Dhaka: Speakers at a press conference here today unequivocally called for formulating a new appointment law of the Election Commission (EC) after repealing the existing one to this end. There is no way but to formulate a new EC law along with bringing reforms in the Representation of People Order, 1972, and its rules and regulations to ensure transparency and accountability in all the election processes, they said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the speakers emphasized that the EC should be granted absolute power for recruiting all of its manpower to enable them to discharge their duties independently. District and city committees of Sushasoner Jonno NagoriK (SUJON) jointly organized the press conference at Hotel Warisan, in collaboration with the voter awareness and citizens’ activities program of the Hunger Project (THP) Bangladesh.
Sujon district committee President Shafiuddin Ahmed and General Secretary Prof. Mahmudul Alam addressed the meeting as focal persons, putting forward a set of re
commendations for making the EC strengthened and powerful through need-based reforms. City Committee President Pear Baksha, Executive Members Prof. Asad Ali and Prof. Dr. Kamruzzaman, and SUJON Coordinators Mijanur Rahman and Asir Uddin were present, among others.
The speakers urged the constitution reforms committee to propose reinstating the system of a non-party caretaker government to ensure that every national election is free, fair, and acceptable to all. They advocated for nominating candidates based on the majority consensus of grassroots people to end the nomination trading and money-game centering on elections.