[🇧🇩] Forming Election Commission/Conducting Elections

Date of Event: Oct 30, 2024

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/justice-zubayer-rahman-chowdhury-head-ec-search-committee-3739876

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury to head EC search committee

Clockwise from left: Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, Justice AKM Asaduzzaman, Prof CR Abrar, Prof Zinnatunnesa Tahmida Begum, Prof Mobasser Monem and Md Nurul Islam.

The government has formed a six-member search committee, chaired by Appellate Division Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, to select eligible candidates for a new Election Commission (EC).

The committee will recommend two candidates for each position, including the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.

According to government sources, the committee will include Justice AKM Asaduzzaman from the High Court Division, nominated by the chief justice, and two distinguished citizens appointed by the president.

These individuals are former PSC Chairman Professor Zinnatunnesa Tahmida Begum and retired Dhaka University professor CR Abrar. Additionally, under the law, Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh Md Nurul Islam and the Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Mobassher Monem, will serve as ex-officio members.

Speaking on the matter at the secretariat earlier today, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul stated that the process for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election has begun. He mentioned that a search committee is being formed to constitute the Election Commission. An official notification will soon be issued after being signed by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus.

The law adviser noted that there are numerous questions about the voter list, describing previous elections as fraudulent. This time, the voter list will be updated to ensure transparency.

The Awami League government was ousted on August 5 following a student-led uprising, and on the following day, President Mohammed Sahabuddin dissolved the 12th Parliament. On August 8, an interim government led by Yunus was established.

On September 5, the Election Commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, resigned before the end of its term. This commission had been sworn in on February 27, 2022.

The law for the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners specifies that a six-member search committee will be formed by the president to establish the Election Commission.

This committee is to include an Appellate Division judge nominated by the chief justice (who will serve as committee chair), a High Court Division judge nominated by the chief justice, the comptroller and auditor general, the chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), and two distinguished citizens appointed by the president, one of whom must be a woman.

According to the law, the search committee must provide its recommendations to the president within 15 working days.​

 

[Saif]

Election Commission must pave the way for fair polls

The electoral process finally begins amid huge expectations

www.thedailystar.net

Election Commission must pave the way for fair polls
The electoral process finally begins amid huge expectations

VISUAL: STAR

We welcome the formation of the new Election Commission headed by former health and energy secretary AMM Nasir Uddin. With this, the "train to the election"—as termed by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus—has indeed started rolling. While this is just the first step in what promises to be a lengthy journey, it is a momentous one for a nation emerging from the long shadow of fascism. The announcement about the five-member commission, which will be sworn in on Sunday, seemed imminent following the chief adviser's address marking 100 days of the interim government. In the coming days, this moment will serve as a reference point for what follows, and we hope it will be for all the right reasons.

One doesn't need reminding of the immense expectations and challenges facing the new commission. The stakes are high, especially after more than 15 years of autocratic rule by the Awami League regime that systematically disenfranchised citizens, but also because of the enormous sacrifices that went into ousting it. During the July-August uprising, around 1,500 people lost their lives, while nearly 20,000 were injured, many critically. Their demand for democratic rights free from discrimination—underpinned by a fair and credible election—is a mandate that the commission must fulfil. There is optimism that it will not repeat the mistakes of its predecessors, but it must remain vigilant at all times given today's polarised sociopolitical climate.

An election alone will not solve all our problems, however. This is why the chief adviser's emphasis on implementing some essential reforms prior to the election, leaving the rest to a democratically elected government, resonates so strongly. For now, we must keep our eyes on the process—the journey rather than the destination—and that, for the Election Commission, begins with laying down the tracks for necessary electoral reforms. BNP and other parties are calling for an election roadmap which will be issued once decisions on the electoral reforms are made. A commission is currently working on that, and will likely submit its reports between December and January. There is a democratic process in place to finalise the agenda, which we hope will lead to an electoral framework that is not only fair but also perceived as such by all political parties and the public alike.

We look to the Election Commission to ensure that the upcoming election, whenever it is held, genuinely reflects the will of the people. Anything less would—to echo the chief election commissioner—betray the sacrifices of all those who gave their lives in the mass uprising. The authorities must not fail them.​

 

[Saif]

New Election Commission formed with former secy AMM Nasir Uddin as CEC

President Mohammed Shahabuddin also appointed four commissioners

www.thedailystar.net

New Election Commission formed with former secy AMM Nasir Uddin as CEC

A new election commission has been formed, headed by former secretary the Ministry of Health and Family Planning AMM Nasir Uddin.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin also appointed four commissioners — retired additional secretary Anwarul Islam Sarkar, retired district and sessions judge Abdur Rahmanel Masud, retired joint secretary Begum Tahmida Ahmed, and Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.

The Cabinet Division has issued a gazette notification in this regard.

On October 29, the interim government formed a six-member search committee to recommend the names of the new chief election Commissioner (CEC) and other commissioners to the president for appointment.

Nasir was also former information and energy secretary and member of Planning Commission.

BNP and several others parties proposed Nasir and former secretary Shafiqul Islam as the CEC to the search committee.

On September 5, the immediate past Election Commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, resigned midway through its five-year tenure. This commission had been sworn in on February 27, 2022.

They resigned one month after Awami League government was ousted on August 5 following a student-led uprising.

The EC has been vacant for more than two and half months, the longest period of vacancy in the history of Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

Newly appointed CEC, commissioners likely to take oath Sunday

The newly appointed chief election commissioner AMM Md Nasir Uddin and four other commissioners are likely to take oaths on Sunday.

www.newagebd.net

Newly appointed CEC, commissioners likely to take oath Sunday
Staff Correspondent 22 November, 2024, 12:58

New CEC AMM Md Nasir Uddin | Collected photo

The newly appointed chief election commissioner AMM Md Nasir Uddin and four other commissioners are likely to take oaths on Sunday.

The oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, said Shafiqul Islam, the public relations officer of the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed is scheduled to administer the swearing-in ceremony, he added.

The other four commissioners are former additional secretary Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, former district and sessions judge Abdur Rahmanel Masud, former joint secretary Tahmida Ahmed, and retired brigadier general Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.

President Muhammed Shahabuddin on Thursday appointed the CEC and four other election commissioners, a day after the EC search committee submitted the shortlist containing 10 names for those posts.

The new Election Commission tasked with the holding of the 13th parliamentary elections has been constituted on the basis of the recommendations of a six-member search committee.

The government, on October 29, formed the search committee led by Appellate Division judge, Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury.

On September 5, the then CEC Kazi Habibul Awal and all the four election commissioners – Ahsan Habib Khan, Rashida Sultana, Md Alamgir, and Anisur Rahman –resigned.

Their resignation came a month after the fall of the Awami League regime amid an unprecedented student-people uprising.

On August 6, the president dissolved the 12th parliament, which was formed through the January 7 one-sided election conducted by the Awal-led election commission.​

 

[Saif]

61pc want polls within a year, 65.9pc prefer reforms first

More than three out of every five (61.1 percent) Bangladeshis said they wanted elections within a year, while almost 66 percent said they wanted necessary reforms before the elections, as per a survey by the Voice of America’s Bangla service.

www.thedailystar.net

61pc want polls within a year, 65.9pc prefer reforms first
Reveals VOA survey

More than three out of every five (61.1 percent) Bangladeshis said they wanted elections within a year, while almost 66 percent said they wanted necessary reforms before the elections, as per a survey by the Voice of America's Bangla service.

Most of the respondents who prioritised reforms before elections were lenient with the election deadline, but some of them said they still prefer elections within a year, reports UNB citing VoA.

The survey was conducted across Bangladesh and included 1,000 participants during October 13-27.

Diverse opinions on election timing

While a majority prefer elections within a year, 31.9 percent favour elections only after urgent electoral reforms are implemented.

Meanwhile, 18.7 percent prefer elections within two and three years, and 8.6 percent believe polls should happen within 18 months. A minority of 5.8 percent want the elections postponed for four years or more.

Interestingly, 4.6 percent respondents did not have a specific preference for an election deadline, while 1.1 percent declined to answer.

The survey highlighted slight variations in preferences between urban and rural populations, with 60.4 percent urban respondents and 61.4 percent rural participants supporting elections within a year.

Gender differences were also evident, as 65 percent women preferred elections within a year compared to 57.3 percent men.

Support for comprehensive reforms

A vast majority (65.9 percent) of respondents believe all necessary reforms identified by the interim government should be completed before the election.

Among these reforms, key areas of focus include election commission (for 96.5 percent), police (for 92.3 percent), judicial (for 95.3 percent), economic sector (for 96.4 percent), and constitutional reforms (for 92.5 percent).

Only 31.9 percent respondents supported elections after addressing urgent election-related reforms.

Perception of the interim government's performance

The survey assessed public perception of the Yunus-led interim government. It found that 58.4 percent believe the interim government was performing better than its predecessor, while 40.5 percent think it is performing similar or worse.

Among those critical of the incumbent government, 20.4 percent consider its governance worse and 20.1 percent think it is similar to the Awami League administration.

Urban residents (61.9 percent) and men (62 percent) were more likely to rate the interim government's performance favourably than their rural counterparts (57.3 percent) and women (54.8 percent).

Public safety and law enforcement

Regarding law and order, 63.2 percent said the interim government is managing security better than AL. However, opinions on personal safety were evenly divided with 49.8 percent saying they felt safer under the interim government. But 49.9 percent believed their safety had either declined or remained the same.

It is worth noting that the survey has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. Additionally, as the respondents provided their opinions nearly a month ago, the results may differ if the survey were conducted today.​

 

[Saif]

How the new election commission will handle political parties

There was a meeting between the election system reform commission and editors and senior journalists on Thursday. As soon as I went to the election commission building in the morning, I encountered a blockade on Rokeya Sarani.

en.prothomalo.com

How the new election commission will handle political parties
Sohrab Hassan
Updated: 23 Nov 2024, 22: 28

There was a meeting between the election system reform commission and editors and senior journalists on Thursday. As soon as I went to the election commission building in the morning, I encountered a blockade on Rokeya Sarani. Following the order to ban battery-run rickshaws by the High Court in three days, the drivers had blocked the road. Their argument was that if their vehicles were suddenly banned without providing alternative work options, they would starve to death.

Although the government has undertaken reform initiatives in various state affairs including the electoral system, it seems it is not thinking about these working people and their employment. The government has declared that battery-run rickshaws will not be allowed on main roads but can still operate in alleys. At the same time, they are saying they won't be allowed anywhere at all. In Dhaka, there are at least 600,000 battery-powered rickshaws. Many people have bought these rickshaws on loans. If they can no longer operate their rickshaws, how will they repay their loans?

I heard a government official on TV saying, "After the court's order, we have nothing to do." I want to remind him not to show excuses by citing the court orders every time. The court also declared the government's decision to abolish the Awami League’s job quotas in public service illegal. I’m sure he is aware of what happened afterward. The point is, the government cannot ban battery-operated rickshaws without offering alternative means of income for the drivers. There is no law that overrides the hunger of the people.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, the head of the election system reform commission, has been working on elections for three decades. When he campaigned for honest and competent candidates during the BNP era, the ruling party labeled him as an ally of the Awami League. And when he criticised the three controversial elections held under the Awami League, they called him an 'enemy of the people.' This is our political culture.

During the discussions with the commission, the role of the administration and law enforcement in elections, the character of elected governments and political parties, and other related issues were raised. Power-hungry politicians are not used to seeing themselves outside of power. It is often claimed that four elections were fair under the caretaker government system (1991, 1996, 2001, 2008). However, the defeated parties did not accept the people's verdict and searched for subtle and gross irregularities in those elections. In the last three elections, people were not even able to vote.

The ruling party has always tried to monopolize everything. On the other hand, the opposition party has sought liberation through boycotting parliament and street movements. As a result, in the last 53 years, the democratic system has failed to sustain itself. Every elected government has become authoritarian—some to a lesser degree, others to a greater extent.

Thus, the problem is not just with elections but with the political culture itself. Everyone in the discussion with the commission agreed that the caretaker system must be reinstated for fair elections. The upcoming 13th parliamentary elections will take place under the current interim government. However, to hold future elections under a caretaker government, new laws must be passed, and this responsibility should be taken on by the next elected government.

The topic of inclusive elections was also discussed. No one wants to see elections like the ones held under Sheikh Hasina's rule, where the opposition was excluded from the electoral process.

The discussants suggested bringing all ministries involved in elections, such as the home ministry and the public administration ministry under the election commission’s control during elections. Many countries have examples of this system. It remains to be seen whether the new commission can implement this.

They also suggested taking action against parties and individuals who violate the code of conduct before the election and, if necessary, canceling their candidature. Any government officials who engage in irregularities or corruption during elections should be punished.

In the 2008 elections, the commission introduced a 'no' vote option, but the Awami League government abolished it. Now, most journalists and commission members are calling for the reintroduction of the 'no' vote.
Previously, police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), alongside the armed forces, were involved in maintaining law and order. The Awami League changed the law to keep them as auxiliary forces, but it is crucial to revert to the old system. Journalists also emphasized that their professional duties should not be obstructed under any circumstances.

During the discussion with the commission, news came in that a new election commission had been formed, with former secretary AMM Nasir Uddin as its head. In his immediate response, he vowed to ensure people's voting rights, stating, "Since 2014, people have been unable to vote. Many people lost their lives during the July-August protests, and the main issue of that movement was securing voting rights. It is impossible to betray the blood of so many people."

The new commission faces significant challenges, but in the changed circumstances, they might find a more favourable environment. The Election System Reform Commission is expected to make their work easier. This will be the first national election under a non-partisan government since 2008. The interim government will not vote itself, so they will not exert pressure on the administration, law enforcement, or other responsible officials.

However, the new commission will face pressure from rival political parties. Everyone will try to align the commission with their own interests. Parties that were once allies in the anti-Awami League-government movement will now compete in the elections. This will likely create some instability in the electoral campaign, which the election commission must manage effectively.

In the last three elections, the commission was fully subservient to the ruling party. The commission worked according to the government’s wishes, and even when some members wanted to act according to their conscience, they ultimately failed. In some cases, where the voting was so low that people could see an empty polling field, the results showed 40 per cent or more voter turnout.

Restoring the trust of voters will be a difficult task for the new commission. It is hoped that the interim government and the election commission will work together to ensure a free and fair election. However, gaining the trust of political leaders and maintaining balance among rival parties will not be easy.

The tendency of public administration and law enforcement will lean in whichever direction the political wind blows. If it becomes clear before the election who will win, then the entire state apparatus, including the administration and police, may work in their favour.

The new chief election commissioner has promised to secure people's voting rights, but we believe this will only be possible if the election is competitive and contested. Alongside voting rights, there must also be open opportunities for choosing candidates.

*Sohrab Hassan is the joint editor at Prothom Alo and a poet​