Staff Reporter :
Former chief election commission KM Nurul Huda has said Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) has one fault only.
He said it was not possible to bring ballot unit under technology. There was some complexity. It would have been better if there were finger print system. In future it would be possible to correct.
He said, “EVMs cannot be manipulated. However, EVM machines can be made more up-to-date. EVMs should be used in the next 20 years’ elections in Bangladesh. Installing CCTV cameras in the polling booths will increase voters confidence in EVMs.”
We have seen how people hijacked ballot boxes and cast fake votes. There is no scope for such malpractices with EVM,” said Huda. However, cent percent voter turnout in some centres was uncomfortable and ashamed tus.
He said the next general election will not be acceptable without the participation of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) as it is one of the major political parties in the country.
“BNP is a major political party. A free, fair and participatory election can’t be expected keeping the BNP outside the poll process. So, the BNP must be convinced to take part in election, and the government should take this responsibility. I also request the BNP to take part as problems will never be resolved boycotting the election. You decide how to join the elections. I urge you to take part in the election,” Nurul Huda said while speaking as the chief guest at a shadow parliamentary debating competition organised by Debate for Democracy at Film Development Corporation (FDC) auditorium in the capital on Saturday (June 4) morning.
Nurul Huda said elections must be a competitive one. Fair polls are not possible without political consensus.
“Election is a very sensitive and challenging issue,” he said, adding that it is not possible for the Election Commission alone to hold a free and fair election. All stakeholders including the political parties and the administration must extend full support and cooperation to the Election Commission to hold elections in free, fair and credible manner.
Mentioning that holding elections under a party government is somewhat challenging, Nurul Huda said. It could be overcome if the EC wanted it.
The former CEC also suggested that EC officials be assigned as returning officers, instead of deputy commissioners (DCs).
“There was no invisible pressure on me during my tenure in the Election Commission. I have full confidence in the current Election Commission,” said.
Earlier his farewell programme KM Nurul Huda said the officials of EC did not abide by my direction.
Speaking at the programme, Debate for Democracy chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron said the only way to hand over power in a democratic society is through fair, acceptable, and participatory elections.
Earlier, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen asked his US counterpart Antony Blinken to bring BNP to the election process to follow the rules and procedures of the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the AL chief said at a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) that the government will make all-out efforts to bring opposition BNP to the next parliamentary election.
