Finally, BNP hopeful about honest, impartial EC
RAFIQUL ISLAM AZAD
The BNP is finally hopeful about the constitution of a neutral Election Commission (EC). It is because the search committee formed by the President has started noting down the opinions of civil society members and also sought names from political parties.
The party thinks there is still opportunity to constitute an honest and fearless EC. It had earlier expressed its disappointment with the search committee, which, BNP leaders had alleged, contained mostly people with ties with the government or the ruling party.
The party leaders, however, warned that they would take their next course of action if the search committee failed to constitute an acceptable EC in line with the recommendations of civil society members and the names given by political parties.
Though the search committee was not formed in accordance with our proposal, we want to maintain our confidence in the process. Let us hope that the search committee can reform the EC with neutral and acceptable members, said BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
It is good that the search committee is following our proposal while reconstituting the EC. The President did not follow it while forming the search committee, he added.
We have submitted the names to the search committee, keeping our confidence in the process. We hope the search committee will present an EC comprising neutral and confident persons according to the desires and expectations of the people, he said.
The former minister said that despite all the initiatives, everything would turn into a futile exercise if the search committee constituted the new EC
with people provided by the Awami League (AL).
Another BNP standing committee member, Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman, however, appreciated the Presidents initiative to hold talks with the political parties on the formation of the EC.
During their dialogue with the President, the political parties explained to him why the constitution of a fearless EC was important for holding a free and fair election, he said.
The former Army chief said the BNP had submitted names for the sake of the countrys democracy and to resolve the current political impasse through the formation of an acceptable EC. This has created an opportunity for a good EC to be constituted by the search committee. We hope the government takes this opportunity since it has many responsibilities, he said.
He added that the future of the countrys democracy depends on the decision of the search committee.
BNP vice-chairman Maj. (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed said they are waiting to see the end of the search committees endeavour. It is too early to make any comment on the formation of an acceptable EC by this search committee since the process is still on, he added.
The former minister questioned the selection of five members of the civil society in the second phase to take their opinion, alleging that all of them were pro-government elements. We have no expectations from this search committee. We are waiting to see their final course of action, he added.
The President formed a six-member search committee, headed by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, after holding a series of talks with 31 registered political parties including the ruling AL and its arch-rival BNP. The search committee has already invited 17 members of the civil society and had two view-exchange meetings with them to get their opinions and recommendations to form the EC.
The search committee has received 125 names from 25 registered political parties and short-listed 20 names from those to constitute the EC.
The next EC is likely to be announced very soon, as the tenure of the incumbent EC, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, is about to expire. The new commission will arrange the next parliamentary polls scheduled in 2019.
