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Download PDF Election Commissioner SM Zakaria remained absent from office yesterday, the day after the council of advisers requested him to go on leave until the election is over to ‘resolve’ the political crisis.
Neither the council of advisers nor the Election Commission Secretariat, however, confirmed whether Zakaria took leave from yesterday.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman told the press yesterday that he did not know anything about Zakaria’s going on leave.
Secretary to the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat Abdur Rashid told reporters that Zakaria might go on leave in line with the request of the advisers.
Shafiqual Haque Chowdhury and a few other advisers, who seemed upbeat about resolving the political crisis, yesterday said they believe the Awami League-led electoral alliance will dramatically change its stance not to participate in the election under the current schedule.
The advisers claimed that they decided to request Zakaria to go on leave and the EC rescheduled the official polls plan after consultation with the AL led-14 party combine.
Describing the 14-party’s outright rejection of the advisory council’s decision as a ‘part of politics’, Adviser Dhiraj Kumar Nath yesterday said it is the 14-party’s strategy to keep the government under pressure. He hoped the AL and its allies would go for the polls.
On the ‘controversial’ election officers in districts, he said, “We will look into the matter.”
Adviser Prof M Moinuddin Khan said the 14-party combine rejected the readjusted election schedule but did not say they will not take part in the general elections.
“I think, it will take some time for the 14-party combine to understand the whole situation,” he said.
He said there is no other option but to hold the election within 90 days and maintain constitutional process.
Time is running fast ahead of the election, Adviser Dr Shoeb Ahmed said, adding, “But it is still possible to present a free and fair election if there is a political consensus.”
“We are not thinking about deferring the election as there is no alternative to hold it within the 90-day deadline,” acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Mahfuzur Rahman said referring to the constitutional provision for holding polls within 90 days from the dissolution of parliament.
The EC again rescheduled the official polls plan to ensure the participation of all political parties in the election, he said.
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