Election Commissioner(EC) Anwarul Islam has affirmed that individuals involved in electoral irregularities in previous elections will not be assigned any responsibilities in the upcoming 13th national polls.
He said existing legal complexities surrounding Jamaat-e-Islami’s demand for proportional representation (PR) and the symbol issue of the Nationalist Citizen Party (NCP) will not affect the election process.
Speaking at a day-long workshop held at the Shaheed Satu Hall Auditorium in Chapainawabganj on Friday, Anwarul Islam said the Election Commission (EC) is conducting all activities strictly within the framework of the law. “The Commission neither can nor will act beyond the scope of the existing legal provisions,” he emphasised.
Regarding preparations for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Elections, he said, “We are fully prepared to organise the elections. Necessary measures are being taken to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process.”
Addressing the issue of vote rigging, the Anwarul Islam said, “Those who were involved in unlawful activities in previous elections will be kept away from election duties. They will not be assigned any responsibilities in the upcoming polls.”
When asked about the Commission’s preparedness in case of post-election complaints about transparency, Anwarul Islam said, “Political parties may raise concerns about fairness, but the EC has not yet encountered such a situation. If any such issue arises, we will act in accordance with the law.”
To enhance election monitoring and prevent irregularities, the EC is deploying effective field-level mobile teams, mobile courts, electoral inquiry units, observer teams, and a dedicated mobile app, he added.
The workshop, titled “Identifying and overcoming challenges in performing duties by polling officials in the electoral process,” was presided over by Rajshahi Regional Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman.
Additional Secretary of the EC Secretariat AKM Newaz, Chapainawabganj Deputy Commissioner Abdus Samad, Superintendent of Police Rezaul Karim, and CBTIP Project Director Muhammad Mostafa Hasan were the special guests.
A total of 70 officials involved in field-level election operations took part in the event.
