AL expresses no-confidence in KCC returning officer

Prime Minister’s Political Adviser HT Imam on Wednesday alleged that the "activities and behaviour" of the Returning Officer for the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) electionsYunus Ali is biased towards a particular party.

The co-chairman of the AL Election Subcommittee made the allegation while talking to reporters after concluding a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at Nirbachon Bhaban.

Voicing no-confidence in the activities of the RO assigned by the Election Commission, HT Imam said, “His (KCC returning officer) past is very dark. He had been a cadre of a particular political party which is evident in his behaviour and activities.”

“In Khulna City Corporation, a level-playing field has not been established yet…our senior leaders can’t take part in election campaign while all senior and junior leaders of other parties are electioneering at full tilt,” he lamented. The rules currently prevent elected individuals in office from  participating directly in any campaigning.   

The ex-secretary also demanded proper steps by the Commission to amend the rules for visiting inmates, saying they must resolve the matter.
  
HT Imam said they (AL) earlier urged the Election Commission to take measures towards making the RO act impartially in conducting the May 15 poll. 

Coming to specifics, Imam said provisional lists of presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers were not made public for the political parties' feedback before the preparation of the final lists. In Imam's view, the final lists the RO published are not acceptable to anyone except one particular party, which he said "proved that he (RO) is biased to a party."

No other party however has made similar complaint.   

Mentioning that the situation has improved now, he hoped that the RO will refrain from his "unfair activities" and accept opinions from all during the election.  

Imam also alleged that propaganda and falsehoods continued to be waged against the AL mayor candidate. 

At one stage the retired bureaucrat observed Khulna had been "a city of terrorists" in the past, and that now again the criminals have become active under the shelter of political parties during the election. “We asked the Commission to take measures so that they (criminals) can’t influence the election.”

He said his party wants the Election Commission to hold a fair and free election.
  
When his attention was drawn to the complaint of the BNP mayoral candidate that many BNP activists had been arrested, Imam branded it "a complete lie", pronouncing those arrested as "identified accused and terrorists". 

At the meeting, the ruling party placed an 11-point proposal before the Commission, including taking measures so that AL central and senior leaders who are now ministers and MPs, can take part in the election campaign.
  
Later, EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed confirmed that the AL team had placed a complaint against the RO. The party had earlier done so as well, he added, informing that a joint secretary had already been dispatched by the EC secretariat to "assist" the RO. 

“He (the returning officer) didn’t deal with the issue properly. We’ve already sent a joint secretary to Khulna to assist the returning officer there to avoid faults so that the election is held in a credible manner,” the EC Secretary said.    

HT Imam led the AL five-member delegation at the meeting with the CEC. The four other members are AL leaders Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Abdur Rahman, Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and advocate ABM Reazul Kabir Kawser. 

In the KCC election, scheduled to be held on May 15, a total of five mayor candidates, 148 general councilors and 38 reserved-seat female councilor candidates are competing for the post of mayor, 31 councillors and 10 reserved women councillors.

Source: unb