GM Quader Worried about People's Apathy for Polls

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday voiced concern that the voter turnout in polls has marked a gradual fall due to people’s apathy for voting and politics.

''People are now reluctant about elections as the presence of voters is decreasing day by day. People's interest in politics is also declining,'' he said.

GM Quader, also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in parliament, made the remarks while speaking at a workshop on electing leadership at the grassroots level arranged by Jatiya Party’s Khulna unit at the party chairman’s Banani office.

He said many people are dropping out of politics only for lack of a proper political environment in the country. ''The participation of people who own the country is not being ensured in the process of electing leadership.''

The Jatiya Party chief said their party wants to do positive politics for making people interested in elections and bringing enthusiasm and vibrancy back to politics.

''We want to create people's attraction to politics.  We want people to be interested in voting again. We also want to ensure an atmosphere so that common people's hopes and aspirations are reflected in elections,'' GM Quader said.

He also said their party's objective is to serve people by gaining their confidence.

The Jatiya Party chairman said lack of liveliness in politics and enthusiasm are the main reasons behind the new generation's apathy for voting. ''It can never be good for democracy. If such a situation continues, many parties will become name-only ones.''

Jatiya Party Secretary General Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu said people now do not take any interest to go to polling stations since they have lost their confidence in the election system.

He said the Awami League and the BNP claim that they have 35% to 40% votes, but the voter turnouts were only 2-10% in the recently held polls and by-polls.

Bablu said the Election Commission must find out the reasons behind people’s lack of confidence in the election system. ''People's lack of interest in elections is the weakness of democracy.''