Chief Election Commissioner  Kazi Habibul Awal termed the ongoing controversy over President-elect Md Sahabuddin unexpected. He made the remarks at a press conference on Wednesday. "Md. Shahabuddin is qualified to be president as per our constitution, laws, and court rulings. Controversy like this about the president is unexpected,” he said. In his long career he served as a district judge, a commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and a member of the AL Advisory Council.  He is also a valiant freedom fighter. Read more: Md Shahabuddin declared President-elect of Bangladesh The controversy surrounding Shahabuddin is whether the post of the country’s head of state is an office of profit. Constitutional experts are divided on this subject. On Monday the Election Commission declared Shahabuddin, a nominee of ruling Awami League, elected as the country’s 22nd president unopposed.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Monday said the commission is facing a dilemma because of contrasting stances of the major political parties over the next parliamentary polls. "I am in difficulty in regard to the election. One big party is saying that it will not participate. Another party is saying that there will be elections. There is a dilemma in the political environment," he said. He made this comment at a dialogue with the Bangladesh Islamic Front at Nirbachan Karjalay. He once again vowed to hold free and peaceful elections by any means. If necessary, he said, he will leave the responsibility and make the way easier. "We want to have an acceptable election and the formation of a beautiful parliament and government. What BNP is demanding, they have to gain it through dialogue and movement. Because the constitution is involved in it," he added The CEC said there should be a representative government. There is no other choice. If the election is not a genuine election, “we will never go for staging a drama in the name of vote.” Read: No more caretaker government in Bangladesh: Law Minister "We have no affection or dislike (for any party). We have only one job: People should be allowed to exercise their right to vote. We will definitely try to take legal action if voters are prevented from voting in villages, towns and cities," he warned. Habibul said that the Election Commission has a lot of powers. In the past it may not have been able to fully exercise that power for some reasons. “But we will try to implement it.” The process of bringing various ministries under the EC during elections is complex. There are constitutional issues involved. All political parties can have a dialogue on this among themselves, he explained. He said that if BNP can achieve what it wants after reaching agreement with Awami League, then the EC cannot have any objection. "We want acceptable elections. We want to create favorable environment and level playing field,” he added. An 11-member delegation led by Chairman of Bangladesh Islami Front Allama Mohammad Abdul Mannan participated in the dialogue with the EC. The Election Commissioners and senior officers also participated in it. Islami Front’s general secretary MA Matin presented nine written proposals to the EC. This includes bringing the local government, public administration, home, defense and finance ministries under the Election Commission in a constitutional manner during elections. Party General Secretary MA Matin said that caretaker government system can never be a permanent system. An independent EC can offer the nation free and fair elections. However, questions have been raised about the powers of the EC.

The “Rifle or sword in exchange of sword” statement made by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal is 'suicidal', according to Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). TIB has asked the CEC to withdraw this statement immediately. Awal made the comment at a discussion with Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) on Sunday. He reportedly said, “The Election Commission (EC) will fail to hold a free and fair election if they don’t get cooperation from all the political parties. We’ll try our best, but if anyone points a sword towards you, you’ll have to point a rifle or sword towards him instead of running away.” Read:TIB urges EC to reform laws to ensure neutral role of election-time govt Expressing wonder and frustration, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, “The EC is a responsible, constitutional institution and as head of this organization, the CEC is responsible for holding a free, fair and participatory election. But the ‘Rifle or sword for sword’-type of statement by him will only encourage further violence and muscle power. TIB hopes that the CEC will provide an explanation for such a comment and withdraw it in no time.” Iftekharuzzaman added that besides a participatory election, arranging a peaceful election should also be the pledge of the EC. But, making comments that incite violence is a sign of the EC’s failure to do so. “We hope that the EC will devise and implement strategies to hold a peaceful, participatory election and avoid violent means. Also, it is expected that the election commissioners will refrain from making any statement that may have the potential to encourage violence during elections,” added Iftekharuzzaman.  

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Monday said the Election Commission didn’t direct ruling party lawmaker AKM Bahauddin Bahar to leave his home town during the recently held Cumilla City Corporation. “He (Bahauddin) is undoubtedly a very important person. But the Election Commission can’t order anyone, even an ordinary person to leave his place (permanent address) let alone him (Bahauddin),” said the CEC at a press conference at his office in the city’s Agargaon area.  “We didn’t issue any order to Mr Bahauddin to leave his place. We humbly requested him to assist the Election Commission for the sake of maintenance of the electoral codes. We still have the letter,” he said. But the news spread everywhere that the EC issued a directive, but can’t implement it, he said. The CEC said an outsider can be ordered to leave the electoral place, but Cumilla is the permanent address of the lawmaker. The EC instructed local MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar not to stay in the area after EC received the allegation of his campaigning in the Cumilla city polls. But he did not leave the area and rather filed a writ petition in the High Court. Also read: Elections to Cumilla city, other local bodies were peaceful: CEC The EC has been widely criticized for this. Explaining the matter, Habibul Awal said that Bahauddin did not break any law. The CEC explained that they received an allegation that he was secretly campaigning and so the commission requested him.  "He may or may not keep the request. But it would have been better if he had left," he said. He added that EC did not see him take part in public campaigns. But some say he took part tactically. One of our expectations was that if EC requested him, it will end all confusion. Awal said the EC forced an influential minister to leave the area within an hour as he was an outsider.  READ: CEC: Not fully confident over EVM yet Election Commissioners- Brigadier General (Retd.) Ahsan Habib Khan, Begum Rasheda Sultana, Md. Alamgir and EC Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker were also present. The Cumilla city election was held on June 15 where Awami League candidate Arfanul Haque Rifat won as mayor defeating his nearest independent rival Monirul Islam Sakku by 343 votes.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on Monday  refused to comment over the oppositions’ demand for restoration of caretaker government saying it is not the business of the commission. “We have no comment on the demands of the opposition as the issue of the caretaker government or other various governments is not our business. This is a constitutional issue. If political leaders agree, they will consider it,” he said. The CEC was replying to a question over the election-time government when he talked to reporters after a meeting with Transparency International Bangladesh at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. He said the government that will be there during the polls is the election-time government. The election-time government would not work on policy. “Our interaction with that government will increase. A minister is not of the party. We want them to cooperate with us,” he added. READ: CEC: Not fully confident over EVM yet The CEC said the government is obliged to cooperate with the Election Commission as per laws. “We’ll seek cooperation from the government in all the elections and of course we hope that the government will cooperate,” he said. Habibul Awal hoped that the government which would be there during the election would behave like a polls-time government as they took oath to perform the responsibility neutrally in line with the Constitution and won’t show partiality. “I believe that they (ministers of the election-time government) know their oath. They will behave like the election-government for the sake of arrangement of at least a fair election. As a minister of the government not of a party, they would behave,” he said.