Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) will request the Cabinet Division not to engage Returning Officers (ROs) in government’s protocol or in any meeting as they are now exclusively in election-related duty.
The EC’s statement came yesterday evening in reply to reporters following BNP’s complaint that ROs were called at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for a meeting.
“The Commission has taken a decision today (Tuesday). In light of the decision, the commission will send a letter to the Cabinet Division and different ministries requesting not to engage ROs in government’s meeting as they are now on election duty after announcement of schedule,” EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad told reporters during a briefing in the evening.
“The Commission will do it so that such issues are does not go in newspapers and other media, which would trigger questions about the election,” he added.
Helaluddin said the Commission was not aware of any meeting at the PMO with ROs.
Earlier in the day, a BNP delegation led by Joint Secretary Moazzem Hossain Alal handed over a written complaint to the EC in this regard. In the complaint signed by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the BNP also demanded withdrawal of the Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad and removal of DMP Commissioner for their derogatory comments over the November 14 clashes between police and BNP men in the city’s Nayapaltan area. In this regard, the EC Secretary said the Commission acts independently.
“The commission will look into any complaint officially. It is the duty of the EC Secretary only to discharge duties of executing the Commission’s decisions. The commission also allows its Secretary as a spokesperson to speak to media on its behalf.”
The Election Commission (EC) will request the Cabinet Division not to engage Returning Officers (ROs) in government’s protocol or in any meeting as they are now exclusively in election-related duty.
The EC’s statement came yesterday evening in reply to reporters following BNP’s complaint that ROs were called at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for a meeting.
“The Commission has taken a decision today (Tuesday). In light of the decision, the commission will send a letter to the Cabinet Division and different ministries requesting not to engage ROs in government’s meeting as they are now on election duty after announcement of schedule,” EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad told reporters during a briefing in the evening.
“The Commission will do it so that such issues are does not go in newspapers and other media, which would trigger questions about the election,” he added.
Helaluddin said the Commission was not aware of any meeting at the PMO with ROs.
Earlier in the day, a BNP delegation led by Joint Secretary Moazzem Hossain Alal handed over a written complaint to the EC in this regard. In the complaint signed by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the BNP also demanded withdrawal of the Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmad and removal of DMP Commissioner for their derogatory comments over the November 14 clashes between police and BNP men in the city’s Nayapaltan area. In this regard, the EC Secretary said the Commission acts independently.
“The commission will look into any complaint officially. It is the duty of the EC Secretary only to discharge duties of executing the Commission’s decisions. The commission also allows its Secretary as a spokesperson to speak to media on its behalf.”
