Dhaka – Civil society members suggested to the Election Commission (EC) deployment of the army, reintroduction of no-vote, non-use of religion in election campaigns and monitoring sources of election fund as essential for ensuring free and fair parliamentary elections.They also demanded bringing of the key ministries like Home Affairs and Public Administration under the Election Commission during the general election.
The civil society representatives who had dialogue with the commission on Monday also said that the EC has to ensure that election time government by whatever name it may be called would only carry out its routine work.
The dialogue was chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda at the Election Bhaban in the capital.
Commission source said they invited at least 59 civil society members but only 30 persons were present on the occasion to put forward their suggestions, observations and demands.
Some representatives who were present at the dialogue did not stay for the whole session from 11 am to 4pm. They left the dialogue as soon their speeches were over.
CEC Nurul Huda after the dialogue held a press conference and said they have listened to and written down the suggestions of the civil society representatives.
He said, the commission would make a publication of all their suggestions and would accept only those which would not be contradictory to the elections laws.
The civil society members strongly protested the CEC’s previous statement that EC has the only duty after the announcement of election schedule for ensuring the level playing field.
They, however, said the Commission should not say such a thing because it has many things to do under the existing laws plus the EC has to obtain the confidence of all people including the biggest stockholder the political parities on how level plying field will be ensured when a political parity is in power.
After coming out of the meeting some civil society representatives talked to the media. “Today a majority of the representatives agreed on certain issues like re-introduction of no-vote, scope for the use of army, not to use religion in election campaign and monitoring of the sources of election funding,” said Debapriya Bhattacharya of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
Under the political party election, he said, “This issue has repeatedly come to the dialogue. The election time government virtually has no role or opportunity except some routine work.”
He also said, “The representatives have strongly said that the police and bureaucrats who have political affiliation have to keep out of the election work for ensuring a free and fari election.”
He said the civil society members strongly said the Commission has to earn the confidence of the people.
“We have very little hope for an effective election until the Commission itself shows that it is an independent and firm commission under the present environment of the country. It’s a big matter,” he said.
“Today we did not accept the statement of the EC what it said earlier that it has nothing to do before schedule. We think they have many things to do for it as part of their preparation,” he said.
Former adviser of the last caretaker government Hossain Zillur Rahman said, “The Commission has to be proactive. In the near past, we have seen that EC showed its reluctance in implementing its power. As a result questions were raised about fair elections.”
“The issue of army deployment has come up in the discussion again and again. The army deployment has to be visible,” he said.
“What kind of government would be there during elections, it should be discussed among the political parties. The parliament should be dissolved. If parliament is not dissolved, there would be scope for influencing the polls. Besides, the important ministries should be under EC during polls,” he said.
Director of Bangladesh Law and International Affairs and former ambassador Waliur Rahman said, “We have focused on the participatory elections. Some have talked on the re-introduction of the caretaker government. I have said it’s a dead issue.”
He also said that some have talked about the dissolution of the parliament during the parliamentary polls.
Prof Dilara Chowdhury expressed fear of violence in the next parliamentary polls and said a fair poll cannot be expected under the partisan government. – Staff Reporter
