Six candidates running for the April 28 mayoral race for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) faced each other yesterday in a mayoral debate organised jointly by the Dhaka Tribune, ATN News and Institute of Infomatics and Development (IID).
“We live in Dhaka. But we never think about our city. It is our responsibility to question our mayors about our concerns,” says Munni.
It is to address these responsibilities – which the successful mayors will have to eventually look after – that the debate was hosted.
Zafar Sobhan, Editor of the Dhaka Tribune, wrote: “With this debate, we hope that we not only will provide a needed service for the voters in the upcoming Dhaka city corporation elections, but that we can kick-start a culture of televised debates in which future candidates will have no option but to face off against one another and will have to make their case to the public in order to be elected.”
The debate was designed in a grassroots manner so as to encourage and maximize the participation of citizens. At the debate, the mayoral candidates from DNCC spoke on issues which people raised through a platform provided by the Dhaka Tribune on social media website Facebook.
Issues of traffic, waste management, drainage and waterlogging, and safety for women were among the top choices for discussion, according to votes casted by social media users on a poll conducted by IID.
“What the mayor can do is form public opinion. For new changes, we need new mentality, we need alternative thinking,” said Abdullah al Kafi.
“I am here to work for five years, with honesty, to provide happiness, safety and comfort,” said Anisul Huq, adding that he has had years of experience in running several businesses.
On a similar note, Tabith said he has served the country, walked every street of Dhaka north in the past 15 years, and said: “It’s time to change Dhaka in innovative ways. I want to take it on and address its issues.”
When the issue about safety rose, Mahi B Chowdhury spoke specifically about addressing issues of child molestation, as well as the safety of women.
He added: “Today, the youth of our society don’t want to give blood, they want to earn through their hard work.”
The debate will be aired on ATN News after the 9pm news on Wednesday, April 23.