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Hasan asks AL men to abide by party decision on CCC polls
CHATTOGRAM, Mar 8, 2020 (BSS) – Information Minister and Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) Dr Hasan Mahmud today called upon AL leaders and workers to follow the party decision on nomination of its candidates in the upcoming Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) polls.
“If you don’t obey the party decision, the party will not sit idle over the issue. The party will take necessary action against the disobedient,” he told a meeting of Chattogram City AL held at the election office of AL mayoral candidate Reazaul Karim Chowdhury on city’s KC Dey road this evening.
Hasan said if it is required to change any candidate, the chief election coordinator and former minister engineer Mosharraf Hossain will take necessary steps after consultation with other senior leaders.
He said the decision of the party regarding the councilor nomination should be accepted by all. “If you want to do politics, you have to obey the party decision,” he said.
“I request you … when you carry out election campaign, you have to seek votes for the party mayor candidate first and then you will seek vote for yourself,” the AL joint general secretary told the councilor candidates.
“Everyone should work to present the prime minister an unforgettable victory in the CCC election on the occasion of the Mujib Borsho,” he said.
He said if AL remains united, no one has the power to face AL in Chattogram.
Dr Hasan said BNP is getting benefits of electoral code of conduct.
“It is very painful for us that we could not seek votes for our party (AL) candidates for being MPs and ministers. Such rules do not exist in anywhere in the world,” he said.
The minister said BNP, one of the opposition sides in the election, is getting many benefits due to this electoral code of conduct and AL falls victim of discrimination.
It is discriminatory that some former ministers and MPs of BNP whose social status are not less than ministers or MPs can seek votes but “our leaders can’t do so”, he added.
He said the existing electoral code of conduct does not ensure level playing field for all parties and this discrimination needs to be removed.
Referring to neighboring India, he said, any minister of central or provincial government can take part in electioneering of legislative assembly polls and even MPs can join the campaign without taking official facilities.
“It is also practiced in England, from where Indian subcontinent learned democracy. Such provision also exists in European countries, including France and Germany and also in other countries”, he added.
The minister hoped that the Election Commission will bring change in the rules considering the logical ground and world’s perspective to ensure equal facilities for all parities participating in elections.
Acting president of Chattogram City AL Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury presided over the meeting while AL presidium member Engineer Mosharrf Hossain spoke as the chief guest.
AL joint secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, organising secretary Ahmed Hossain, city mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, Moslem Uddin Ahmed, MP, office secretary and special assistant to the prime minister Barrister Biplap Barua, president of Chattogram north district unit AL MA Salam, its general secretary Ataur Rahman, Chattogram south district AL general secretary Mufizur Rahman, Chittagong city AL vice presidents Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul and Khorshed Alam Sujan, and AL mayoral candidate Reazaul Karim Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the meeting.
BSS/MAM/SAH/MKD/TAN/KU/2148 HRS