THE mismatch between the amounts of wealth that upazila election candidates have stated in income tax returns and election affidavits, as Transparency International Bangladesh came up with at press conference on May 27, warrants investigation, and consequent action, on a couple of fronts by authorities. Transparency International Bangladesh says that a number of candidates, contesting the third-phase upazila elections taking place on May 29, have showed amounts in their affidavits much lower than what they have stated in their income tax returns. Amounts in income tax returns lower than what they have stated in their affidavits are also no rare cases. A candidate running for the position of an upazila council chair in Chattogram has showed Tk 1.16 billion in moveable and immoveable wealth in his income tax return but has stated only Tk 377 million in wealth in his affidavit. Another candidate running for a similar position in Brahmanbaria has stated Tk 850.6 million in his income tax return but has showed the amount to be Tk 4,600,000 in his affidavit. A candidate running for the position of an upazila chair in Narsingdi has showed Tk 410.4 million in wealth in her income tax return but has stated about Tk 1.88 in wealth in her affidavit.
Transparency International Bangladesh also says that 37 per cent of the candidates have stated in their affidavits that they have no taxable income which appears 鈥榰nbelievable鈥�. Many of the candidates have disclosed their income but have hidden sources of the income. Besides, as the Transparency International Bangladesh analysis finds, the income and wealth of the public representatives running for positions for a further term have had an abnormal increase in their wealth during their previous incumbency. The proposition suggests that a tenure in office is associated with a rapid increase in income and wealth, which perhaps has resulted in an unhealthy competition among candidates to get in public office as this appears an opportunity to amass wealth. The organisation finds the income of 74 candidates running in the third-phase elections to have increased by more than 100 per cent in five years, with the maximum increase, in the case of a candidate for the position of an upazila chair in Cox鈥檚 Bazar, having been 10,422 per cent. The pattern, as the organisation says, suggests a direct correlation between holding political office and wealth accumulation. This is also evident in a significant disparity in the growth of the income and wealth of previously elected officials and the candidates who were not elected. Such a situation is gradually leading to a moneyed dominance in elections and the council of elected public representatives.
If Transparency International allegations are true, the candidates have for certain breached the solemnity of the affidavits. The Election Commission must, therefore, investigate the issue and take action against the candidates on charges of falsifying wealth statements. The revenue board must also investigate whether sources of income are legal and act accordingly.