Bangladesh News

The Awami League-led 14-party alliance will not accept any reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC) by keeping the three “controversial” election commissioners and making one of them the acting chief election commissioner (CEC).

“We will not accept any reconstitution of the EC if the most controversial election commissioner, SM Zakaria, and his two colleagues are not removed,” Obaidul Quader, Awami League (AL) joint general secretary, told The Daily Star last night.

He said the 14-party alliance will not even accept any of the three “controversial” election commissioners being made the acting CEC.

The AL-led alliance also demanded removal of the EC secretary, EC Additional Secretary M Zakoria, and 300 “politically appointed” upazila election officers.

The reactions came immediately after spreading of the news that CEC MA Aziz is going on a three-month leave, which, Quader said, is a decision “taken as per directions from Hawa Bhaban”.

“We will never accept such drama. SM Zakaria must quit his post,” he added.

The 14-party alliance held a meeting at the AL Dhanmondi office before the news of CEC’s going on leave spread.

At a press briefing after the meeting, the 14-party expressed its firm stance that the ongoing peaceful non-stop countrywide blockade programme will continue until the entire EC is reconstituted and their 11-point demand is met.

AL General Secretary and 14-party Coordinator Abdul Jalil told reporters that they will not accept any EC reconstitution if CEC MA Aziz and Election Commissioner SM Zakaria are replaced by any “controversial” persons.

“The Election Commission must be reconstituted with non-party and neutral persons acceptable to all,” Jalil said, emphasising that a free and fair election is never possible under the supervision of the current “controversial” EC.

“Although the advisers to the caretaker government promised to bring an end to the ongoing political impasse through an acceptable reconstitution of the EC, we have not yet seen any such measure being taken,” Jalil said.

He asked President and Chief Adviser Iajuddin Ahmed to take necessary measures to bring reforms in the systems of the caretaker government and EC and the electoral laws as proposed by the 14-party alliance.

The removal of CEC Aziz and Election Commissioner Zakaria is a must for a free and fair election, Jalil said, asking the president to appoint persons acceptable to all in the posts of Aziz and Zakaria.

Jalil also demanded that the chief adviser give the charges of important ministries to other advisers and take “combined” decision after discussion with them to create the environment for a free and fair election.

He alleged that in spite of repeated demands from the 14-party alliance Iajuddin has not yet taken any measure to reshuffle in the administration.

The chief adviser has rather appointed Khoda Bux Chowdhury, who is loyal to BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, as the inspector general of police, Jalil said.

The deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, officers-in-charge, and upazila nirbahi officers appointed during the previous government’s tenure have not been withdrawn yet to depoliticise the administration, he said, demanding immediate drastic change in both the police and civil administration.

Jalil alleged that the BNP-Jamaat coalition has been conspiring to foil the upcoming election by creating anarchy in the country and resorting to criminal activities.

Senior 14-party leaders Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Obaidul Quader, Rashed Khan Menon, and Hasanul Haque Inu were present at the briefing.