The chief election commissioner claims equal opportunities have been ensured for all, but his colleague Mahbub Talukdar believes that is not the case.
Election Commissioner Talukdar’s comments came on Monday, two days after CEC KM Nurul Huda claimed the playing field has been made even.
He believes not all the candidates for the 300 parliamentary constituencies enjoy equal opportunities, an allegation frequently raised by the BNP and its allies ahead of the Dec 30 election.
The commissioner, however, also believes they still have time to make the election free and fair.
On Saturday, CEC Huda told the media that no candidate was facing any obstacles in campaigning.
After a delegation of the BNP’s Jatiya Oikya Front alliance met the election commissioners with complaints of obstruction to its candidates’ campaign, journalists asked for the Election Commission’s reaction to the complaints.
Talukdar later released a written statement with answers to the media questions and said he would not take any more question.
Q: Do you think there is a level playing field for election?
A: I don’t think there is a level playing field for the election. The phrase ‘level playing field’ has become meaningless now.
Q: Do you oppose the CEC’s view that a level playing field has been ensured?
A: I never oppose his (CEC’s) comments. He has his own views while I differ with him if necessary. You are journalists. You are aware of the news around the country. You see everything. You will get the answer if you question your own conscience whether a level playing field for the election exists or not.
Q: There have been complaints about obstructions to campaigning of opposition candidates across the country. Is a free and fair election is possible in this situation?
A: I am an optimistic individual. We must ensure free and fair polls as we have promised in the remaining days before the election. Executive magistrates, judicial magistrates, and electoral inquiry committee judges have the most effective role to play. I think the situation will change as expected once the army is deployed.
