New law, election time govt demanded for EC formation
A seven-member BTF delegation held talks with President on Monday
Two more political parties have urged the government to enact a new law in accordance with the constitution to form an independent and impartial election commission.
The Bangladesh Tarikat Federation and the Khelafat Mazlish made the call on Monday at a meeting with President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban in the city over the formation of an EC.
A seven-member delegation of the Tarikat Federation, led by its chairman Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari, met the president at 4:00 PM, while an eight-member group of the Khelafat Mazlish, led by secretary general Ahmad Abdul Qader, met him at 6:00 PM.
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Nazibul Bashar demanded enactment of the EC formation law while Abdul Qader expressed agreement with the process of EC formation through a search committee. They demanded that anyone who was against the war of independence, or any of their family members, not be allowed an appointment as an election commissioner.
Khelafat Mazlish placed a five-point demand, including holding elections under an election time government.
Abdul Qader said it is impossible to hold free, fair, and impartial elections under a political government given the prevailing political and administrative culture.
He observed that elections under caretaker governments were considered fair and acceptable by all. Otherwise, no elections before or since, were perceived to be fair.
Addressing the political parties, President Abdul Hamid said they have to come forward to guide the country's politics in the right direction. Expression of mere good intention is not enough to accomplish this. A fair election is possible only when people can be motivated, he added.
