Eminent citizens give mixed reactions as AL, allies hail new EC [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Eminent citizens give mixed reactions as AL, allies hail new EC

Local February 08, 2017

The ruling Awami League and its allies on Tuesday hailed the newly appointed chief election commissioner and other election commissioners while other political parties expressed mixed reactions.
Most of the eminent citizens consulted by the search committee for the Election Commission reconstitution, however, refused to comment.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, addressing a function at North South University, said that they had full confidence in the new commission formed by the president consulting registered political parties.
He expressed his hope that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party would take part in the next general elections under the new commission.
The president Abdul Hamid on Monday appointed former bureaucrat KM Nurul Huda as the chief election commissioner and former bureaucrats Mahbub Talukder and M Rafiqul Islam, former district judge Bagum Kabita Khanam and retired brigadier general Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury as election commissioners.
Chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha would administer the oath of office to the new chief and other election commissioners at the Supreme Court Judges’ Lounge at about 3:00pm on February 15, said Supreme Court additional registrar (High Court) Md Sabbir Faiz.
Jatiya Party co-chairman GM Quader congratulated the new commission but said that there was no scope of making any negative comments on the commission right now.
‘We will observe their activities, evaluate the perception of general people about them and then come up with our reaction,’ he said.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Khalequzzaman said that people already raised question about the appointment of KM Nurul Huda as the chief election commissioner for his alleged attachment to AL.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal faction president Hasanul Haq Inu, also the information minister, said that he had confidence in the commission.
Another JSD faction president ASM Abdur Rob said that the neutrality of the new commission would depend on the neutrality of the election-time government.
Workers Party of Bangladesh general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha said that their party would give formal reaction after observing the activities of the commission.
Ganatantri Party senior leader Nurur Rahman Selim said that the president fulfilled the aspiration of people by reconstituting the commission with people ‘having no bad records.’
Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh said people’s aspiration for a strong and acceptable commission was not fulfilled.
Bangladesh Islami Front secretary general MA Matin termed all the new election commissioners competent and expected that the new commission would play a neutral role.
New Age on Tuesday talked to nine of 12 eminent citizens with whom the search committee exchanged views on January 30 and six of the nine refused to comment.
‘I gave my opinion to the search committee, it’s enough. I think I am not the proper person to make any more comment on the issue,’ said Dhaka University professor emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury.
Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor SMA Faiz said, ‘I have no comments about the individuals but I hope that the commission would work independently and would not compromise with any quarter.’
Former chief election commissioner M Abu Hena said, ‘I welcome the people and hope they will carry out the sacred responsibility with highest professionalism, honesty and courage. The commission will be evaluated by the works, he added.
Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda and former election commissioner Muhammad Sakhawat Hussain said that they needed to observe some activities of the new commission before making comment.
Local government expert Tofail Ahmed refused to comment as he was also recommended by the search committee for an election commissioner.
Dhaka University supernumerary professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque said that it would not be possible for the new commission to hold a free and fair election without political will.
‘I hope that the new commission will carry out their duties neutrally but the existing political culture is not helpful,’ he added.
Citizens for Good Governance secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said that they suggested the search committee that it should take initiative to make public its recommendations with reasons while the committee public the names only and after the president appointed them.
Dhaka University vice-chancellor AK Azad Chowdhury said that more or less their suggestions were reflected in the appointments.