Published in The Financial Express on Monday, 27 April 2015.
Views & Opinion
City corporation elections: A mere hype or game-changer?
Muhammad Zamir
We have had three months of violence – arson, hartal and blockades. This affected socio-economic development in all sectors. According to the Centre for Policy Dialogue, the turmoil took a toll of 0.5 per cent on the country’s GDP (gross domestic product). It also impacted on potential foreign direct investment (FDI). All that happened because one group of political parties wanted to underline their disagreement with the electoral process followed during the 2014 national election.
The spate of destruction, on the other hand, showed how some political parties in their pursuit of power can overlook public interest and the needs of the common people. This was particularly exemplified in the manner in which the education sector had to suffer the brunt of the political storm. More than a million students faced severe problems in appearing in their examinations and normal school routine was seriously disturbed for nearly ten million school children who got free new textbooks but no possibility of pursuing their studies in their respective educational institutions.
Fortunately for all concerned, sanity appears to have returned to the politicians and the political leadership since the beginning of April. It was indeed a wise strategic decision of the government at that point of time to initiate the steps related to the holding of city corporation elections in Chittagong, Dhaka North and Dhaka South. This was followed by the opposition alliance exempting Dhaka and Chittagong cities from hartal and blockade. Though there was no formal announcement, the opposition alliance has not pressed since then their countrywide blockade and hartal programmes. Normalcy has returned to the country.
It was an important development that opened the doors for a more positive approach towards politics and political governance. The fact that the voting population of these three city corporations could express their own choice freely created a significant paradigm. The other multiplier effect came from the system that the candidates for the posts of mayors and councillors in these three Corporations had to file their candidature on an individual basis and not as candidates from any political party. The distinctive nuance, however, lay in the provision that the individual candidates could be openly supported by different political parties. This generated an interesting matrix within the electoral equation.
In normal times, the government decision to hold these city corporation elections would probably have never attracted attention beyond Bangladesh. This time round it was different. Violence and arson as practised by the opposition 20-Party Alliance since the beginning of 2015 had created anxiety not only in the United Nations but also in some other important friendly countries. Consequently, it was only natural for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to welcome this constructive step to hold City Corporation elections. In a statement on April 05 he encouraged the opposition parties to participate in the elections and find a way to overcome their differences for the ‘sake of the country’s long-term development and stability’.
Initially, the less than firm support for the electoral process by the opposition was evident from comments by several members of their leadership. They cast doubt over whether the Election Commission would be able to create a ‘level playing field’, ensure transparency and guarantee free electioneering by their sponsored candidates. Some even went to the extent of suggesting that these elections were nothing but a gimmick of the present government and would not eventually take place.
This negative approach was taken to the point where the opposition, as a political gambit, encouraged the filing of a writ petition in the High Court seeking a rule as to why the City Corporation Rules of 2010 and 2011 and the Returning Office Notices should not be declared as illegal. After due consideration the High Court rejected the writ petition. This cleared the way for the Election Commission to move forward in holding the election as announced, on April 28, 2015.
This pro-active and objective approach of the relevant authorities has been carried forward through the adjudicatory process followed by the Dhaka divisional commissioner and the returning officers in Chittagong and Dhaka. It included cautioning of Sayeed Khokon and Nasiruddin, both Mayoral candidates endorsed by Awami League for the Dhaka South and the Chittagong city elections respectively, and advising them to abide by election rules. Similarly, after requisite hearing of petitions from affected candidates, a total of 17 councillor aspirants for Dhaka city polls regained their candidature bids on April 05. This positive approach was helpful in taking the electoral dynamics forward.
It is understood that the Election Commission has already sought urgent deployment of executive magistrates to conduct mobile courts if so required. This will, it is expected, facilitate accountability of the candidates. Media reports have indicated that 83 per cent of all polling booths in Chittagong have been declared as risky – that amounts to 595 booths out of a total of 719. There have also been reports of several booths in the two Dhaka city corporation areas being risky.
One can only hope that the relevant law-enforcement authorities will assist the Election Commission in ensuring a peaceful election and that the government will come forward and do the needful. The security of the voters and that of the electoral officials must be looked after. Some leaders from the 20- Party Alliance suggested that the Election Commission should seek the help of the Armed Forces to ensure a fair poll. In this regard one should remember that their help was not sought in the last few city government elections. The BNP had also asked for CCTV cameras in all the polling stations.
These elections have come under careful scrutiny of the civil society and activists. That has been a welcome measure. One interesting aspect has surfaced from this exercise. It has been pointed out by them that female participation has been surprisingly low in the city corporation polls despite having female leaders in the country’s top political positions. According to media reports, only 22 female candidates are contesting for the post of councillors in 134 general wards of the three city corporations. There are, however, hundreds of male candidates.
Analysts have since pointed out that there are a number of factors for the low numbers in women participation. Socio-religious reasons as well as financial solvency have in particular impacted on this process. Some gender activists have drawn the attention of the Election Commission through the media that gender discrimination has taken place in the allotment of symbols for the reserved seats of women councillors. They have mentioned that women have been allotted discriminatory gender-conscious symbols like kettle, bird cage, tissue box, betel leaf and grinding stone. One would think that the Election Commission will remember the sensitivity of this point during future polls.
The fact that these elections are not just a hype has been demonstrated by the aggrieved response of the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership and their activists. It appears that they also wanted to be part of this democratic process instead of just perpetrating violence. They have expressed their disappointment over the exclusion of most of their councillor candidates from the list of those who would receive support from the 20-Party Alliance. They have held BNP-led Adorsho Dhaka Andolon responsible for this. This development might affect the chances of some candidates supported by the 20-Party Alliance.
Such fissure and criticism have also appeared, as expected, within the Awami League ranks. Some supporters of this party who have become candidates, despite being urged not to field themselves, are carrying out negative lobbying against party-sanctioned candidates. They are defending their positions by pointing out that they are not going against party decisions as local government elections are not taking place on party basis. Analysts have concluded that their debatable role will in all likelihood affect the fortunes of some Awami League-sponsored candidates.
In the meantime, we have had many lofty promises from mayoral candidates in all the three city corporations. They range from improving the quality of the roads and inner-city communication systems, solving the traffic problem, the water scarcity or water logging problem and the creation of a cleaner, safer and greener Dhaka. They have been very passionate about this. While making promises they have also mentioned that they will take necessary steps to ensure transparent and good governance which is necessary to eradicate corruption from the city corporations. Analysts monitoring statements by candidates have opined that, as things stand today, in terms of local governance, mayors of city corporations have very little power and it is unlikely that they will be able to fulfill their inspired promises.
We should, however, note the positives that have emerged from these elections. We have examples of second-generation leadership emerging from the existing political mire. The novelty is that in addition to money they rely also on digitalisation, the internet and the social media. That is an important move forward.
It is true that most of the candidates are wealthy and will probably be spending more than the legal limits. That will marginalise others. Nevertheless, whatever the hype, we have a democratic format once again. We have seen chairpersons of political parties canvassing for their preferred candidates on the streets and in shopping malls. That is definitely better than a scenario where these leaders brought forth arson and destruction in the name of democracy.
One can only hope that the newly-elected mayors and the councillors will be able to adopt measures with the help of the government that will enhance their powers with regard to basic municipal functions like conservancy, collection and disposal of solid waste. This will take place only if there is organisation of a more accountable and efficient management. There are several existing challenges but one should not be overwhelmed by them. Those who are interested in public welfare, good governance, transparency and accountability would wish the coming new teams to run the three city corporations all success.
The writer, a former Ambassador, is an analyst specialised in foreign affairs, right to information and good governance. muhammadzamir0@gmail.com