Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has urged the Election Commission (EC) to refrain from appointing controversial or politically questionable individuals to any role in conducting or supervising the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.
During a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the EC office in Agargaon on Thursday, a three-member BNP delegation led by the party’s Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan made the demand.
Later, briefing reporters, Moyeen Khan emphasised the need for neutrality in every tier of election management.
He said that before the election, there should be extensive reshuffling within the civil and police administrations to ensure that only neutral officials are involved in the electoral process.
BNP also cautioned against appointing employees of state-owned or politically affiliated banks and institutions as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, or polling officials.
“Organising a national election is an enormous logistical challenge,” Moyeen Khan said.
“It cannot be managed by only five election commissioners. The Election Commission will need at least 10 lakh personnel, most of whom will be drawn temporarily from the civil administration, police, judiciary, and other government sectors. For maintaining law and order, we seek assistance from the armed forces.”
He expressed concern over the politicisation of the bureaucracy, saying, “Although by law civil servants cannot be affiliated with political parties, the administrative structure has become politically motivated over the past 17 years. The last three elections were nothing short of a farce, largely because partisan officials conducted them in the name of the Election Commission.”
BNP leader Moyeen Khan also warned that those who have been politically aligned or whose impartiality is questionable cannot suddenly become neutral within a short time.
“The Election Commission must remain vigilant. It does not have a workforce of its own to manage an election of this scale,” he added.
Addressing concerns about possible unrest during the polls, Moyeen Khan said, “I believe the people of Bangladesh inherently value democracy. After being deprived of democratic rights for the past 15 years, they will exercise those rights peacefully if they are assured of a free and fair election. Once confidence in the process is restored, the election will turn into a national celebration rather than a source of conflict.”
He further stated that during the election period, the interim government must ensure that it is visibly neutral and demonstrate to the nation that it has no vested interest in the election outcome.
On the issue of political alliances, the BNP leader said that forming coalitions is a legitimate democratic practice both in Bangladesh and globally.
Recalling the 2001 general election, he noted, “We had a pre-election coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami then, and two of its members served in the cabinet. Such alliances, whether pre- or post-election, are not unusual in democratic systems. The BNP remains open to alliances and will make decisions at the appropriate time.”
BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Ismail Zabihullah and former Secretary Mohammad Zakaria accompanied Moyeen Khan during the meeting.
