Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) has promised to conduct the upcoming parliamentary election with the highest level of neutrality and professionalism, indicating a shake-up in the political landscape.
This commitment follows calls from BNP and like-minded political parties for Election Commission (EC) to appoint EC officials as returning officers, breaking away from the long-standing tradition in which deputy commissioners used to play the role.
BASA, the apex body of civil service officials, issued a statement on 27 November expressing its interest in conducting the election, while criticising those allegedly spreading false and politically motivated comments about public officials regarding their role in previous polls.
“We are fully prepared and committed to holding the next parliamentary election with the highest level of professionalism, neutrality and skill,” read the statement.
However, the Election Commission has not yet made any decision regarding the appointment of returning officers and assistant returning officers for the next election, which is slated for mid-February.
Bangladesh has long assigned the duties of returning officers and assistant returning officers to civil service personnel, namely deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs).
The interim government – led by Muhammad Yunus – has already reshuffled deputy commissioners in 50 districts ahead of the next election, while the reshuffling of UNOs continues across the country.
On 20 November, BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan proposed to the Election Commission that officers from EC be appointed instead of civil administration officials to bring about a qualitative change in Bangladesh’s politics.
The BNP leader alleged that DCs, SPs, UNOs, and OCs had, in the past, been controlled by the Prime Minister’s Office during elections, and he urged the Election Commission to move away from the old system.
“Please, for once, EC should exert its authority. The commission must demonstrate that it is not subservient to the government,” said Khan.
‘BASA working for no one’s favour’
BASA leaders, however, say they issued the statement because many people are making misleading statements on social media involving civil service officials over elections.
“For this reason, we reiterated our stand on working for no one’s favour, and we want to carry out our duties neutrally,” said BASA General Secretary Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury, who is the Dhaka divisional commissioner.
When asked whether the Election Commission had taken any decision on the appointment of returning officers, Sharf stated that there have been no discussions on the matter with the EC.
“It [the BASA statement] is not related to the appointment process; the EC will make its own decision,” Sharf explained.
Election Commission officials have never been appointed as returning officers in national elections in the history of the country, but they have been appointed as returning officers in by-elections and local government elections, including city corporation elections.
In 2020, EC appointed its official Abul Kashem as the returning officer in the Dhaka North City Corporation election.
Jesmin Tuli made headlines for being the first-ever female EC official to perform the responsibilities of a returning officer in the Chattogram City Corporation election in 2010.
Most favour EC officials to civil servants
The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government’s Electoral System Reform Commission held talks with stakeholders, including journalists and individuals involved with previous elections.
The stakeholders emphasised the appointment of the commission’s own officials, instead of civil service officials.
The Electoral System Reform Commission also conducted a survey through the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), which showed that 46.76 percent of people support the idea of appointing Election Commission officials as returning officers.
Meanwhile, 44 percent want DCs to be appointed as returning officers. The survey findings indicate that a plurality of citizens prefer EC officials.
However, the Electoral System Reform Commission has recommended the appointment of officials from either the Election Commission or the civil administration as returning officers.
Experts said EC officials should be appointed as returning officers in national elections because people have more trust in them than in deputy commissioners.
They further point out that DCs always work with the government, and they always bear in mind the incumbent government and the party that forms it.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, who led the reform commission, echoed this, saying: “The Election Commission should appoint its own officials as returning officers wherever possible. If they cannot get enough officers, they can take personnel from other cadres.
“When the Election Commission appoints its officials as returning officers, it will have control over these personnel,” said Majumdar, adding, “It will pave the way for a fair election.”
