Bangladesh News

The Awami League (AL) has dramatically retreated from its stance on opposing a provision of the existing electoral laws, which empowers the defence forces including the army with magistracy powers during parliamentary elections.

Over the last two and a half years the AL-led 14-party alliance has been strongly opposing the provision enacted by a caretaker government before the eighth parliamentary elections in 2001. But the AL now agreed with the provision.

A high-powered AL delegation led by party’s Acting President Zillur Rahman placed a set of proposals, including their consent to the provision, at the party’s electoral reform talks with the EC yesterday.

“It is a major shift in our policy. We have agreed with the existing laws as we believe it will bring welfare for the country if Bangladesh Army is engaged with election duties with the authorities,” AL Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed said.

The defence forces were provided with the magistracy power, like the police, by including them in the definition of the law enforcement agency in 2001. With the power, a member of the defence forces engaged in election duties can arrest anyone without warrant on grounds of violation of electoral laws and illegal activities.

Like the police and other regular law enforcement agencies, the defence forces have been authorised to ensure enforcement of election laws and rules and can compel candidates and their supporters to abide by the electoral code of conduct during polls campaign.

In its electoral reforms proposals announced on July 15, 2005, the AL-led alliance had demanded scrapping of the provision and asked for amending the definition of the law enforcement agency. It also tried to gain support for its proposal.

However, agreeing with the provision now, the AL yesterday proposed that the EC should have the power to deploy police and the defence forces, provided the EC consults with the government about the deployment.

Zillur Rahman led the eight-member team to the talks at the EC Secretariat conference room yesterday.

Sources in the AL said the party agreed with the provision considering the prevailing situation following the declaration of the state of emergency on January 11.

The AL supported most of the EC proposals for electoral reforms and also placed a number of proposals to strengthen the commission and hold a free and fair election.

The party, however, opposed the EC proposal for replacing the Representation of People Order (RPO) 1972 by a new order, arguing that some necessary amendments should be brought in the existing RPO 1972 and 1982 without replacing them completely.

It also opposed the proposal for imposing a ban on running overseas party units.

The AL proposed disqualifying war criminals for contesting the polls and asked the EC not to register any political party based on religion.

“The war criminals and the anti-liberation forces do not have the right to do politics in Bangladesh,” AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta said.

In response to AL’s proposal, Election Commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain said the matter would be considered at the time of registering the political parties.

To bring transparency in party funding, the AL proposed that the EC formulate separate rules including a provision for government funds for the political parties on the basis of their strength.

It also proposed introduction of transparent ballot boxes in the next parliamentary elections.

On EC’s proposal for making political parties’ registration mandatory, the AL asked the EC to make the procedure easy so that small political parties can also register themselves.

In response to the AL proposal for using three portraits in a election candidate’s poster, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda said the EC is against using the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a political party’s election poster.

“The Father of the Nation is our national property. He cannot be used in the interest of a political party during the election,” he argued, adding that the EC also wants to ban usage of other national leaders by the political parties for electoral purposes.

The AL leaders thanked the CEC for the EC’s view on Bangabandhu and said it should then enact a law banning usage of the portrait of the Father of the Nation for electoral purposes.

Earlier, beginning the talks AL Acting President Zillur Rahman said immediate release of AL chief Sheikh Hasina is necessary in the interest of a free and fair election. He also said it is the proper time now to revoke the state of emergency.

Reminding the CEC of his view that “it would be best if the emergency was withdrawn well before elections”, Zillur said, “We think the emergency must go right now.”

In his welcome address, CEC Huda said the AL is not just a political party, but a “torchbearer of independence”.

“You were the torchbearers of independence. You formed the Mujibnagar government and led the Liberation War. So, you must aid in development and advancement,” the CEC said.