The New Nation - Internet Edition

IT is reported in the press that around thirty-five NGOs have formed the Election Working Group for rendering support to official agencies for preparation of voter list and also for participation of voters in the upcoming election. Among others, retired Brigadier General M Sakhawat Hossain, one of the Election Commissioners, has pointed out that such NGOs have in the past plundered crores of taka on the plea of monitoring the election process. Members of those NGOs formally go to different areas with a view to projecting the importance of election and also encouraging voters to cast their votes as per schedule.

The objectives vis-a-vis preparation of correct voter list and the use thereof for holding fair election are quite desirable. Official agencies and the selected persons who go to residences of voters for preparation of voter list normally work dispassionately. They are found interviewing existing voters and the youngsters, who have atained the age limit after the last election and await their turn for enlistment in the upcoming voter list They also try to identify voters in the past list who have died over the years and exclude such names from the updated voter list Local persons selected from among teachers of schools, members of union parishads work as the monitor for the voter list

Experiences of the elderly people in different areas including urban centres and villages on the enlistment in the voter list are quite comprehensive. They were listed as voter for election held in the past decades. These people are found assisting officials and local people for preparation of correct voter list They wonder about the involvement of representatives of different NGOs for both preparation of updated voter-list and ultimate voting for election of Members of Parliament and local government agencies. These representatives usually take heavy amount of money from their source NGOs on the ground of enabling local people to enlist themselves in the voter lists and ultimately voting in the set election.

Some of these NGOs are found taking financial support from even foreign agencies and distinguished personalities for the intended goal of updating voter lists. Their agents going to different towns and villages use the same money for holding meetings of the local people and hosting set festivities. They are not required to prepare any financial statement on the use of such funds and money for presentation before the public. In the process, such agents virtually siphon off the major quantum of money for their personal gains. They are not at all accountable to the people of the area or even to the management of the NGO concerned.

In the process, set NGOs virtually plunder crores of Taka and use the same for their listed officials and agents. The related issues have been projected by members of the Election Commission on August 23, when enlistment of voters with photographs was initiated in the Savar municipal area. They have urged the Ward Commissioners and members of the civil society to monitor the use of fiscal resources, including the fund of the set NGOs. The prevailing practice of NGOs working for preparation of voter list and also for encouraging listed voters to cast their votes on time should be brought under effective control.