The election of Dhaka south and north city corporations is scheduled for February 1.

“EC should scrutinise information provided by the candidates but it’s apparently not doing it. If EC provides people with correct information, then it becomes easy for the voters to make the right choice [in elections],” said Sujon Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar at a press conference here.

He pointed out that accurate information is a basic right of the people. “But from EC’s activities, it appears that it doesn’t care [about providing the people with accurate information],” he said.

Sujon organised the press conference at the Jatiya Press Club. Its president M Hafizuddin Khan presided over the function.

Badiul urged EC, law enforcement, concerned government officials and political parties to ensure a fair election for the sake of the people.

“We should use electronic voting machine (EVM) in polls on the basis of consensus,” he said.

The Sujon secretary said more businessmen are now getting nomination in the election that created a conception that that the candidates have to be rich. Besides, the number of less educated candidates have gone up, he said.

 “Allegations are here over violation of electoral code of conduct but we don’t see any visible activities of the EC,” Badiul said.

Sujon’s central coordinator Dilip Kumar Sarker read out the keynote paper at the event.

“Media should publish reports on all sorts of irregularities during elections without being biased. Law enforcement agencies and others officials concerned should play neutral role in the elections,” Dilip also said. 

He said the EC should take all necessary steps so that no one can violate the code of conduct during the election and create level playing field.  

“We want the EC will make an example arranging a free and neutral election in the country,” he added.