EC formation
JSD not to join talks on EC formation
Calling it ‘pointless’, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), led by ASM Abdur Rob, has decided not to take part in the ongoing dialogue on the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) at Bangabhaban.
Party president ASM Abdur Rob came up with the announcement at a press conference at his Uttara residence on Friday.
“The formation of the Election Commission is not a solution for a free and fair election. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal is not going to participate in the dialogue for practical reasons,” he said.
Read: Boycotting the election dialogue not a solution: Gono Front
He said their party also thinks the current dialogue is not conducive to protecting the dignity of the President.
Rob said the dialogue should be held on the process of formation of a 'national government', not on the election commission, for arranging a neutral election and establishing the rule of law in the country.
As the present government does not represent the spirit and determination of the constitution, he said, it has started filing new cases against the leaders and activists who are on a movement demanding a free and fair election and arresting them again in old cases. “So, the formation of the Election Commission alone is not a guarantee for a neutral election.”
JSD (Rob) was scheduled to join talks with President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on Monday.
Rob alleged, “The President, the government and the Election Commission are involved in the violation of the constitution in the question of election. “Those who violated the constitution should apologise to the nation.”
Stating that the current Election Commission was appointed by the President, he said it has betrayed the nation by destroying the electoral system with its biased role.
The JSD president said 42 noted citizens of the country wrote a letter to the President in 209 seeking removal of the current Election Commission. “But the President did not take any action.”
He said their party believes that a neutral election is not possible in the country under a partisan government. “So, a guarantee for a free, fair and impartial election is now crucial. To this end, we have already presented the proposals of the national government. ”
President Abdul Hamid began talks with registered political parties over the formation of the new Election Commission on December 20.
The President has already invited 28 parties to join the talks at Bangabhaban.
Read: Sammobadi Dal wants election time govt under PM
Earlier, BNP, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), Islami Andolon Bangladesh and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) decided not to join the talks.
The tenure of the current EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, is to expire on February 14 next year.
As per the constitution, a new Commission must be formed before the expiry of the present EC.
Bikalpa Dhara, Gono Forum join president’s dialogue on EC
Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh and Gono Forum on Sunday took part in a discussion with President Abdul Hamid on the formation of Election Commission.
The tenure of the current EC will end on 14 February this year, according to the constitution.
President's press secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB that Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh and Gono Forum participated in the discussion at 6pm and 7pm respectively.
An eight-member delegation led by Mokabbir Khan, Executive President of Gono Forum, took part in the discussion held at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban.
Also read: No scope now for law on EC formation: Law Minister
Welcoming both parties seperately at Bangabhaban, Abdul Hamid said the aim of the talks was to seek the views of political parties on forming an acceptable election commission.
No scope now for law on EC formation: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday reiterated that there is no scope right now for the enactment of a law on the formation of the Election Commission.
“I said there will be a law, but that has to acceptable to all and not only to one party” he told the reporters in reply to a question at his office in the Secretariat.
Referring to the President Abdul Hamid’s ongoing dialogue with political parties the law minister said it will be too early to call it a success or a failure.
Read:Law minister rules out urgent enactment of law on election commission
“We will have to wait until the dialogue is over and see what steps the president takes after it,” he said.
He urged BNP to change its decision and take part in the dialogue with the president for the sake of the country.
Pointing to BNP he said, “If they think it is a toxic situation, then I think they have to take some steps to get out of the toxic situation. If we join the dialogue, we think it will be positive.”
Asked about the logjam of pending cases, the minister blamed it on the disruptions caused by Covid-19 pandemic. The number of pending cases could have been more unless the government introduced virtual court that cleared two lakh cases, he said.
Meanwhile, about new challenges for the government in the New Year, the law minister said, “I think we have already set the challenges. Now it is time to face those challenges.”
He added that the Padma Bridge is almost complete. Besides, all the mega projects that were taken will be completed by June or December.
Read: It’s President’s jurisdiction to appoint CJ: Law Minister
“These are the mega challenges that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is ready to deliver.”
“In fact, the challenge we always have is that we believe in public service. Our job is to improve the quality of service and deliver the service to the people and we take it as a challenge to do that,” he kept saying.
The minister said all the programs are people friendly. “We will try to make these people-friendly programs available to the people through public service.”
“Who will be sent abroad, who will not be sent abroad, that is not the priority,” he said. “Priority is that the time has come for Sheikh Hasina to prepare the ground for the services that the people should have received long ago. We will deliver.”
He said the people will deliver their verdict in the next elections on who has for their welfare and who has served only themselves.
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.
EC formation: BNF seeks election-time govt, search committee
Joining the ongoing dialogue with President Abdul Hamid over the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC), Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) on Wednesday presented a 3-point proposal, including formation of the EC through a search committee and an election-time government led by the Prime Minister. A seven-member delegation, led by BNF President SM Abul Kalam Azad, took part in a dialogue with President Abdul Hamid at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban in the afternoon.
Read: BNP not to join talks on EC formation Welcoming the delegation to Bangabhaban, the President said the opinions of political parties are very important for the formation of an acceptable Election Commission, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB. "It’s necessary to evaluate the sacrifices of the leaders and workers and the principles and ideals of the party without giving priority to financial issues in politics in the interest of democracy," said the President during the discussion. He said that democracy should not be limited to only elections but it should also be spread through continuous practice. The President called upon the political parties to take initiatives to motivate people in this regard. The BNF delegation thanked the President for initiating discussions with the political parties on the EC formation.
Read: EC formation process to continue: Quader On Tuesday a seven-member delegation, led by Rashed Khan Menon, President of Worker’s Party of Bangladesh took part in discussions with President Hamid. The President held talks with Khilafat Majlis (KM) as part of forming an acceptable EC on December 27. Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, led by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari, also sat in dialogue with the President at 4 pm on the same day. President Hamid opened a talk with the Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the Jatiya Sangsad, on December 20. According to Bangabhaban press wing, the other parties invited for the dialogue are Gonoforum and Bikalpo Dhara on January 2, Ganotantri Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon on January 3 and Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal and Islami Andolon Bangladesh on January 4. Now there are only 39 registered political parties in Bangladesh, 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), Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Ganoforum, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Jatiya Party-JP.
Dialogue on EC formation ‘pointless’: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday termed ‘meaningless’ the ongoing talks on the reconstitution of the Election Commission as he thinks it will not help restore people’s voting rights.
“The President has started inviting political parties for talks to arrange another election. Are the people of Bangladesh fools? We would like to clearly say this dialogue is meaningless. The problem relating to the election and democracy won’t be resolved through this dialogue,” he said.
The BNP leader said similar talks were held earlier and the government arranged an election in 2014 when 154 MPs were elected unopposed while the votes were snatched the night before the voting in 2018.
Read:Goal of independence not materealised yet: Fakhrul
“They again initiated the talks, but it won’t help restore people’s voting rights. It’s the government, not the Election Commission, the main barrier to holding a credible election. It matters who’ll be there in power during the polls,” he said
Fakhrul said the election will not be fair and people will not be able to cast their votes if Sheikh Hasina’s government stays in power during the voting. “We respect the country’s President. But if the President creates a scope to deceive people, we can’t accept it.”
He said people’s problems will not be resolved by holding talks with the President and the current ‘fraud’ government. “So, stop maneuvering and take steps to hold a credible election under an impartial government quitting power.”
Manikganj district unit BNP arranged the rally in Manikganj Government Boys’ High School field demanding party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad.
President Abdul Hamid began talks with the registered political parties over the formation of the new Election Commotion on December 20.
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.
Govt days are ‘numbered’
Fakhrul said the government is trying to establish a one-party governing system in the country by destroying democracy and the hopes and aspirations of the freedom fighters.
The BNP leader said the government has ruined all the achievements of the nation and all the institutions of the state.
Referring to the US sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and its current and former seven officials, he said it happened as the government turned Bangladesh into an undemocratic and repressive state. “It’s a matter of shame for us as a nation.”
Fakhrul said a strong unity of people from all walks of life must be forged like the 90s to remove the current ‘monstrous’ regime.
The BNP leader said the days of the current government are numbered as the UN and different democratic countries are also going to impose sanctions on it to restore democracy in Bangladesh.
Read: Khaleda’s condition worsens again in hospital: Fakhrul
Sending Khaleda abroad
Fakhrul said Khaleda has been now receiving treatment in a hospital in the capital standing at the crossroads of life and death.
“The leader who has long been working for democracy is not being allowed to go abroad for treatment by the government that usurped state power. They’re making false statements on her treatment. It’s a deception.”
He said the government can send the BNP chief abroad as per section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC).
Fakhrul urged the government to immediately allow Khaleda to go abroad for treatment. “Or else, if anything bad happens to Khaleda Zia, this government will be held responsible for it.”
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.
Jasod backs EC formation through search committee
Taking party in talks with President Abdul Hamid, Hasanul Haq Inu-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasod) on Wednesday said the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) through a search committee is relatively a good initiative in the absence of a law.
The party, however, requested the President to give the government necessary directions to establish a permanent legal framework for the formation of the EC.
Earlier, President Abdul Hamid sat with a delegation Jasad at Bangabhaban as he continued discussions with the political parties on the formation of the next Election Commission.
Read: Uncontested elections a concern for democracy: EC Mahbub
The current EC is scheduled to expire on February 14 next year.
Jasod President Hasanul Haq Inu led his party’s six-member delegation in the over hour-long talks that began at 4.15pm, President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.
President Hamid welcomed the Jasod delegation at Bangabhaban and thanked them for participating in the dialogue.
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.
After the meeting, Inu said the formation of a commission through a search committee is a relatively good initiative, and they support this system in absence of a legal framework.
“According to the constitution, the President has the full authority to form the Election Commission. We appreciate him for initiating talks with Jasad and other political parties. This approach will help the President to present an acceptable and capable Election Commission," he said.
The Jasod chief said that their party thinks it is not appropriate to propose any name for the search committee.
Inu said they, however, proposed keeping a female and professor-level person in the search committee.
The Jasod chief said they told the president that it is necessary to include people who have honesty, integrity and acceptance in the committee.
He hoped that other political parties would also take part in the talks with the President and cooperate with him in reconstituting a capable EC.
Read: Presidential dialogue on EC: Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal to meet on Wednesday
The President said the opinions of the political parties can play an important role in the formation of the Commission since there is no law for reconstituting the Election Commission.
Hamid sought cooperation of all political parties in this regard.
The other members of the delegation are Jasad General Secretary Shirin Akhter, working President Rabiul Alam, member of Standing Committee Mosharaf Hossain, vice-presidents Mir Hossain Akhter, Shah Zikrul Ahmed, Rezaul Karim Tansen.
Secretary to the President Sampad Barua, Military Secretary Major General SM Salah Uddin Islam, Press Secretary Joynal Abedin and Secretary (attached) Wahidul Islam Khan were present.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) has been invited to take part in the dialogue at 4pm on December 26 while Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) will meet the president at 6pm the same day, Abedin said.
Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and Khelafat Majlish will participate in the discussions at 4 pm and 6 pm on December 27 respectively while Bangladesh Workers' Party is scheduled to join on December 28 at 4pm.
On December 29, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) was invited to join the dialogue at 4pm while Islami Oikya Jote will exchange their views with the President at 6pm on the same day.
There are now 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website. But only nine parties 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.
EC formation: President’s dialogue with Jatiya Party begins
President Abdul Hamid on Monday started a dialogue with the main opposition Jatiya Party in Parliament to discuss issues relating to the reconstitution of the Election Commission.
An eight-member delegation of Jatiya Party joined the dialogue at 4:20 pm at Bangabhaban, President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin said.
Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader is leading his party’s delegation at the talks.
The other members of the delegation are Senior Co-Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Secretary General Mujibul Haque, Co-Chairman ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlardar, Kazi Firoz Rashid, Syed Abul Hossain Babla, Salma Islam, Chief Whip of the main opposition party Mashiur Rahman Ranga.
Read: Don't eat white rice, advises food minister
The five-year tenure of the incumbent Commission, led by Chief Election Commission KM Nurul Huda, will expire on February 14 next.
Now there are 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website. But only nine parties 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.
In December 2016, President Abdul Hamid had a series of talks with the registered political parties over the EC’s reconstitution that began with the first meeting with a delegation of BNP.
Read: Bangladesh wants friendly relations with all countries: PM
Later, a six-member search committee was formed to recommend names for the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners.
The search committee sought five names from every political party. The committee later submitted 10 names before President Md Abdul Hamid to appoint CEC and election commissioners among them.
The President finally formed the present commission-headed by KM Nurul Huda. Then the CEC and other commissioners took oath on February 15, 2017.
As per the constitution, the EC should be formed under a law, but this law has not been enacted yet in Bangladesh.
The new election commission will have to arrange the 12th national election within November 2023 to January 2024.
President’s dialogue on EC formation kicks off Monday
President Abdul Hamid will kick off the dialogue with registered political parties on Monday to discuss issues relating to the reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC).
The dialogue is formally going to begin with the main opposition -- Jatiya Party -- in Parliament.
An eight-member delegation of Jatiya Party will participate in the dialogue with the President to be held at 4pm on Monday at Bangabhaban, President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.
Read:EC formation: President to start dialogue on Dec 20
Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader will lead his party’s delegation at the talks.
The parties that have representation in Parliament have already been invited to join the talks, Joynal said.
The five-year tenure of the incumbent Commission, led by Chief Election Commission KM Nurul Huda, will expire on February 14 next.
Now there are 39 registered political parties, according to the EC website. But only nine parties 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.
One of the major parties, BNP, still did not make its position clear whether it will join the talks with the President or not.
A senior leader wishing anonymity said their party may not join the talks as they think the new EC will be formed as per the ruling party’s wish.
He said they have a plan to send a letter to the president giving their observations and recommendations on the reconstitution of the EC instead of joining the dialogue.
In December 2016, President Abdul Hamid had a series of talks with the registered political parties over the EC’s reconstitution that began with the first meeting with a delegation of BNP.
Read:Not right to enact EC formation law in a haste: Law minister
Later, a six-member search committee was formed to recommend names for the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners.
The search committee sought five names from every political party. The committee later submitted 10 names before President Md Abdul Hamid to appoint CEC and election commissioners among them.
The President finally formed the present commission-headed by KM Nurul Huda. Then the CEC and other commissioners took oath on February 15, 2017.
As per the constitution, the EC should be formed under a law, but this law has not been enacted yet in Bangladesh.
The new election commission will have to arrange the 12th national election within November 2023 to January 2024.