bdnews24.com :
The newly constituted Election Commission faces a daunting challenge to restore public faith in the poll process. The test of its effectiveness lies in getting all parties to contest the next national election due in January 2019.
The country’s leading opposition party BNP did not contest the 2014 polls, raising many questions about the efficacy of Bangladesh’s electoral democracy.
The BNP and its allies, along with other political parties, have been bitterly critical of the outgoing Election Commission. They often described it as an ‘instrument of the ruling party.’
The next Election Commission has now been constituted after two months of consultations that President Abdul Hamid initiated with the political parties. A search panel, constituted by the president, went through recommendations made by political parties, before it gave President Hamid options to choose the chief election commissioner and four commissioners. The new EC has to make voters and parties believe it is impartial, out to protect the country’s fledgling democracy rather than the interests of the ruling party.
It has to control violence during elections and create an atmosphere for free and fair polls by bringing back Electronic Voting Machines, effective distribution of smart ID cards through a decentralised network of service centres. Non-governmental poll watchdog Election Working Group (EWG) director Abdul Alim said the outgoing EC headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad organised many elections during its tenure, but only the four city polls in 2013 and the 2016 Narayanganj city polls were considered to be fair.
“That undermined the people’s faith in the electoral process. So the new EC will have to try for a real image makeover by involving political parties, civil society groups, citizen groups, media and election observers from home and abroad in the process,” said Abdul Alim. “At the heart of it lies the EC’s capacity to organise violence-free and fair polls.” On Monday, President Hamid picked former secretary KM Nurul Huda as the chief election commissioner and four other election commissioners to assist him-former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former district judge Kabita Khanam, and former army brigadier general Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.
EWG director Alim welcomed the elaborate process adopted by the president and the search panel he set up.
He also asked all political parties to give the new EC enough time to prove its credentials and not oppose it for the sake of politics. Observers say that governments that rule for long periods tend to exercise central control on parties, candidates and field workers and that the EC will have to be especially watchful and firm in order to fight such influence. Though the EC under ATM Shamsul Huda had planned two separate strategies for the 2007-2012 term, Abdul Alim believes the Kazi Rakib EC was not able to implement them.
“The new EC will need to restart the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) system, ensure the proper use of the National IDs, distribute smartcards in an orderly manner, and form and maintain an action plan,” he said. “They have some tough tasks ahead.”
If such a carefully appointed EC is unable to do its job, they will have to face criticism, he said.
Chairman of the National Election Observatory Prof Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah compared the outgoing EC to a ‘wartime cabinet’, saying it had faced a challenging general election (the Tenth Parliamentary Elections) and had to overcome many obstacles. “The big challenge for the new EC shall be the Eleventh National Parliamentary Elections,” Nazmul Ahsan told bdnews24.com. “The EC must prioritise gaining the trust of all and ensuring there is no loss of life.” In his opinion, the EC must highlight the need for reforms to the electoral system and its technical aspects to voters and all others affected. “The new commission will face criticism and opposition, that is nothing to be surprised about,” he said. “But the EC will have to do its work. They must gain the trust of the current government and the opposition parties and deal with them openly and fairly. Otherwise they will fail to meet the expectations of the people.” Though Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah had been among the list of eight nominees for the commission, put forward by the search panel, he was not selected.
Though he appeared before the media at his house on Tuesday after his appointment, CEC Nurul Huda said he was not yet prepared to discuss the challenges to come. ” I will use my long experience in the civil service to fulfil my duties impartially, he said. The new CEC said he had had ‘never compromised’ during his career in the government, and assured reporters he would not do so in his new position.
However, it would be difficult for the administration to perform its duties without the cooperation of all, said the former secretary who had been kept as an OSD during BNP rule.
Asked what steps he would take to prevent a repeat of the widespread violence and BNP alliance boycott of the Tenth Parliamentary Election, the CEC said: “We will have to remain committed to impartiality, integrity and free and fair elections. We will explain this to them. We hope they will understand and support us.” After five years of hostile local and national elections, discussion and criticism, the Election Commission led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed has completed its term. Kazi Rakib, who took over charge on Feb 9, 2012, said he wished to prove his impartiality through his actions. The commission endured much controversy during its term, but received praise for ending their term on a high note with the Narayanganj City Corporation Elections.
Kazi Rakib said the assessment of their work should be left to the people.
After the Narayanganj vote, he had said: “Only the people can ensure trust. This is the work of the future. We have tried our best to ensure free, fair and acceptable elections.” The commission face the boycotts of the BNP and like-minded parties, and widespread violence, including the death of at least 21 on election day, during the Tenth National Parliamentary Elections. Apart from the four city corporation elections at the start of their term and the Narayanganj elections at the end, the elections overseen by Kazi Rakib’s EC were plagued with disorder, violence and allegations of fraud. At the time the CEC had expressed his frustration at his powerlessness. The EC faced criticism for failing to restart the EVM system, reducing their own power (the removal of RPO clause 91), internal conflict over seniority and failure to control field operations.
The failure of the EC to implement the discussed reforms was also questioned.
Many opposition parties, including the BNP and Jatiya party, were loud with constant criticism. From the beginning the BNP designated the commission as ‘a servant of the government’. The Jatiya Party described it as ‘spineless’. When the Awami League finally called the commission ‘merciless’, Kazi Rakib claimed the criticism was a sign of their impartiality. “When everyone has complaints, it should be clear that we are taking action against everyone. Our neutrality is even clearer.” However, the entire EC had to apologise to the court for not taking any firm action against voter fraud. The Kazi Rakib EC began its term in February 2012. Their term officially ends on Feb 8, while Kazi Rakib’s term ends on Feb 14. EC Secretary Mohammad Abdullah said preparations have been made for the appointment of the new Election Commission. “The Gaibandha – 1 constituency by-election will be conducted by the new EC,” he said. “Through those elections the new EC will be able to establish itself and gain people’s trust. We are supporting them in as many ways as possible.”
The newly constituted Election Commission faces a daunting challenge to restore public faith in the poll process. The test of its effectiveness lies in getting all parties to contest the next national election due in January 2019.
The country’s leading opposition party BNP did not contest the 2014 polls, raising many questions about the efficacy of Bangladesh’s electoral democracy.
The BNP and its allies, along with other political parties, have been bitterly critical of the outgoing Election Commission. They often described it as an ‘instrument of the ruling party.’
The next Election Commission has now been constituted after two months of consultations that President Abdul Hamid initiated with the political parties. A search panel, constituted by the president, went through recommendations made by political parties, before it gave President Hamid options to choose the chief election commissioner and four commissioners. The new EC has to make voters and parties believe it is impartial, out to protect the country’s fledgling democracy rather than the interests of the ruling party.
It has to control violence during elections and create an atmosphere for free and fair polls by bringing back Electronic Voting Machines, effective distribution of smart ID cards through a decentralised network of service centres. Non-governmental poll watchdog Election Working Group (EWG) director Abdul Alim said the outgoing EC headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad organised many elections during its tenure, but only the four city polls in 2013 and the 2016 Narayanganj city polls were considered to be fair.
“That undermined the people’s faith in the electoral process. So the new EC will have to try for a real image makeover by involving political parties, civil society groups, citizen groups, media and election observers from home and abroad in the process,” said Abdul Alim. “At the heart of it lies the EC’s capacity to organise violence-free and fair polls.” On Monday, President Hamid picked former secretary KM Nurul Huda as the chief election commissioner and four other election commissioners to assist him-former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former district judge Kabita Khanam, and former army brigadier general Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.
EWG director Alim welcomed the elaborate process adopted by the president and the search panel he set up.
He also asked all political parties to give the new EC enough time to prove its credentials and not oppose it for the sake of politics. Observers say that governments that rule for long periods tend to exercise central control on parties, candidates and field workers and that the EC will have to be especially watchful and firm in order to fight such influence. Though the EC under ATM Shamsul Huda had planned two separate strategies for the 2007-2012 term, Abdul Alim believes the Kazi Rakib EC was not able to implement them.
“The new EC will need to restart the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) system, ensure the proper use of the National IDs, distribute smartcards in an orderly manner, and form and maintain an action plan,” he said. “They have some tough tasks ahead.”
If such a carefully appointed EC is unable to do its job, they will have to face criticism, he said.
Chairman of the National Election Observatory Prof Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah compared the outgoing EC to a ‘wartime cabinet’, saying it had faced a challenging general election (the Tenth Parliamentary Elections) and had to overcome many obstacles. “The big challenge for the new EC shall be the Eleventh National Parliamentary Elections,” Nazmul Ahsan told bdnews24.com. “The EC must prioritise gaining the trust of all and ensuring there is no loss of life.” In his opinion, the EC must highlight the need for reforms to the electoral system and its technical aspects to voters and all others affected. “The new commission will face criticism and opposition, that is nothing to be surprised about,” he said. “But the EC will have to do its work. They must gain the trust of the current government and the opposition parties and deal with them openly and fairly. Otherwise they will fail to meet the expectations of the people.” Though Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah had been among the list of eight nominees for the commission, put forward by the search panel, he was not selected.
Though he appeared before the media at his house on Tuesday after his appointment, CEC Nurul Huda said he was not yet prepared to discuss the challenges to come. ” I will use my long experience in the civil service to fulfil my duties impartially, he said. The new CEC said he had had ‘never compromised’ during his career in the government, and assured reporters he would not do so in his new position.
However, it would be difficult for the administration to perform its duties without the cooperation of all, said the former secretary who had been kept as an OSD during BNP rule.
Asked what steps he would take to prevent a repeat of the widespread violence and BNP alliance boycott of the Tenth Parliamentary Election, the CEC said: “We will have to remain committed to impartiality, integrity and free and fair elections. We will explain this to them. We hope they will understand and support us.” After five years of hostile local and national elections, discussion and criticism, the Election Commission led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed has completed its term. Kazi Rakib, who took over charge on Feb 9, 2012, said he wished to prove his impartiality through his actions. The commission endured much controversy during its term, but received praise for ending their term on a high note with the Narayanganj City Corporation Elections.
Kazi Rakib said the assessment of their work should be left to the people.
After the Narayanganj vote, he had said: “Only the people can ensure trust. This is the work of the future. We have tried our best to ensure free, fair and acceptable elections.” The commission face the boycotts of the BNP and like-minded parties, and widespread violence, including the death of at least 21 on election day, during the Tenth National Parliamentary Elections. Apart from the four city corporation elections at the start of their term and the Narayanganj elections at the end, the elections overseen by Kazi Rakib’s EC were plagued with disorder, violence and allegations of fraud. At the time the CEC had expressed his frustration at his powerlessness. The EC faced criticism for failing to restart the EVM system, reducing their own power (the removal of RPO clause 91), internal conflict over seniority and failure to control field operations.
The failure of the EC to implement the discussed reforms was also questioned.
Many opposition parties, including the BNP and Jatiya party, were loud with constant criticism. From the beginning the BNP designated the commission as ‘a servant of the government’. The Jatiya Party described it as ‘spineless’. When the Awami League finally called the commission ‘merciless’, Kazi Rakib claimed the criticism was a sign of their impartiality. “When everyone has complaints, it should be clear that we are taking action against everyone. Our neutrality is even clearer.” However, the entire EC had to apologise to the court for not taking any firm action against voter fraud. The Kazi Rakib EC began its term in February 2012. Their term officially ends on Feb 8, while Kazi Rakib’s term ends on Feb 14. EC Secretary Mohammad Abdullah said preparations have been made for the appointment of the new Election Commission. “The Gaibandha – 1 constituency by-election will be conducted by the new EC,” he said. “Through those elections the new EC will be able to establish itself and gain people’s trust. We are supporting them in as many ways as possible.”
