We appreciate the government’s initiative to formulate an act in order to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. Reportedly, the government on Monday approved the draft of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner Appointment Act, 2022 aiming to formulate a new law as per the Constitution.
There was the need to formulate such law for appointing CEC and other election commissioners and forming a fresh commission. Therefore, we hope an appropriate law will be enacted in line with the Article 118 of the Constitution. It is expected that the law will be passed in this ongoing session of the parliament. According to the proposed law, a search committee will be constituted taking approval from the President regarding forming the Election Commission. The search committee will recommend the names of suitable candidates before the President to appoint the CEC and other election commissioners. According to the Article 118 of the Constitution, the President will appoint the CEC and other election commissioners those whom the head of the state deems suitable.
Certainly, country’s all political parties and people from all walks of life have full confidence and trust in the wisdom and prudence of the President. We believe he (President) will pick the honest, qualified, experienced, transparent and neutral individuals for the new commission and they will be acceptable to all political parties and people of the country.
We hope an appropriate law will be enacted in
line with the Article 118 of the Constitution
President M Abdul Hamid began dialogue with registered political parties from December 20 last year for formation of an independent, neutral and acceptable election ahead of the 12th general election to be held at the end of next year or the early 2024. On the first day, President held dialogue with Jatiya Party (JaPa), the main opposition political party in the 11th Jatiya Sangsad. However, it has been noticed that vested elements and a certain quarter in association with some political parties including Bangladesh Nationalist Party continued plotting to term the dialogue a farce. Out of invited 32 registered political parties, seven -- including BNP, Communist Party Bangladesh, Islamic Andolon Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party did not join the dialogue terming it ‘meaningless’. They criticised the dialogue saying such ‘talks’ would not pave the way for holding a credible national election in the country.
We think they must show respect to the Constitution and the laws of the country. Avoiding President’s dialogue over the formation of commission is not plausible indeed. However, the government must remain prepared to thwart any plot hatched at home and abroad in order to create unrest in the country centering the formation of the new election commission. We believe that country will get an independent and neutral election commission which will be conducting country’s all elections including upcoming general one in free, fare, impartial and credible manner.
