The ‘pledge’ Tasnim Zara made before receiving the nomination

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk:

Tasnim Zara, Senior Joint Secretary of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has criticized the rampant violation of election spending limits in Bangladesh, emphasizing the need for transparency and integrity in politics.

Speaking on Saturday (6 December) via a Facebook post at 1:00 pm, she said, “Legally, a candidate in our country can spend a maximum of 2.5 million taka in an election. But in reality, almost no one follows this law. It is reported that candidates spend 2, 5, or even 10 crore taka, yet they tell the Election Commission that they only spent 2.5 million taka. So, nearly everyone starts their journey to Parliament by breaking the law and lying.”

Tasnim Zara announced her candidacy for Dhaka-9 from NCP and pledged full transparency in her campaign. She stated, “I will not engage in dishonesty and the politics of lies. I have applied for nomination from NCP for Dhaka-9, and I promise not to spend a single taka beyond the legal limit. Many have said that it is impossible to run a campaign with such a small budget. I say we will prove that it is possible. We will provide regular updates on how much we receive and spend—not just after the election, but during the campaign itself. Everything will be done transparently.”

She added, “We aim to set an example that it is possible to contest an election honestly, without relying on money or muscle power. But for this, we need your help. Tasks that other candidates pay for must be accomplished with your time, effort, and participation through volunteer teams. Whether you are in Dhaka-9 (Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, Mugda, Manda), elsewhere in the country, or abroad, you can contribute to this campaign. There are many ways to help, and we have prepared a short form where you can indicate how you would like to contribute:

• Some can help with graphic design

• Some can shoot or edit videos, or organize courtyard meetings

• Some can assist with fundraising

• Some can go door-to-door delivering our message

• There are many other roles, and you can specify how you want to help

It only takes two minutes to fill out the form.

I want this election to be your election. We will build a team together, provide training, and gradually involve everyone. We will show that politics can be conducted with honesty. I firmly believe that if politics moves away from corruption, muscle power, and lies, and returns to the real people, the possibilities are limitless.”