Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has directed relevant authorities to immediately form a committee to investigate the roles of former chief election commissioners, election commissioners, and secretaries of the Election Commission Secretariat in organising three controversial national parliamentary elections.
The directive was issued on Monday during a meeting of the National Consensus Commission at the state guesthouse Jamuna. Professor Yunus, who heads the commission, gave the order after discussions on the matter.
Present at the meeting were National Consensus Commission Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz, members Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, Dr Ifthekharuzzaman, Safar Raj Hossain, and Dr Mohammad Ayub Mia. Also in attendance were the Chief Adviser’s Principal Secretary Siraj Uddin Mia and Special Assistant Monir Haider.
During the meeting, commission members briefed the chief adviser on the progress of drafting the July Charter. Vice-Chairman Professor Ali Riaz stated, “Consensus has been reached on several issues. Soon, after discussions with all political parties, we will be able to finalise the charter.”
The chief adviser remarked, “Everyone is eagerly awaiting the July Charter. I hope we can present it to the nation by next July.”
Sharing his experience from his recent visit to London, the chief adviser said, “Every Bangladeshi I met in London wanted to know about reforms. Bangladeshi students showed great interest—they discussed the Consensus Commission’s work in detail and shared their opinions. Overseas Bangladeshis everywhere asked me, ‘Will we be able to vote in the next election?’ We must make every effort to ensure their voting rights. We need to explore options like postal ballots and hold discussions with relevant stakeholders.”
Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the Election Commission Reform Committee, stated at the meeting, “All political parties agree that officials involved in the three controversial elections must be investigated and held accountable.”