGENCY Politicians, rights groups unhappy Shahidul Islam Chowhdury. While political parties are seemingly unhappy about the government\u2019s decision on conditional relaxation of restrictions on campaign for the forthcoming general elections, rights groups and labour organisations believe the relaxation will not help any section of society to enjoy democratic liberties and basic rights. … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n