Dhaka, Aug 06 – Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and commissioners concerned for their alleged involvement in widespread irregularities and corruptions in the name of training at Election Commission.Expressing deep concern, the body also demanded fair investigation into the allegations to ensure accountability, a press release said.
Quoting the news report of the media that the EC high officials including CEC and other commissioners concerned received huge amount of ‘honorary allowance’ in the name of ‘special speaker,’ ‘course adviser’ and ‘course director’ at a range of EC training workshops, TIB is disappointed.
“Such activities by EC’s high officials including CEC and other commissioners are totally immoral and undesirable. Such allegations against almost all officials of the EC are unprecedented in the history of independent Bangladesh,” TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.
“It is a gross violation of law, misuse of power and an act of corruption to receive money from the people’s taxes in the name of the attachment to such training. The pocketing of such immoral benefits through nexus on behalf of the persons holding the constitutional post and other high officials is undesirable. Such immoral incidents have overshadowed the corruption of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant,” he added.
Such allegations against the EC’s high officials including the commissioners have made whole commission questionable, he said. “The CEC and other commissioners should immediately step down for gross irregularities and moral turpitude to protect the image of the EC. The authorities concerned should investigate it to ensure accountability,” he added.
“When the EC has failed to meet the people’s aspiration in different elections, such allegation has intensified the deficit of trust for the whole Commission,” he added. – Staff Reporter
