Polls only after vital electoral reforms

The new Election Commission does not want another one-sided election, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said yesterday, adding that the election will be free, fair, and acceptable to all.

He also said the next national polls will be held after necessary reforms to the election process are done.

The one-sided elections of the past harmed the country, he said.

“We will create a level playing field for a competitive election,” he told reporters after his first day at the office.

He referred to the 2024 election in which many Awami League leaders ran as independents, allegedly to make the election appear participatory.

He also made reference to the 2014 election in which 153 individuals also got “elected” to the 300-seat parliament because they were the only ones who participated in their constituencies, he said.

The BNP and other major opposition parties boycotted both the elections.

Nasir and four other commissioners arrived at the EC office around 1:30pm, after being sworn in by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed at the Supreme Court Judges’ Lounge.

“We will use all of our might to keep our commitment to hold free, fair and acceptable elections.”

The election commissioners — former additional secretary Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, former district and sessions judge Abdur Rahman Masud, former joint secretary Begum Tahmida Ahmad and Brig General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah — were also present at the briefing.

Minutes before the press briefing, two EC employees were seen taking down a portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from a wall of the conference room. They were also cleaning a section of the roof.

Nasir said holding national elections was difficult. But the challenge has increased significantly as the country is going through a transition, he said.

Many are talking about proportionate representation, bicameral legislature and so on. These are related to the election process. “If it is decided that there will be bicameral legislature or proportionate representation, the Election Commission will hold the election accommodating in line with these changes.

“We will consider the next election only after the necessary electoral reforms are done.”

Every party has the right to take part in national polls, he said, adding that the Electoral reform commission will surely make recommendations on these issues.

“A serious debate regarding the Awami League and its allies is going on at different levels. Let these issues be settled first. We will take action accordingly. Election will not take place in a day or two.”

The new commission has no pressure from the interim government and will not have pressure from anyone.

The interim government, led by Prof Muhammad Yunus, does not have any agenda or political ambition to exert pressure on anyone. The chief of the interim government has repeatedly stated his intention to transfer power to an elected political government through free and fair elections, he said.

“Previous governments put pressure as they had a partisan agenda.”

People ask what changes will an election make. The mass media’s cooperation is needed to make people interested in voting, he said.

After taking the oath in the afternoon, Nasir said, “I see this as a big opportunity and responsibility — an opportunity to serve the nation.”

“The people of the country have been deprived of the right to vote. They struggled a lot for a free and fair election. They organised movements and bled….”

The EC fell vacant on September 5 when members of the previous commission, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, resigned.