Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish yesterday said they have proposed to the Election Commission (EC) to hold the next general election under an interim administration instead of the Awami League (AL) government. Majlish leaders, who held talks with chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda at Election Bhaban yesterday, expressed apprehension that the next parliamentary polls would not be free and fair if held under the ruling party.

Majlish secretary general Mahfuzul Haque said they had placed 15 proposals to the EC during the dialogue.

The proposals include brining the home ministry and other related ministries under the EC’s control, Army deployment before seven days of the elections, resisting black money and muscle power, arrangement of same posters which would hold the name and symbols of all candidates, settling election-related cases within six months, dissolution of Parliament before schedule, online submission of nomination papers, setting up CCTVs in all election centres, not giving registration to those parties which are against the religion and sovereignty of the state, making all election-related laws in Bangla, and make arrangements so that expatriate Bangladeshis can cast their votes.  

Haque said the EC has agreed to 80 per cent of their proposals and they would discuss the rest at the poll panel’s meeting following talks with all the parties.

Later, EC secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told reporters that they had a fruitful dialogue with Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish. The EC would consider the proposals under its jurisdiction after dialogue with all the parties, he said.

“The proposals by the various parties that pertain to matters not under the EC’s jurisdiction would be informed to the government,” he added.

The EC secretary said they would complete talks with all political parties and other stakeholders such as election observers by 30 October.

He said the schedule of all parties have not been finalised yet, but it would be done in phases.

Though EC had another dialogue scheduled with Islami Oikya Jote yesterday afternoon, the party requested the poll panel to reschedule the meeting for a later date.

The EC has been holding talks with registered political parties since August 24 to seek recommendations for holding fair elections. As part of its poll roadmap, the EC had also held consultations with civil society members on July 31 and those belonging to the print and electronic media on August 16 and 17.