Election Commission
EC formation: Islami Andolon not to join talks
Terming the ongoing dialogue on the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) meaningless, Ameer of Islami Andolon Bangladeh and Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim on Saturday said they will not take part in talks with the President.
“We took part in talks with President Abdul Hamid in 2012 and 2017 from a sense of civic responsibility but the fact is that the two national elections held under two commissions extremely frustrated us,” he said.
“The most frustrating thing is that the President neither brought the EC under accountability nor took any punitive action against the commission for holding disgraceful elections. So, we consider the dialogue with the President as meaningless,” he added.
Mufti Syed Muhammad came up with the information while talking to reporters at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan office.
Read: Outgoing chief justice meets President Hamid
Even, no sign of interest has been seen among the thinkers, political researchers and country’s people about dialogue with the President, they predict that the dialogue will be fruitless, said Rezaul.
He placed a seven-point proposal, including enactment of a law for the formation of the Election Commission, formation of an national interim government, evaluation of the EC and election through constitutional council after each election, steps for removal of any member of the commission if found dishonest, unskilled and partial and placing Public Administration, Law, Home and information Ministries under the EC during the elections.
Earlier, on December 29, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that the BNP standing committee has decided not to take part in the talks with President Abdul Hamid.
Amid the various speculations about BNP’s participation in the talks, the party made its stance clear on it even before receiving the invitation from Bangabhaban for joining the dialogue.
Fakhrul came up with the decision after a meeting of the party standing committee, the highest policy-making body.
Read: Rejected by some parties, president’s dialogue trudges on
President Abdul Hamid began talks with registered political parties over the formation of the new Election Commission on December 20.
The tenure of the current EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, will expire on February 14 next year.
As per the constitution, a new Commission must be formed before the expiry of the present EC.
Law minister rules out urgent enactment of law on election commission
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday ruled out an immediate enactment of a law on the formation of the Election Commission stating that such an important legislation can’t be done “overnight.”
“Yes, the constitution has provision to make the law and we want to do it. But since it’s a very important law it can’t be done overnight,” he told the members of Overseas Correspondents Association of Bangladesh (OCAB) at a briefing at National Press Club.
Detailing the process of the legislation the minister said that it has to go through drafting, approval of the Cabinet and then placing it on the law ministry website for eliciting public opinion before it can be placed in the parliament.
“We must go through this process considering the importance of the legislation,” he said.
Huq said under the current system the Election Commission is formed through a process initiated by the president in 2012. Political parties holding talks with the president can suggest their choices for chief election commissioner and four members. On the basis of the recommendations the president forms a “neutral and independent election Commission” through a search committee.
“Even though the process is not a law, but it has the force of law since all political parties previously had a consensus on it and it was acted upon twice. Two national elections were held under the Election Commission formed through the search committee,” the minister said.
His comments in reply to a question came amid an ongoing dialogue President Hamid has started with the political parties on the formation of a new EC as the current election watchdog ends its five-year term on February 15 next.
READ: Law minister urges NHRC to stand against violation of human rights
Almost all parties meeting the president so far have suggested enactment of the election commission law in the next session of the parliament to meet the constitutional requirement.
The law minister said the government will also wait to see the outcome of the president’s dialogue with the political parties registered with the Election Commission.
READ: Sanctions on Rab: Law Minister calls it ‘unfortunate’
Bangladesh has 39 such registered political parties and nine of them have representation in the current parliament.
Workers Party of Bangladesh seeks law to form EC
Workers Party of Bangladesh (BWP) on Tuesday proposed to President Abdul Hamid enactment of a law early next year to guide the formation of an independent Election Commission for conduct of the next national election. This was one of the main point contained in the six-point proposals a seven-member BWP delegation, led by its president Rashed Khan Menon, submitted to the president as part of a dialogue at Bangabhaban this afternoon. The delegation thanked the President for initiating discussions with the political parties on the formation of a Election Commission as the current EC’s five-year term expires in February next year, according to Bangabhaban press wing.
Read:Rejected by some parties, president’s dialogue trudges on The BWP leaders also suggested that the president exchange views with civil society representatives on the formation of the EC, the election watchdog. They said the Election Commission should be independent capable of implementing the country’s electoral laws to ensure free and fair voting. Welcoming the delegation of Workers Party at Bangabhaban, President Hamid said that politics is for the welfare of the people. "If quality is not ensured in politics, it will be difficult for politicians to do politics in future. In this regard, the political parties have to build the right public opinion at the grassroots level," he said. On Monday Hamid discussed with Khilafat Majlis formation of an acceptable Election Commission (EC). Khilafat Majlis’ eight-member team was led by its Secretary-General Dr Ahmed Abdul Quader. Earlier yestreday, a seven-member delegation of Bangladesh Tariqat Federation led by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari also sat in dialogue with the president. Opening the current round of dialogue with the Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, on December 20 President Hamid has so far met with the leaders of six political parties. Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) joined the dialogue on Sunday. On the other hand, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), invited to Bangabhaban on Sunday last, declined the invite.
Read:Talks on EC: Tarikat urges President to sit with civil society too According to Bangabhaban press wing, the other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Islami Oikya Jote on December 29, Gano Forum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh on January 3. The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament.
The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.
Talks on EC: Tarikat urges President to sit with civil society too
Taking part in talks with President Abdul Hamid, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation on Monday advocated for a legal framework for the formation of the Election Commission (EC).
In the absence of a legal framework, the party proposed constituting a search committee taking suggestions from political parties as well as civil society members.
President Abdul Hamid sat with a seven-member delegation of the Tarikat Federation at 4pm at Bangabhaban as he continued discussions with political parties on the formation of the next Election Commission, his Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.
Welcoming the delegation, the President said the main objective of the talks was to form an acceptable Election Commission, Joynal said.
READ: President to hold dialogue with 2 more political parties Sunday
During the discussion, he said, the delegation of the Tariqat Federation underscored the need for enacting a law to form an independent and impartial EC.
Joynal said the Tarikat delegation also said a legal framework for EC formation is now a demand of all the political parties and a law should be formulated as soon as possible.
He also said the Tarikat delegation urged the government to sit with civil society members alongside the political parties to have their views about the formation of a search committee for the EC reconstitution.
Tarikat Federation Chairman Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary led his party delegation in the talks.
According to the Bangabhaban press wing, the Workers Party of Bangladesh is scheduled to meet the President at 4pm on Tuesday.
The other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Islami Oikya Jote on December 29, Gano Forum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh on January 3.
The President’s talks with the registered political parties over the formation of the new EC began on Monday with the first parley with the main opposition in parliament, Jatiya Party.
The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament.
READ: President congratulates Under-19 Women Football team on winning SAF trophy
The tenure of the current EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, is scheduled to expire on February 14 next year.
As per the constitution, a new Commission must be formed before the expiry of the present EC.
President’s dialogue: NAP leaders want law to form election commission
President Abdul Hamid on Sunday heard the proposal from Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) on as he continued discussions with political parties on formation of the next Election Commission.
The tenure of the current EC is to expire on February 14 next year.
Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) joined the dialogue at 4pm and presented its views on the next EC, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.
A seven member delegation led by NAP's acting working President Ivy Ahmed met the President at Bangabhan in the evening.
Read:President to hold dialogue with 2 more political parties Sunday
Welcoming the delegation the president said the formation of the Election Commission is a constitutional responsibility. The main purpose of this discussion is to form an acceptable election commission.
President Hamid hoped that the formation of an acceptable, independent, impartial and strong election commission will be possible on the basis of discussions with the political parties in phase.
Bangladesh National Awami Party pfresdient put forward a six-point proposal to form an independent and impartial election commission.
Legislation to form Election Commission in accordance with Article 118 (1) of the Constitution, formation of Election Commission with efficient, honest and believers in the spirit of liberation war and making the Election Commission account to people were some of them.
They also thanked the president for taking the initiative of the discussion.
The other members of the delegation were - member of Presidium Abdur Rahman and Kazi Siddikur Rahman, acting general secretary Ismail Hossain, organisational secretary Shafiq Ahmed Khan, Liberation wars affairs secretary Partha Sarothi Chakrabarty and member (agriculture) of Presidium Anil Chakrabarty.
Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), invited to Bangabhaban on Sunday, declined the invite, the press secretary said.
Read:President’s dialogue with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal in progress
According to Bangabhaban press wing Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Khelafat Majlish will participate in the discussion at 4 pm and 6 pm tomorrow respectively. Bangladesh Workers' Party is scheduled to meet the President at 4pm on Tuesday.
The other parties invited for the dialogue are Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) and Islami Oikya Jote on December 29, Gano Forum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh on January 3.
President earlier met the leaders of Jatiya Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu).
The country has now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website and only nine of them have representation in Parliament.
The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.
President to hold dialogue with 2 more political parties Sunday
President Abdul Hamid will meet two more registered political parties on Sunday as he continues discussions with political parties on formation of the next Election Commission.
The tenure of the current EC is to expire on February 14 next year.
Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) has been invited to join the dialogue at 4pm on December 26 while Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) will meet the President at 6 pm the same day, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.
Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Khelafat Majlish will participate in the discussion at 4 pm and 6 pm on December 27 respectively while Bangladesh Workers' Party is scheduled to meet the President at 4pm on December 28.
Read: President’s dialogue with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal in progress
On December 29, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) was invited to hold the dialogue at 4pm and Islami Oikya Jote will exchange their views with the President at 6pm on the same day.
On January 2, Goro Forum was invited to join the dialogue at 6pm while Bikolpadhara Bangladesh at 7 pm on the same day. And Gonotantri Party and Bangladesh Communist Party will participate in the discussion at 6 pm and 7 pm on January 3 respectively.
Hamid also met the leaders of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) at Bangabhaban on Wednesday.
President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal Hasanul Haq Inu led his party’s six-member delegation in the dialogue.
Earlier, the President opened the dialogue on December 20 with Jatiya Party (JaPa), the main opposition party in Parliament.
Read: Presidential dialogue on EC: Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal to meet on Wednesday
An eight-member JaPa delegation, led by its chairman GM Quader, joined in the discussion.
Now there are 39 registered political parties in Bangladesh, according to the EC website and nine of those only have representation in Parliament.
The nine parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.
Holding talks on EC without neutral govt pointless: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said there is no point in holding talks on the formation of the Election Commission since it is not possible to hold a credible election without a polls-time neutral government.
“We would like to clearly say there’s no use of playing a game in the name of election and holding a dialogue. It’s already been proven that without a polls-time neutral government, elections can never be fair. So, there’s no benefit of talks,” he said.
Speaking at a rally in Tangail, he said the current government must resign and the Election Commission will have to be formed under the caretaker government to hold a credible national election.
Tangail district unit BNP arranged the rally in Tangail Sadar field demanding party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad. The party also orgainsed five other rallies in Jashore, Bogura, Dinajpur, Brahmanbaria and Habiganj the same day to push for the same demand.
Fakhrul said the President is holding talks with political parties for the formation of the next Election Commission though the current government has destroyed the election system. "As long as Awami League is in power, there’ll be no use of forming the Election Commission," he said.
The BNP leader said Khaleda Zia is critically ill and she has now been fighting for life in the capital’s Evercare Hospital.
READ: BNP activists clash with police in Habiganj
He said though doctors are repeatedly saying to send the BNP chief abroad for advanced treatment to save her life, the government is not paying heed to it.
Fakhrul said they have long been observing various programmes demanding Khaleda’s treatment abroad and urging the government to let her receive advanced treatment on humanitarian grounds. “They show us law, though they’ve been in power unlawfully using the state machinery.”
He called upon the people of all walks of life to get united and wage a fierce movement to establish a pro-people government ousting the current ‘monstrous’ regime. “It’s our responsibility to protect the country, its constitution and our leader Khaleda Zia.”
In the Jashore rally, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said their party will not participate in any election under the current government.
“One-party elections won’t be accepted by the people of this country. BNP will prevent such an election,” he told the rally in Jashore Town Hall field.
In the Bogura rally, BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said no foreign power can protect a government when people do not want it anymore. "People are our strength and we’ve to wage the movement across the country to oust the government,” he said.
Speaking at the rally in front of the district BNP office, the BNP leader warned the government that police will not be there for them when they sense any danger.
BNP organizing secretary advocate M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu said arrangements should be made to release Khaleda Zia and send her abroad for advanced treatment by December 30.
In the Dinajpur rally, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the government will have to bear the responsibility for the deteriorating health condition of Khaleda since she was not given any treatment during her stay in jail.
READ: 300 injured in ‘police attack’ on BNP’s Habiganj rally: Rizvi
“Not only BNP, but the people of the country will not accept if anything bad happens to Khaleda Zia,” he said.
Nazrul alleged that though all the doctors say that her treatment is not possible in Bangladesh, the government is not allowing Khaleda to get advanced treatment abroad.
In fact, he said, Khaleda is being pushed towards death by not giving her any scope to receive treatment abroad.
Dinajpur district unit BNP arranged the rally in front of the party office at Jail Road of the district town.
Meanwhile, BNP leaders and activists locked into a clash with police over holding a rally in the district town, leaving an unspecified number of people, including four law enforcers, injured.
As the leaders and activists of the party and associate bodies gathered in the district town and tried to go to the rally venue, police obstructed them, triggering a clash.
Amid a chase and counter-chase, senior BNP leaders, including standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, chairperson’s adviser Zainul Abedin Farroque and organizing secretary Skahwat Hossain Jibon addressed the rally.
Narayanganj city election on Jan 16
The election to Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) will be held on January 16 using electronic voting machines (EVMs) in all the polling stations.
The Election Commission (EC) announced the schedule for the local body polls on Tuesday.
Read:Aushkandi UP election finally held: AL’s Delwar Hossain elected as chairman
The election schedule was finalized in an EC meeting held with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda in the chair on Tuesday.
EC Secretary Md Humayun Kabir announced the schedule after the meeting.
According to the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is December 15, while the date for scrutinizing nomination papers is December 20 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is December 27.
The balloting will held from 8am to 4pm without any break. It is the third election for the Narayanganj City Corporation after its formation in 2011.
More elections
Besides, the parliamentary by-polls to Tangail-7 constituency and five municipalities will also be held on January 16 next.
Read: UP election in Natore: Voting starts in 15 unions
The five municipalities are Noakhali, Natore (postponed polls), Bagatipara of Natore, Jhikargachha of Jashore and Banshkhali of Chattogram.
The EVMs will also be used in the parliamentary by-election and the five local body polls.
The Tangail-7 constituency fell vacant with death of Awami League MP Akabbar Hossain on November 16 last.
UP elections third phase set for Sunday
Some 1,000 Union Parishads are set to go to polls on Sunday in the third phase of the countrywide elections to the lowest tier of the local government.
The balloting will be held from 8am to 4pm without any break. Over 50,000 candidates are running in the election to the local bodies.
More than two crore people have the voting rights under 10,159 polling stations in Sunday’s election.
In the third phase election, 569 candidates have already been elected unopposed.
Of the uncontested candidates, 100 are in chairman posts, while 132 in reserved seats and 337 in member posts. So, the polls will not be required against the chairman posts in the 100 UPs.
Apart from the unelected candidates, some 4,500 chairman contestants are running in the election (900 UPs), 11,000 women contestants (for reserved seats) and 34,500 member contestants in the polls.
The polls to the UP chairman posts are held in partisan manner, while the election to other posts – reserved seats and members posts- in non-partisan manner.
Among the major political parties, Awami League and Jatiya Party are participating in the countrywide staggered UP election, but BNP is refraining to join the local body polls.
In the third phase election, the highest 981 chairman candidates are being fielded by AL, while 438 chairman contestants by Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and 187 by Jatiya Party.
The electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in 33 UPs.
Though the Election Commission earlier announced the election schedule for 1,007 UPs, the polls to seven UPs were postponed on different grounds.
5th phase polls to 707 UPs on January 5
The fifth phase elections to 707 Union Parishads (UPs) in different districts will be held on January 5 as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission.
The Election Commission announced the election schedule for 707 UPs in 47 districts of the country, said Director (Public Relations) at the EC Secretariat SM Asaduzzaman on Saturday.
According to the polls schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is December 07, while the date for scrutinizing the nomination papers is December 09 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 15.
Also read: Will follow next polls very closely amid Bangladesh’s growing importance globally: EU
In the 5th phase election, the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in 37 UPs and the traditional ballot papers in the remaining UPs.
The 707 UPs include 8 in Panchagarh district, 19 in Dinajpur, 11 in Nilphamari, 7 in Lalmonirhat, 7 in Kurigram, 16 in Gaibandha, 5 in Joypurhat, 22 in Bogura, 14 in Chapainawabganj, 23 in Naogaon, 19 in Rajshahi, 11 in Natore, 16 in Sirajganj, 15 in Pabna, 11 in Kushtia, 20 in Jhenaidah, 23 in Jashore, 16 in Satkhira, 12 in Bhola, 5 in Pirojpur, 11 in Jamalpur, 8 in Sherpur, 26 in Mymensigh, 21 in Netrakona, 13 in Tangail, 15 in Kishoreganj, 21 in Manikganj, 7 in Munshiganj, 11 in Dhaka, 8 in Gazipur, 15 in Narsingdi, 10 in Rajbari, 15 in Faridpur, 15 in Gopalganj, 2 in Madaripur, 17 in Shariatpur, 17 in Sunamganj, 18 in Sylhet, 18 in Moulvibazar, 21 in Habiganj, 19 in Brahmanbaria, 25 in Cumilla, 27 in Chandpur, 12 in Feni, 20 in Noakhali, 25 in Chattogram, 5 in Khagrachhari and 3 in Bandarban.
Also read: 2nd phase of UP polls marred by violence; 6 dead