Dismissing the media report that he had a telephonic conversation with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Thursday said he never talked to her since he assumed office. Reacting to the newspaper report published on Wednesday, the CEC pointing at the reporters said, “I don’t know how and where from you got the story?” According to the report, the CEC had a telephonic conversation with Khaleda Zia, when BNP’s national standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan called on him at the latter’s EC secretariat office on Tuesday. Kazi Raqib, however, said he had a personal conversation with Moyeen Khan for one and half hours on various issues other than politics. But the media said it was two-and-half-hour long meeting, he added. The CEC also expressed his dissatisfaction over publishing a news item quoting Election Commissioner Zabed Ali as saying that spines of the election commissioners are straight. Asked about the recent remarks made by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia that the EC is worthless and spineless, the EC boss said, “My request to you (reporters), please publish objective reports, don’t confuse and mislead people at this time as you’ve been entrusted with major responsibilities.” Meanwhile, the EC sent a rejoinder on Thursday terming the report imaginary, and said the CEC did not have any opportunity to talk to Khaleda Zia after he assumed office. – UNB
