Dhaka – A total of 25 registered political parties including the ruling Awami League and its arch rival BNP yesterday submitted names for the posts of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners to reconstitute the next EC.Two political parties—Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and JSD (Rab) submitted party observations over formation of the EC instead of sending names while four other parties—Bangladesh Islami Andolon, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish and Gono Forum refrained from either submission of the names of letters.
Though the major political parties including the ruling AL, BNP and Jatiya Party (JP- Ershad) did not disclose their proposed names submitted to the search committee for reconstitution of the next Election Commission but some of the names came into discussions among the party sources.
After submitting the party’s proposed names to the additional secretary of the cabinet division Md Abdul Wadud at about 12:15pm, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said he has submitted a seal envelop containing the names.
“We have submitted the names in the light of the criterion provided in the party 13-point proposal for the new EC,” he said.
The BNP leader however did not disclose the names but he said they would continue the effort for the sake of the democracy.
On behalf of the AL, office secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan submitted the names to the additional secretary of cabinet division at about 123:45pm.
Talking to reporters he said he submitted the names at the directive of the Prime Minister and party chief Sheikh Hasina and under supervision of the party general secretary Obaidul Quader.
He said the names were chosen from the AL central working committee meeting on Monday night.
Replying to a question, he said the names were selected considering the background, transparency in their carrier upholding the sprit of war of liberation.
Earlier, the search committee on Saturday sent letters to 31 registered political parties who were invited by the President for talks on the reconstitution of the EC to provide names for it. The last time of which ended at 3:00pm yesterday.
The other political parties which submitted names for the EC include Jatiya Party (Ershad), Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu), Workers Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Islami Oikya Jote, Jatiya Party (JP), Torikat Federation, Bangladesher Jatiya Party (BJP), Bangladesh NAP, Sammoyabadi Dal, Gonotontri Party, Khelafat Andolon, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (SPB), JSD (Ambia), NAP (Mozaffar), Gono Front, Jomiyat-e-Ulema Islam Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Islami Front, Bangladesh Muslim League and Jaker Party.
Briefing reporters in the afternoon, additional secretary Abdul Wadud said they have received envelopes from 27 political parties till 3:00pm.
He said, the other four out of the 31 political parties invited by the President for talks on the EC however did not submit any letter.
Replying to a question, Wadud said he does not know the contents of the sealed envelopes and he would only hand them over the search committee.
However, after collecting the list of names from the political parties, the cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam and additional secretary Abdul Wadud go to Supreme Court’s Judges’ Lounge, in a bid to sort out list of names.
“We got a total of 125 names from the political parties. After scrutinizing the lists of names the search committee made a short list comprising of 20 names out of 125,” the cabinet secretary told the reporters in front of the Judges’ Lounge. – Staff Reporter
