Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) is continuing dialogue with registered political parties aiming at finding out a way to hold free, fair and credible parliamentary polls to be held in 2023.
There is a big question in every quarter whether the incumbent EC would able to hold the acceptable polls or not?
The immediate past EC’s role has always been questioned regarding polls, as Ex-CEC KM Nurul Huda Commission was more controversial in the country’s election engineering system for holding the polls during their tenure.
Moreover, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal’s dialogue with political parties questions his capacity to hold fair election?
Most of political parties including main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has opposed to take part in polls under the Kazi Habibul Awal commission.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and few of its close allies has showed confidence in this commission.
Bangladesh Awami League Presidium Member Muhammad Faruk Khan MP said we believe in the Election Commission’s (EC) ability to hold a free, fair and acceptable election. EC is an independent and also constitutional institution which has a power to act without any pressure.
He said we have specified our position during the dialogue with EC that we want a participatory election with a good manner where all registered political parties will take part.
Faruk Khan said Awami League is a democratic and election oriented political party. We don’t fear election. If people of the country don’t like us they will give their mandate by ballot. So, I think free and fair election is important for our democracy.
When asked about CEC’s comments about that it feels pressure under partisan government, Faruk Khan said there is no pressure from AL government. The polls time government acts as the helping hand of EC.
Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said we have no confidence in the incumbent EC. We have said several times that EC has nothing to do under a partisan government as they act according to the government will.
Alal said, this EC is teethless and backboneless. It was proved in the Cumilla City Corporation polls that EC has nothing to do under a party government.
Alal claimed that EC is going to implement the AL plan as they are on a plan to use Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in next parliamentary polls whereas 36 political parties oppose it.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President ASM Abdur Rob said Bangladesh Constitution has given a lot of power to EC for holding a free, fair and credible poll. But under a partisan government it is impossible.
Rob said EC is nothing but polls time government is very important for a good election.
