BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP and several other political parties have called upon the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field for the 13th parliamentary elections and the referendum.
They also proposed appointing EC officials as returning officers, transferring deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) through a lottery system, and deploying army personnel at every polling centre to ensure a free, fair and credible election.
Senior leaders from the political parties made the recommendations during a dialogue at the EC Secretariat, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.
Some 13 parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP, attended the talks, held in two sessions.
BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan presented the party’s demand, saying that the EC must fully utilise its own manpower instead of relying on government officials.
“The Election Commission has to take a bold step so that returning officers and assistant returning officers are appointed from within the EC. Such a decision would bring qualitative changes to politics,” he said.
Explaining the reason behind this demand, he said there were four “buttons” at the Prime Minister’s Office—DC, SP, UNO and OC.
“These four buttons are pressed from the PMO, and then the results of the 300 constituencies come out. We must break away from this system,” he said.
“The EC must abandon this practice. You have to decide that no returning officer or assistant returning officer will be appointed from outside the EC,” he added.
Addressing the talks, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar referred to the recent reshuffle in the public administration.
“These changes were not made in a month, not even in 20 days. DCs have been reshuffled. It seems this is being done according to a design, with a specific purpose,” he said. “The only way to ensure neutrality in the administration is to carry out transfers through a lottery system. We told the chief adviser the same. If this is done, no questions will arise.”
The Jamaat leader also proposed deploying at least four to five army personnel at each polling centre.
NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary welcomed the EC’s decision to allow the use of only party symbols even when contesting the polls under an alliance.
He also called on the EC to clarify how the referendum would be implemented, when specific guidelines would be issued and when campaigning could begin.
Ganosamhati Andolon’s Chief Coordinator Junaid Saki criticised the commission for restricting the use of alliance symbols.
“Many will vote using their own party symbol. If elections are contested as an alliance, voters should have the option to vote using other parties’ symbols,” he said.
He recommended having separate booths and separate vote counts for the parliamentary election and the referendum.
Addressing the talks, CEC Nasir Uddin said, “Politicians are asking many questions—how will the referendum be conducted, how many ballot boxes will there be? We will begin thinking and working on these matters after the ordinance is issued.”
“We are committed to discharging our responsibilities neutrally. We seek your cooperation in conducting a free, fair and credible election,” he added.
