Staff Reporter :
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday proposed the government to form next Election Commission (EC) based on unity of all parties, ahead of the next general election.
She unveiled 13-point suggestions for the formation of a new stronger and neutral EC while spelling out the proposals in city’s Westin Hotel in the afternoon.
“The Chief Election Commissioner will be honest, brave, widely respected neutral, experienced and skilled person,” Khaleda Zia said.
She added: “People who served in the Prime Minister’s Office or a former parliament representative will not be eligible for EC. Neutral, not controversial persons, respected to all, who will not below to retired district judge and equivalent officials, retired brigadier generals, senior lawyers and scholars will be eligible for EC.”
The BNP chief called for formation of a search committee with clean slated former chief justices,
eminent citizens and common people whom the president will select after sitting with all political parties who represented in Parliament since the independence.
“Before forming the Election Commission a search committee should be formed comprising former judges, secretaries and scholars,” she said.
“We ask the President to format a search body to form a neutral and stronger EC after talking with the political parties for a fair election,” she said.
The BNP chief came up with the proposals as the previous EC, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, is due for expiration in February next year.
She laid out a set of recommendations on formation of the new commission, and empowering it, including a set of changes to the Representation of the People’s Order (RPO).
Khaleda Zia suggested formation of a five-member election commission headed by a Chief Election Commissioner and inclusion of a female Election Commissioner in the panel.
“Former chief justices who are above of all controversies, eminent citizens and people who are respectful in all walks of life will be eligible to be members of the search committee,” she suggested.
Khaleda Zia said the fresh Election Commission should have its own independent secretariat, which would be neutral and have its financial liberty.
The former Prime Minister suggested that after announcement of the election schedule, the powers of administration to be reshuffled and to be given to the EC.
She asked the district commissioners and police superintendents will have to be changed and new administrators will have to be replaced to ensure transparency in the election.
Khaleda Zia advised that the magistracy power would have to be given to the election officials to take legal action against polls time troublemakers.
She also wants the Election Commission officials to be trained to improve service quality.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Members Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Tarikul Islam, Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mian, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Moin Uddin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Vice Chairman Major (rtd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Abdullah Al Noman, Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin and Shamsuzzaman Dudu, among others, were present.
Alliance leaders, LDP President Colonel (Rtd) Oli Ahmed, BJP President Barrister Andaliv Rahman, Kalyan Party Chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, JAGPA President Shafiul Alam Prodhan and NAP Chairman Jebel Rahman Gani were also present.
Among the eminent citizens, Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haque, former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Saleh Uddin Ahmed and former VC of Jahangirnagar University Dr. Mustahidur Rahman were also present.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday proposed the government to form next Election Commission (EC) based on unity of all parties, ahead of the next general election.
She unveiled 13-point suggestions for the formation of a new stronger and neutral EC while spelling out the proposals in city’s Westin Hotel in the afternoon.
“The Chief Election Commissioner will be honest, brave, widely respected neutral, experienced and skilled person,” Khaleda Zia said.
She added: “People who served in the Prime Minister’s Office or a former parliament representative will not be eligible for EC. Neutral, not controversial persons, respected to all, who will not below to retired district judge and equivalent officials, retired brigadier generals, senior lawyers and scholars will be eligible for EC.”
The BNP chief called for formation of a search committee with clean slated former chief justices,
eminent citizens and common people whom the president will select after sitting with all political parties who represented in Parliament since the independence.
“Before forming the Election Commission a search committee should be formed comprising former judges, secretaries and scholars,” she said.
“We ask the President to format a search body to form a neutral and stronger EC after talking with the political parties for a fair election,” she said.
The BNP chief came up with the proposals as the previous EC, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, is due for expiration in February next year.
She laid out a set of recommendations on formation of the new commission, and empowering it, including a set of changes to the Representation of the People’s Order (RPO).
Khaleda Zia suggested formation of a five-member election commission headed by a Chief Election Commissioner and inclusion of a female Election Commissioner in the panel.
“Former chief justices who are above of all controversies, eminent citizens and people who are respectful in all walks of life will be eligible to be members of the search committee,” she suggested.
Khaleda Zia said the fresh Election Commission should have its own independent secretariat, which would be neutral and have its financial liberty.
The former Prime Minister suggested that after announcement of the election schedule, the powers of administration to be reshuffled and to be given to the EC.
She asked the district commissioners and police superintendents will have to be changed and new administrators will have to be replaced to ensure transparency in the election.
Khaleda Zia advised that the magistracy power would have to be given to the election officials to take legal action against polls time troublemakers.
She also wants the Election Commission officials to be trained to improve service quality.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Members Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Tarikul Islam, Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mian, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Moin Uddin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Vice Chairman Major (rtd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Abdullah Al Noman, Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin and Shamsuzzaman Dudu, among others, were present.
Alliance leaders, LDP President Colonel (Rtd) Oli Ahmed, BJP President Barrister Andaliv Rahman, Kalyan Party Chairman Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, JAGPA President Shafiul Alam Prodhan and NAP Chairman Jebel Rahman Gani were also present.
Among the eminent citizens, Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haque, former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Saleh Uddin Ahmed and former VC of Jahangirnagar University Dr. Mustahidur Rahman were also present.
