The majority of the candidates – around 70% - for the upcoming mayoral elections in Chittagong own businesses.
A total of 24 candidates out of 34 are businessmen, according to their affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, and will contest the polls in Sandwip, Banshkhali, Chandanaish, Satkania, Mirsarai, Patiya, Raozan, Rangunia, Baryarhat and Sitakunda municipalities.
Of the remaining 10 candidates, four earn their livelihoods by renting houses and shops while two have jobs. Besides, one candidate is involved in farming and three did not specify their earning sources.
On the other hand, eight candidates - Shamsul Alam of Patiya, Mainuddin Liton of Baryarhat, Nizam Uddin of Baryarhat, AZM Rafiqul Islam of Mirsarai, Kazi Abdullah Al Hasan of Raozan, Helal Uddin Shah of Rangunia, Azmat Ali Bahadur of Sandwip and Tawhidul Haque Chowdhury of Sitakunda - have been accused in different cases.
Meanwhile, three aspirants studied up to the eighth grade. Four mentioned that they are self-educated while three said they are literate.
Five candidates studied up to the secondary level while Towhidul Alam, a candidate in Patiya, wrote “not applicable” in the relevant section.
A total of six hopefuls studied up to the higher secondary level, seven are graduates and four achieved post-graduation degrees.
Professor Sikandar Khan, Chittagong unit president of Shushanar Janniya Nagorik, told the Dhaka Tribune contesting elections in the country has turned out to be a matter of money and power.
“It does not augur well for the country that the affluent are dominating the elections. The fact that most of the mayoral aspirants in the port city earn money from businesses amply implies that the rich have established their dominance in the local body elections too. The candidates who are not that solvent are thus left with no options but to take a back seat,” said Prof Sikandar, also the vice-chancellor of East Delta University.
“If past experience is anything to go by, the moneyed contestants usually do not feel committed to providing service after claiming victory in the polls,” he added.
Socheton Nagorik Committee’s Chittagong chapter President Delwar Hossain Majumder told the Dhaka Tribune that politics has become a tool that members of the business community use for their own advantage.
“Running businesses has thus become the primary concern of entrepreneurs who turned to politics and they care less about serving people. This is unpleasant and we have to come out of this culture so that only the bona fide and dedicated politicians compete in the elections,” he said.
