The Election Commission on Thursday sat in a meeting with the senior journalists of the electronic media to get their suggestions over holding of the 11th Parliamentary election in a free, fair, impartial and credible manner.
Presided over by Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, 26 journalists from different television channels, radio stations, online news agencies and portals were present on the last day of the two-day meeting at Nirbachon Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon.
Four Commissioners and senior officials of EC Secretariat were also present there. The EC has been arranging the series of meetings with the stakeholders to get their suggestions targeting the next general elections likely to be held between October 30, 2018 and January 28, 2019.
After attending the meeting, the CEC told the journalists that EC will never play the role of a “mediator” among the political parties as “it’s not EC’s job”. “Several international mediators also did not negotiate among the political parties in the past. So, we don’t want to take the role of a mediator. In fact, it’s not a job of the EC. And so, the EC won’t take such initiative,” the CEC said.
Nurul Huda said that EC should not take any role about the election-time government too. “The EC is a technical body. It will hold election in a manner as designed by the government. So, the polls will be held under the government which stays in power during the election period. Everything will depend on the circumstances that the government creates.”
“If the present government stays in power, the EC will conduct elections under its arrangement. If the government changes, the EC will work as per their arrangements. So, there should not be any role of EC what type of government will stay in power during the election. Actually, we can’t make a decision on the type of polls-time government.”
On Wednesday, the EC sat with print media journalists in which editors and senior journalists urged to take necessary measures to ensure an inclusive parliamentary election.
Like the previous day, most of the journalists yesterday also suggested to restore “No vote” and not to deploy army during the polls. Besides, they urged the EC to ensure safety of religious minorities after the polls and tackle the interference of local and international organizations in the name of ‘observation’. They also urged the EC to get access to the affidavits of the candidates.
Against this backdrop, CEC Huda said, “The EC and the political parties will listen to each other’s issues during the dialogue. But there will be no discussion over which party would join the polls. We’re committed to hold a free, fair, impartial and credible election. We haven’t any weakness or enmity to anyone. As well as, we haven’t any attraction or repulsion for anyone. We have respect for the electoral law.”
“We don’t need to go anywhere. EC is an independent body. We have taken oath not to bow down to anyone’s pressure….That’s enough,” the CEC said, adding: “We’re confident…We’re still in a favourable situation. Nobody disturbed us. None came to the Commission with demands dues.
Replying to another question, Huda said, “The deployment of army is solely a decision of the EC. If the situation demands, there will be army during the polls.”
Chief Editor of BSS Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Editor of Ekattor tv Mozammel Babu, CEO of DBC News Manjurul Islam, Chief News Editor of Ntv Khairul Anowar, Chief News Editor of ATN Bangla JI Mamun, Director of Channel I Shaikh Siraj, CEO of Rtv Syed Ashik Rahman, Head of News of Ekushey tv Rashed Chowdhury, Head of News of Bangla Vision Mostafa Firoz, Head of News of Samoy TV Tushar Abdullah and Executive Editor of Independent TV Khaled Muhiuddin took part in the meeting.
Besides, Director General of Bangladesh Television SM Harun-ar Rashid, Chief News Editor of Massranga TV Rezwanul Haque Raza, Chief News Editor of Jamuna TV Fahim Ahmed, Editor Input of Channel-24 Talat Mamun, News Editor of SA TV Shariful Islam, News Editor of Deepta TV Mahmudul Karim, Chief News Editor of Asian TV Billal Hossain, Head of News of Radia Today Selim Bashar, Bangladesh Correspondent of Voice of America Amir Khasru and President of Dhaka Reporters Unity Sakhawat Hossain Badsha were also present there.
Acting Secretary of EC Helaluddin Ahmed said, “The EC is taking suggestions from civil society and journalists and then it will be placed before the political parties.”
The EC had initiated talks with 40 civil society personalities on July 31. Demanding dissolution of Parliament before the polls, most of the civil society members demanded army deployment during the polls and restoration of the ‘No Vote’ option.
The EC will start dialogues with 40 registered political parties on August 24. On the day, Bangladesh Nationalist Front will join the meeting in the morning and Bangladesh Sangskritick Mukti Jote in the afternoon.
The next meetings with the political parties will be held on August 28 and 30, according to the EC officials.
