Desk Report
Publish: 17 Jan 2022, 08:59 pm
President M Abdul Hamid with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina || Photo: Collected
Bangladesh Awami League, during
the talks with President M Abdul Hamid today, placed some proposals, including
enacting a new law, strengthening the Election Commission (EC), and using EVM-like
technologies in the polls.
The ruling party AL led by its
president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave the proposals as she led the
10-member delegation to hold talks with the President over forming an
acceptable Election Commission (EC), today, the last day of 17-day dialogue with
political parties, at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban here, President’s Press
Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS.
Other members of the 10-member
delegation are AL General Secretary
Obaidul Quader, advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed,
presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Dr Mohammad
Abdur Razzaque, Muhammad Faruk Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, and Abdur Rahman.
After the meeting, the press secretary said the AL delegation proposed that the President will appoint the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Commissioners (ECs) in accordance with Article 118 of the constitution.
In the process of making these
appointments, the President will appoint those whom he deems suitable and fit,
they added.
The press secretary said they
proposed to increase the use of technology, including the EVM system, in the
interest of holding free, fair, and credible elections.
The AL delegation discussed the
formation of an independent and effective EC to ensure a neutral and acceptable
election, the responsibilities of the executive branch in the polls-time period,
the manner of responsible persons of the EC, and ensuring accurate voters list
and overall security on Election Day, before and after the election.
At the meeting, the Awami League
proposed to appoint only the officers and employees of the republic as
presiding and polling officers instead of using the officers and employees of
the private sector in conducting the elections and to ensure the responsible and
impartial role of the individuals assigned in maintaining the law and order.
They called for taking necessary
steps to ensure that voters at all levels, including religious minorities, can
cast their votes in the polls smoothly.
Awami League President and Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked President Abdul Hamid for organizing a dialogue
with the political parties to restructure the EC.
The head of the government said
her party and the government are always ready to co-operate in all possible
ways to ensure free, fair, and neutral elections through which people would be
able to exercise their voting rights.
She informed the President that a
draft law for the enactment of an EC Formation has been approved by the Cabinet
today in accordance with Article 118 of the constitution and the law will be
enacted as soon as possible after completing the legal process.
Welcoming the AL delegation to
Bangabhaban, the President said the EC should be formed as per the
constitution.
He said discussions have already
been held with all political parties and the next steps will be taken to form
an EC in line with the recommendation of the discussions.
The head of state thanked the
government for approving proposed the EC formation law in the cabinet meeting.
The law will be passed in the
Jatiya Sangsad as soon as possible and it would reflect public opinions
eventually, he hoped.
Secretaries concerned to the
Bangabhaban were present there.
Abedin said the President invited
a total of 32 political parties, including AL for a dialogue on forming an
independent, neutral, and credible EC.
On December 20, the first day of
the ongoing dialogue with the political parties, President Hamid held a
dialogue with the Jatiya Party, the main opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad
(Parliament).
Meanwhile, a total of seven
political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), refrained
from taking part in the dialogue.
Earlier, a dialogue was held with
the participation of political parties ahead of the ninth, 10th, and 11th
parliamentary elections.
The President has been given the
power to appoint Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and more than four election
commissioners.
In the last few terms, the
President formed the EC on the basis of the recommendations of the Search
Committee.
The current EC's five-year tenure
is scheduled to expire on February 14 next.
During this period, the President
will form a new EC, under which the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections will be
held.
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