Jamaat Slams Partisan Appointment of City Corporation Heads

Bangla Press Desk:   Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has protested the appointment of party-affiliated individuals as administrators in six city corporations by the newly formed government following the 13th National Parliamentary Election.

In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar criticised the decision.

According to the statement, a notification was issued on Sunday by the Local Government Division appointing government-aligned individuals as administrators to Dhaka North City Corporation, Dhaka South City Corporation, Khulna City Corporation, Sylhet City Corporation, Narayanganj City Corporation, and Gazipur City Corporation.

Parwar alleged that through this decision, the newly formed BNP-led government has taken a position contrary to public expectations at the very outset of its tenure.

He said the aspirations of the “July Revolution” were to establish a discrimination-free and democratic social system, complete the trial of mass killings, and advance necessary reforms.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum were held as the first step toward that goal, he noted.

Naturally, he said, the public expected that the next step would be to elect representatives to local government bodies through democratic means.

He added that there had been positive indications from the Election Commission regarding local government polls.

“In such a situation, appointing ruling party office-bearers as administrators in six city corporations is a move against public expectations,” the statement said, describing the decision as “morally reprehensible” and tantamount to a betrayal of the people.

Parwar further alleged that the move has created deep suspicion among the public that the government is attempting to delay local government elections and lay the groundwork for another staged election.

Jamaat-e-Islami protested what it termed an anti-democratic step and demanded the immediate cancellation of the appointments.

The party also called for the immediate announcement of election schedules for city corporations and all tiers of local government bodies. Source: daily Sun

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