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Download PDF The Election Commission’s (EC) plan to begin dialogue with the political parties on electoral reforms early September seems stuck in limbo with the caretaker government showing no signs of lifting the ban on indoor politics shortly.
“We have not yet discussed whether the ban should go,” an adviser to the caretaker government told The Daily Star yesterday, wishing anonymity. “However, I don’t know if the chief adviser has talked with the commission lately in this regard,” he added.
In line with its roadmap to the long-stalled ninth parliamentary polls, the EC has already announced that it would start sending out invitations to the political parties at the end of this month.
The commission is determined to push on with its plan no matter what the government decides on the ban. But the major political parties—Awami League (AL) and BNP–have already declared that they would not sit with the EC as long as the ban remains in force.
In this situation, many fear that the EC’s move for discussions might be delayed once again. Earlier, the commission could not reach the goal it set for itself to talk with the political parties to finalise the reforms process by July.
Talking to The Daily Star, the adviser holding some vital portfolios criticised the AL and BNP for their stance, and said the ban on politics has nothing to do with the planned parley with the commission.
“The government won’t stop any organisation talking over the proposed electoral reforms with the Election Commission,” he observed.
Leaders of the AL and BNP maintain that they would have to hold formal meetings to discuss at party forum the EC’s proposals for reforms. But that is not possible with the ban still in place on indoor politics, they added.
Acting president of AL Zillur Rahman yesterday said they would not join the dialogue unless the ban is withdrawn. “First, we will have to discuss the proposals at the central working committee. But how do we do that amid the curb on indoor politics?” he asked.
Adviser to BNP Chairperson Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah yesterday echoed Zillur’s views and so did BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. Leader of the pro-reform faction within the party, Bhuiyan on Friday said that the restrictions should be lifted for the talks to take place.
Unveiling the roadmap on July 15, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda said the ban must go to pave the way for talks with the political parties. He said they had drawn up the plans in consultation with the chief adviser.
In the roadmap, the commission said it wants to hold dialogue with the political parties in September and November this year with a view to carrying out necessary reforms by February next year.
Political parties will have to register with the EC by next June if they are to contest the general election, stipulates the roadmap that came in the wake of political parties, civil society and the donor agencies calling for some kind of timeframe for the polls.
Once the electoral system is reformed, the political parties will have to go through a massive overhaul to register with the EC.
The commission on April 5 came up with a set of proposals for electoral reforms. The previous day, the CEC met the law adviser and asked for withdrawal of the ban on indoor politics. But the government did not respond to the request.
August 19th, 2007 at 6:41 am
The ban on politics wont lift until aim and objective of Army back governments continue to drive on scrapping corruption to serve their purpose. That is today’s democratic process of our present dictators in Bangladesh. The idea of political leaders not complying with the Election Commissions regarding electoral reforms will be wrong move as this is what the present dictators wants. The message from this government is crystal clear as we witnessed since they took power. Drive against corruption is just smokes screen, dismantling political party is their real agenda to create their own for longer run. Corruption can be dealt within the elected governments if the law and order in the right place to use it not abuse it, mistakes always made by humans and can be rectify if the intentions are pure to serve the nation.