AL’s election commissions must face justice

Badiul Alam Majumdar, Chairman of the Electoral Reform Commission, said that all participants who exchanged views with the election reform commission yesterday called for the prosecution of the previous Election Commissions.

Speaking after a meeting with eminent citizens and academics at the Election Commission office, Badiul said, “Almost everyone is in favor of bringing the previous Election Commissions to justice for violating their oaths of office by holding controversial, staged and scandalous elections.” he said.

The Election Commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, has faced severe criticism for its oversight of the latest national polls, which were boycotted by major opposition parties, including the BNP. To make the elections look participatory, the Awami League fielded “fake” independent candidates, most of whom were AL leaders.

The commission, led by KM Nurul Huda, was also criticized following the December 2018 general elections. Opposition parties claimed that ballot boxes were filled the night before the vote.

In January 2019, the Jatiya Oikya Front accused the EC of allowing 30-60 percent voting on the night before the election.

Transparency International Bangladesh later uncovered incidents of ballot paper stamping at more than 30 centers in 33 constituencies.

The commission, led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed, presided over the January 2014 elections in which 153 out of 300 MPs were elected unopposed after the opposition, including the BNP, boycotted the vote. The Awami League-led alliance won more than two-thirds of the seats in all three general elections under the Hasina government.

Badiul said that during the debate, participants unanimously called for an interim government.

“The Election Commission must be made independent and strengthened.” There was also widespread support for reintroducing the “no” vote option and promoting internal democracy within political parties.

“If democracy is not established within political parties, it cannot be expected to develop at the national level,” he added.

Suggestions for direct presidential elections and holding direct elections for seats reserved for women in the parliament were also voiced by academics and citizens.

Jahangirnagar University Prof Naseem Akhter Hussain suggested a bicameral legislature and increasing the number of seats reserved for women to 100.

Prof from the same university. Al Masud Hasanuzzaman discussed various aspects of the proportional representation system, as well as issues such as proper constituency division, transparent party financing and participation of all stakeholders in ensuring fair elections.

Film star and Nirapad Sarak Chai Chairman Ilias Kanchan also suggested reintroducing the “no” voting system and called for speedy resolution of election-related cases.