Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Monday hinted that holding local government elections before next June is unlikely, as the voter list updating programme is still ongoing. “Our target is the national election in December. If it is to be held in December, we must announce the election schedule in October,” he said. The CEC made the remarks while addressing a function organised by the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) at the Electoral Training Institute in the capital. Hold national election without delay, Fakhrul urges govt  He noted that the voter list updating programme is currently in progress and will be completed by June. “If local government elections are held now, they will have to be conducted with 1.6 million deceased voters on the list while excluding new voters,” he added.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said it depends on the July charter whether the next national election will be held at the year-end or by June next year. He shared the key recommendations from the Judicial and Public Administration Reform Commissions at a press briefing on Wednesday at the state guest house Jamuna after their reports were submitted to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. Responding to a question on whether the government will take steps to implement these recommendations while political parties continue to call for elections, Shafiqul Alam said the Chief Adviser said the six major reform commissions’ recommendations would be reviewed by a consensus commission. The Chief Adviser himself will head this commission, Prof Dr Ali Riaz will be Vice Chairman and the heads of the six commissions and its members, he said. Election only way to promptly implement state-overhauling proposals: Tarique “After reviewing all reports, the consensus commission will hold discussions with political parties and civil society. A decision will then be made on which reforms need immediate action and which require constitutional amendments,” he said. “Political parties will sign on the mutually agreed recommendations, forming the July Charter. Some recommendations will be implemented by the current government while others by the next. The election date—whether in December this year or by June next year—will depend on its implementation,” the press secretary added. Judiciary to be Fully Independent The reform commission has recommended full independence for the judiciary, he said. “Previous governments claimed the judiciary was independent, but in reality, it never was. The new report suggested comprehensive measures to ensure its full and effective independence,” he said. The 351-page report also suggested constitutional amendments to ensure transparency in appointments in the judiciary, he added. Commission working to restore trust in election system: EC Sanaullah The recommendations include a new framework for appointing judges. Permanent Attorney Service Proposed The Judiciary Reform Commission has also proposed establishing a permanent attorney service. “This is a crucial reform. Many countries have permanent attorney services whereas in Bangladesh, nearly 4,000 public prosecutors are politically appointed. The new system would eliminate this practice,” he said. Independent Investigation Agency Another key recommendation is the formation of an independent investigation agency, said the press secretary. EU assures support, emphasises reform ahead of Bangladesh election: CEC “In Bangladesh, police investigate most crimes, but political interference often affects the outcomes. Many high-profile cases have been manipulated due to this. The new agency would ensure impartial investigations,” he added. Supreme Court Bench Expansion He said the report also recommended setting up permanent Supreme Court benches in divisional cities to address the growing case backlog. The report suggested extending magistrate courts to all upazilas and increasing legal aid for underprivileged people, said Shafiqul Alam.

Though most of the party’s central leaders have apparently gone into hiding amid a crackdown following the October 28 violence, BNP leaders may take to the streets again after the announcement of the schedule for the next polls to intensify the ongoing movement. Talking to UNB, some senior BNP leaders said they have already prepared a strategy to carry out a non-stop movement with harsher programmes like hartal, blockade and laying siege to the Election Commission and different government offices to halt any lopsided election. They said their party also took the opinions of the like-mined parties about what to do if the election schedule is announced and most parties suggested enforcing blockade or hartal without any pause. As per their strategy, the BNP leaders said soon after the announcement of the schedule for the next election, the opposition parties will first give a 48-hour ultimatum to the Election Commission (EC) to cancel the schedule and create a proper atmosphere for a participatory election under a neutral administration. Read more: Fire Service records 9 arson attacks in the country in 10 hrs If the EC pays heed to their ultimatum, they will then try to show their strength on the streets across the country with their action programmes. According to Article 126 of the Constitution, it shall be the duty of all executive authorities to assist the Election Commission to discharge its duties. The BNP leaders said they would closely observe how the EC exerts the powers enshrined by the constitution to take control over the state apparatus, including the law enforcement agencies. They said they would also observe the role of the EC in stopping the mass arrest of opposition leaders and activists and releasing the arrested party senior leaders and workers. BNP claimed over 10,770 opposition leaders and followers were arrested centring BNP’s Oct 28 grand rally and subsequent hartal and blockade programmes. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, vice-chairman Barrister Shahjahan Oma, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, chairperson’s adviser Amanullah Aman, and joint secretaries general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and Kahirul Kabir Khokon were arrested following the party’s grand rally and violence. Read more: Chinese envoy’s remark on polls doesn’t reflect people’s aspirations: BNP Among the 19 members of the BNP standing committee, Jamiruddin Sircar, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Begum Selima Rahman now remained active in politics. However, they are now staying in safer places secretly to avoid arrest. Three standing committee members including Salahuddin Ahmed and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku have been staying abroad. The other party policymakers either died or remained inactive due to physical illness. The other active members of the BNP executive committee, including the vice chairmen, joint secretaries general and organising secretaries are also on the run and guiding the party leaders and workers from hideouts. A party standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said they will come out of their secret places once the polls schedule is announced to boost the morale of party workers to strengthen the movement. He said they have a plan to isolate Dhaka from the rest of the country by making the blockade programme more effective through increasing picketing on highways and roads at the district level. “Our party won’t participate in the parliamentary election under the current government. So, after the announcement of the schedule, our all leaders will come out on the streets and join the movement,” the BNP leader said.  “After the announcement of the polls schedule, all the state machinery, including the law enforcers, will be under the control of the commission. So, the Election Commission’s role will be more questionable, if the arrest of BNP leaders and workers continues even after the polls schedule announcement. Besides, questions will be raised in the country and abroad about the sincerity of the Election Commission in conducting fair, free and impartial elections,” he said. BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said the government may think BNP will be weakened if the election schedule is announced. “But it won’t happen. We have seen examples of cancellations of elections after the announcement of the schedule. “BNP will deal with all situations staying on the streets. People won’t this time allow the government to stage a drama in the name of election.” Another BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said BNP's movement for the restoration of democracy and voting rights will not fail this time. “If the schedule is announced, we will have no choice but to continue the movement. We’ll force the government to meet our demands through a fierce mass movement.” BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said their party will not retreat from the movement under any circumstance.  "If a one-sided schedule is announced ignoring the opinion of the opposition parties, it will prove that the government and the Election Commission are not serious about a fair and acceptable election," he said. Read more: 152 BGB platoons deployed across the country amid BNP-Jamaat's latest blockade

By-elections to Gaibandha-3, Bagerhat-4 and Dhaka-10 constituencies will be held on March 21 as the Election Commission announced schedules for the polls on Thursday.