EC reform talks: Punishment demanded for previous ECs

Electoral Reform Commission Chief Badiul Alam Majumdar today said that almost all participants in a views-exchange programme with the commission have demanded the previous Election Commissions be brought to the justice.

"Almost everyone is in favour of bringing previous Election Commissions to justice as they violated their oath by holding controversial, staged, and scandalous elections," Badiul said while speaking to reporters at EC office after the view-exchange meeting with eminent citizens and academics.

The Kazi Habibul Awal-led Election Commission faced significant criticism for conducting the most recent national polls, which were boycotted by major opposition parties, including the BNP.

The Awami League had to field "dummy" independent candidates -- many of whom were AL leaders -- to make the elections appear participatory.

The commission led by KM Nurul Huda controversial following the December 2018 general election, with opposition parties alleging ballot-box stuffing on the night before election day.

In January 2019, the Jatiya Oikya Front complained to the EC saying that 30 to 60 percent of votes were cast the night prior. That same month, a study by Transparency International Bangladesh revealed ballot-stamping incidents in more than one centre in 33 out of the 50 constituencies it surveyed.

Earlier, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad-led commission conducted a one-sided national election in January 2014, during which 153 out of 300 lawmakers were elected unopposed as the opposition, including the BNP, boycotted the election.

The AL-led alliance secured more than two-thirds of the seats in all three national elections under the Hasina government.

During today's discussion, participants unanimously agreed on the need for a caretaker government. "The Election Commission has to be made independent and strengthened," Badiul said.

Participants also advocated for the reintroduction of the "no" vote provision and stressed the importance of internal democracy within political parties. "If democracy is not established within political parties, it cannot be expected that democracy will be established in the state," he said.

Proposals for direct presidential elections and direct elections to reserved seats for women in parliament were also put forward by academics and citizens during the programme.