Ex-secy Nurul Huda made new CEC

Former secretary Rafiqul Islam, ex-addl secy Mahbub Talukder, ex-dist judge Kabita Khanam, Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chy new commissioners

Ending all speculations of the past few days, President Md Abdul Hamid yesterday appointed former secretary and freedom fighter KM Nurul Huda as the next chief election commissioner (CEC).
The president also appointed four other election commissioners -- former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former district and sessions judge of Rajshahi Kabita Khanam and Brig Gen (Retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury – for a five-year term.
The president formed the new five-member Election Commission (EC) out of the 10 names suggested by the search committee from among the 128 names proposed by different political parties, which held dialogues with the president on the reconstitution of the EC.
The Cabinet Division also issued a gazette notification shortly before Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam announced the names through a briefing at the Bangladesh Secretariat around 9:30pm.
Shafiul said suggestions of almost all major political parties were reflected in the new EC. He also told journalists that the search committee, formed by the president and given 10 working days to recommend 10 names for the new EC, worked independently without any interference from any quarters.
The search panel suggested 10 names for the next EC in consultation with political parties and civil society members. The remaining 5 names were former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder for CEC and local government expert Prof Tofael Ahmed, pro-vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Professional Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, former Planning Commission member Abdul Mannan and Dhaka University professor Dr Zarina Rahman Khan for ECs.  
The Election Commission in consultation with the chief justice will fix the schedule for oath of the new EC.  
The tenure of the incumbent EC expires tomorrow.
The new CEC, Nurul Huda, a 1973 batch admin cadre official who hails from Patuakhali district was sacked
by then BNP-led 4-party alliance
government in 2001. He was then a joint secretary.
However, the Awami League government in 2009 promoted him to  

secretary with retrospective effect on the basis of seniority.  The search committee earlier in the evening submitted 10 names to the president for forming the next EC.
The names were finalised at the last and fourth meeting of the search committee, held at the judges' lounge of the Supreme Court. It was presided over by the committee's chairman, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain.
The names of two former secretaries, KM Nurul Huda and Ali Imam Majumder, were proposed for the post of CEC.
Sources in the search committee said that during its last meeting it telephoned the 10 people before finalising their names for forming the next EC.
After the meeting, the spokesman of the search committee and additional secretary in the Cabinet Division, Md Andul Wadud, told reporters that the panel had finalised 10 names. “The names will be submitted to the President at 6.30pm. He will take the final call,” he added.
He said a gazette notification on appointing the CEC and other election commissioners would be issued within a day or two.
Talking to this correspondent, a committee member, Dr Muhammed Sadique, who is also chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, said they finalised the 10 names on the basis of consent of political parties.
The Chief Justice will administer the oath to the new CEC and election commissioners on February 8, the officer added.
The six-member search committee, formed by the President on January 25, held two meetings 16 eminent citizens.
Headed by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, the search committee has Justice Obaidul Hassan, a High Court judge, Muhammed Sadique, chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, Masud Ahmed, comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh, Prof. Syed Manzoorul Islam, a trustee board member of the Transparency International Bangladesh, and Shireen Akhter, pro vice-chancellor of Chittagong University.
Civil society members suggested that the search committee should pick competent, non-partisan, wise and conscientious people for the five-member EC.
In 2012, two retired bureaucrats, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed and Ali Imam Majumder, were recommended for the CEC's post by the then search committee. Then President Zillur Rahman had formed the EC, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin.
Sources said the EC could get a woman commissioner for the first time.

Ex-secy Nurul Huda made new CEC

Former secretary Rafiqul Islam, ex-addl secy Mahbub Talukder, ex-dist judge Kabita Khanam, Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chy new commissioners

Ending all speculations of the past few days, President Md Abdul Hamid yesterday appointed former secretary and freedom fighter KM Nurul Huda as the next chief election commissioner (CEC). The president also appointed four other election commissioners -- former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former district and sessions judge of Rajshahi Kabita Khanam and Brig Gen (Retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury for a five-year term. The president formed the new five-member Election Commission (EC) out of the 10 names suggested by the search committee from among the 128 names proposed by different political parties, which held dialogues with the president on the reconstitution of the EC. The Cabinet Division also issued a gazette notification shortly before Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam announced the names through a briefing at the Bangladesh Secretariat around 9:30pm. Shafiul said suggestions of almost all major political parties were reflected in the new EC. He also told journalists that the search committee, formed by the president and given 10 working days to recommend 10 names for the new EC, worked independently without any interference from any quarters. The search panel suggested 10 names for the next EC in consultation with political parties and civil society members. The remaining 5 names were former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder for CEC and local government expert Prof Tofael Ahmed, pro-vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Professional Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, former Planning Commission member Abdul Mannan and Dhaka University professor Dr Zarina Rahman Khan for ECs. The Election Commission in consultation with the chief justice will fix the schedule for oath of the new EC. The tenure of the incumbent EC expires tomorrow. The new CEC, Nurul Huda, a 1973 batch admin cadre official who hails from Patuakhali district was sacked by then BNP-led 4-party alliance government in 2001. He was then a joint secretary. However, the Awami League government in 2009 promoted him to secretary with retrospective effect on the basis of seniority. The search committee earlier in the evening submitted 10 names to the president for forming the next EC. The names were finalised at the last and fourth meeting of the search committee, held at the judges lounge of the Supreme Court. It was presided over by the committees chairman, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain. The names of two former secretaries, KM Nurul Huda and Ali Imam Majumder, were proposed for the post of CEC. Sources in the search committee said that during its last meeting it telephoned the 10 people before finalising their names for forming the next EC. After the meeting, the spokesman of the search committee and additional secretary in the Cabinet Division, Md Andul Wadud, told reporters that the panel had finalised 10 names. The names will be submitted to the President at 6.30pm. He will take the final call, he added. He said a gazette notification on appointing the CEC and other election commissioners would be issued within a day or two. Talking to this correspondent, a committee member, Dr Muhammed Sadique, who is also chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, said they finalised the 10 names on the basis of consent of political parties. The Chief Justice will administer the oath to the new CEC and election commissioners on February 8, the officer added. The six-member search committee, formed by the President on January 25, held two meetings 16 eminent citizens. Headed by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, the search committee has Justice Obaidul Hassan, a High Court judge, Muhammed Sadique, chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, Masud Ahmed, comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh, Prof. Syed Manzoorul Islam, a trustee board member of the Transparency International Bangladesh, and Shireen Akhter, pro vice-chancellor of Chittagong University. Civil society members suggested that the search committee should pick competent, non-partisan, wise and conscientious people for the five-member EC. In 2012, two retired bureaucrats, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed and Ali Imam Majumder, were recommended for the CECs post by the then search committee. Then President Zillur Rahman had formed the EC, headed by Kazi Rakibuddin. Sources said the EC could get a woman commissioner for the first time.