TUI RAZAKAR

compiled by : Habib

Published: Tuesday, 13 May, 2008, 05:25 AM Doha Time

Our Correspondent
DHAKA: The election commission (EC) has rejected a plea of 1971 liberation war commanders to bar ‘war criminals’ from contesting the ensuing parliamentary polls.
Chief election commissioner A T M Shamsul Huda said that data against ‘war criminals’ and anti-liberation forces needed to be gathered if they were to be banned from contesting polls.
He made the remark at a meeting with the Sector Commanders’ Forum.
The 1971 independence war veterans, campaigning for war crimes trial, demanded that the EC declare war criminals ineligible for elections.
Huda said the commission would recommend to the government to take the initiative.
“We have been working under limitations as a statutory body. But we cannot do anything since the issue this is political. For this, the government has to come forward. We will place our recommendation with the government,” he said.
Referring to the draft Public Representation Ordinance 2008 which makes convicts unfit for contesting elections, he said, “Anyone convicted by the court will be ineligible to contest elections. Besides, a candidate will lose the seat if he or she furnishes wrong information under the eight-point affidavit