At least eight lawmakers of the current parliament are accused in murder cases while 23 others in different criminal cases, said Shujan, a civil society organisation.
The parliament witnesses a dominance of businessmen with half of the lawmakers belonging to this profession, according to a report of Shujan.
Shujan, however, did not specify who are accused in criminal cases and who are businessmen.
The report prepared on the basis of affidavits of lawmakers submitted before the January 5 parliamentary election was disclosed at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity.
“Like previous years businessmen and wealthy people got priority in the selection of candidates in election,” the report said.
Of the 350 lawmakers, 275 have completed graduation while only 15 could not complete secondary level education.
Annual income of 55 lawmakers are above Tk1 crore while 17 earn less than Tk2 lakh. Besides, at least 226 lawmakers and their relatives own properties of over Tk1 crore.
A total of 258 lawmakers pay taxes regularly. Of them 31 pay taxes over Tk10 lakh annually, said the report.
Terming the January 5 national election unacceptable, Shujan once again demanded an immediate parliamentary poll with participation of all political parties.
It also emphasised formulation of a National Charter with consensus of all political parties aiming at a permanent solution to end political deadlock.
The charter will clearly outline poll-time government system and its duty from pre-election to post-election period.
About the role of Election Commission in recent upazilas elections Shujan statement said the commission has failed to ensure free and fair election as the upazilas elections were marked by widespread violence, vote rigging, ballot boxes stuffing and irregularities.
The incumbent commission does not have enough psychological integrity, professional efficiency and quality to work with honestly and impartially, Shujan claimed.
It also strongly criticised the Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad’s (CEC) recent remark that the EC would not take responsibility of violence occurred in the upazilas election and same volume of violence would have occurred, if he had been in the country.
The commission should be reconstituted for holding free and fair election in future, Shujan demanded.
Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, its executive member Ali Imam Majumder and local government expert Prof Tofail Ahmed, among others, also spoke at the briefing.
