Razia’s campaign for zero tolerance policy in Dhaka-14

Publish: 9:24 PM, June 12, 2021 | Update: 9:24 PM, June 12, 2021

TBT Report
On April 4, MP Aslamul Haque of Dhaka-14 constituency of National Parliament died while undergoing treatment at Square Hospital paving to the way for re-election in the seat.

Razia Sultana Iti, the councilor (reserve seat) of 9, 10 and 11 wards of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and women’s affairs secretary of Darussalam Thana Awami League, has collected nomination forms of Awami League in the impending by-election of Dhaka-14 constituency.

In a conversation with The Bangladesh Today, Ms. Razia shared her election agenda and how she plans to materialize it. “My election manifesto is zero tolerance on corruption, terrorism, extortion, eve-teasing and drugs from Dhaka-14 constituency. I want to bestow a wonderful environment to the Prime Minister”, she said.

She shed light on the waterlogging issue during the monsoon season in her constituency and said, “Dhaka North City Corporation has already started work with Dhaka WASA to remove the water blockage. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the progress of the work is not as expected. However, if I get the party nomination and get elected by the people’s vote, then I will take steps to solve the waterlogging as soon as I assume office. In this case, I will coordinate with WASA and DNCC and seek the opinion of experts. ”

Women’s empowerment and employment would be her another election manifesto. “If I get elected, I will set up a sewing factory in the area. Women will be employed there. Besides, I will arrange training for women to be skilled in sewing”, she reflected.

She identified unemployment a major impediment and a root cause for many socio-economic problem in her constituency. “Unemployment in the area is a pretty big problem. Because of rising unemployment, it is becoming difficult to decrease the rate of theft, robbery, extortion, and eve-teasing. So if I get elected, I will focus on unemployed youth in the area and arrange employment for them”, she expressed with sheer confidence.

Ms. Razia opined that unequal government allocation on spending makes the work harder for woman representatives in their local constituencies. “Even though I am a woman councilor, I am doing my best for the people of my constituency. The male to female government allocation on spending is 80:20. This is far less than absolute need. At times, I spent money on public welfare from my own personal funds to implement my plans. And for an MP, the amount of allocation will be undoubtedly be higher. And I will never be reluctant to invest money in development activities from my own funds if necessary to implement my plan for the welfare of the people”, she said.

Ms. Razia comes from a legacy family. She continued that “we are serving the people according to the political ideals of Bangladesh Awami League through family tradition. For the last three generations of my family, we have been elected at different times to represent the constituency at the national level. Moreover, it is the will of the people and their request that I have collected nominations for Dhaka-14 to replace the late Member of Parliament, Aslamul Haque. People want to see me as their servant. Moreover, my honesty and devotion in discharging my responsibilities is not unknown to the people. As such, I consider myself one of the claimants to get nomination from the party as a Member of Parliament for Dhaka-14 constituency.”

He added that “During the Covid-19 pandemic, 2 metric tonnes of rice and BDT 16,000 received from the government had been distributed to the appropriate people. For example, I distributed relief to 3,062 families during the lockdown. In addition, we have secretly provided assistance to the middle class of the people society who cannot reach out to anyone for help.”