Intl acceptance depends on voter turnout: EMF

The Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) has emphasised the importance of a high voter turnout for the acceptance of the upcoming general elections both within the country and internationally.

"If the general public comes to polling stations, then this election will be deemed acceptable," said EMF Chairman Mohammad Abed Ali on Tuesday (26 December) during a press conference on "Overall Activities of the Election Monitoring Forum Regarding Domestic and Foreign Observers in the 12th National Parliament Election."

He said representatives from several countries, including the US, the UK and Australia, will be in Bangladesh to monitor the election.

"They will visit various districts, including divisional cities, in groups on Election Day. One of their messages is that a major political party is not participating in the elections in Bangladesh," he told the event held at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

Abed Ali pointed out that there are also parties that have registered with the Election Commission (EC) as parties with several committees, but they have nothing to do with common people.

He mentioned that this is why foreigners have a keen interest in this election, and they will come to observe it.

In a written statement at the press conference, Professor Abdul Jabbar Khan, pro-vice chancellor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and a director and spokesperson for the EMF, noted that as in the past, more than 200 foreign observers will come to observe the election both at the invitation of the EC and voluntarily.

In the meantime, he mentioned that about 15 international organisations have contacted the EMF to collect information on various issues, including the election environment, the role of political parties and the preparations of the EC for the election.

"Among them, we have learned from various sources that 10 individuals from the US, including an assistant to the former US president, the chief of staff of the National Security Council, a former Congressman, and a certified election observer of the OSCE, will come for observation of the voting," Professor Khan added.

Additionally, representatives from various European countries, including the UK, Australia, Ireland, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and South Korea, will also come to observe the election, he added.

In response to a question, the EMF spokesperson said, "Candidates will of course remain in the field. If their supporters are present and voters go to the polling stations, the likelihood of this election being unfair is very low. The more we stay aloof, the greater the chance that the election will be in question. That's why we consider voter turnout to be the biggest challenge."

He said that of the 12 crore voters, if 6-7 crore go to vote, then this election will be considered a participatory election acceptable to the people of Bangladesh and will serve as proof to the people of the world of the credibility of the voting process.

Professor Khan pointed out that in the past it was observed that 100% of votes were cast in some centres, as revealed by the EC.

"We ourselves do not understand how the Election Commission publishes such unusual results. It's a matter of common sense; it cannot be that all the voters of a centre will vote," he asserted.

"We hope that the current Election Commission will be fearless in applying the powers they have and the provisions of the law. If they can conduct their work by applying common sense, there will be transparent elections," he hoped. ***