Feature

Gen-Y Voters of Chittagong Vow to Elect Competent Candidates Only

Masudur Rahman

The Young Voters' Assembly was inaugurated on the 19th of this month with a call to avoid voting in favor of war criminals, corrupted ex-MPs, loan-defaulters, terrorists and incompetent candidates in the coming 9th National Parliamentary Election to be held on the 29th of December 2008. It was organized by Drishty Chittagong a socio-cultural organization working in the arena of debate in Chittagong for more than 16 years now.

This open air pre-election awareness campaign was held at Nazrul Square, DC Hill capturing the attention of thousands of mesmerizing spectators, enjoying the lively debate sessions and cultural shows. Three of the candidates out of all city candidates in Chittagong previously confirmed to come and speak to the assembly, where only one of them, Nurul Islam, a member of the Grand Alliance, kept his promise. The audience was given a chance to directly make their questions and speak about their problems to the candidate where he had to explain what he would do about it. A number of gen-Y voters voted in a symbolic ballot in favor of honest and competent candidate only.

The awareness campaign was inaugurated at 4.00 PM with the pleas from The Daily Suprobhat Bangladesh city editor M Nasirul Haque, CSDF chairman M Nazer Hossain, Jila Samajik Uddokta Parishad president Afsar Khan, IEB Chittagong Centre president Delwar Husain Majumder, ward councellor Advocate M A Nasir, Drishty vice-presidents Kashshaful Haque Shehjad, Rashedul Amin Rashed, and general secretary Saif Chowdhury to use their power of voting wisely as it decides their future. The session was presided over by Drishty president Masud Bakul.

Up next, four model debates were held, with applauding response from the audience. The debaters in the college level were Nasir Uddin, Junayed Chowdhury, Gazi Nayan, Irfan Zaman, Jewel and me. Also debating in the varsity level were Tafhim ur Rashid, Tanmay, Faisal Rabbi, Jewel Chowdhury, Rubaiyat Sarwar, Afsana Toma, Urmee Acharya, Zeenia Akhter, Reza Chowdhury, Saber Shah, Saifuddin Munna, Saeed, Pujon Bhatt, Imran, and all of them are young voters, putting their opinions forward. The debaters said Bangladesh is experiencing a revolution in every 19 years since 1952. At the end of another eighteenth year, we can definitely hope for a change. In between the debates, Journalist Shawkat Bangali, Drishty executive member Rifat Faruk, Joint Secretary Shahidul Islam, members Mujubur Rahman Moni, Partha Sharathi Barua, Nazmul Ahmed, and renown recite Mili Chowdhury and Anchol Chowdhury congratulated the audience in attending the assembly and expressing their thoughts in the upcoming election.

The campaign was cooperated whole heartedly by CSDF, Tarunner Mancha, Samriddha Bangladesh and Sanguine.

(Writer is a debater and member, Drishty Chittagong.)