Journos barred from covering talks at EC

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The Election Commission (EC) yesterday did not allow journalists to cover dialogue with political parties on their registration.

It gave no explanations for imposing restrictions on journalists’ presence at the talks that began at the EC Secretariat conference room.

Political leaders present there however said the EC told them that it wanted to discuss some issues ‘frankly’, and this is why it decided not to allow newsmen to be present there.

In the past, the EC always allowed journalists to cover talks with political parties and professional bodies on electoral reforms from September last year for what it said was to ensure transparency in the discussions.

In defence of allowing journalists to attend the talks, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda on several occasions said presence of newsmen would reduce the possibility of any misunderstandings.

During the second round of electoral reform talks with political parties, he said he feared that closed-door meetings might trigger fishy things. He had also suggested that the caretaker government follow the EC’s practice in its dialogue with political parties.

A good number of journalists and photojournalists from newspapers and satellite television channels yesterday morning thronged the EC Secretariat to cover the talks with political parties without knowing the restrictions imposed in this regard. And they entered the EC Secretariat conference room as talks with Workers Party of Bangladesh began at 10:30 am.

But within a few minutes, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain loudly asked the EC’s public relations officer to ensure that no newsman stays in the conference room. Journalists then left the venue.

Political leaders present at the talks sought to know why newsmen were not allowed to be present.

“The Election Commission told us they want to discuss some issues frankly. So, journalists were not allowed this time,” Workers Party leader Rashed Khan Menon told reporters later.

Ganotantri Party chief Nurul Islam said he also raised the issue with the EC and got a similar reply.

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