Bangladesh News

Awami League (AL) yesterday lodged objections with the Election Commission (EC) to 20 organisations monitoring the December 18 national election and BNP to four.

The parties asked the commission for disqualification of the observer bodies they do not find impartial enough.

Earlier, the EC had primarily selected 138 organisations and asked the political parties to register formal objections, if any, by November 16.

The opposition from AL and BNP came on the last day.

After submitting the letter to EC Secretary Humayun Kabir, an AL delegation team disclosed names of the 20 organisations they do not want as election observers.

However, BNP that has yet to announce if it would participate in the polls did not divulge the names.

AL raised objection also to a foreign observer body–Bangkok-based Asian Network for Free Elections Foundations.

EC Secretariat officials said the commission will soon hold hearings to decide on the observers in question.

In response to widespread allegations of biased election observation, the EC this time has laid down new guidelines for domestic observers. To monitor the parliamentary polls, an organisation must be accredited by the commission.

The observers that AL disapproves of include Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC), Democracywatch, Fair Election Monitoring Alliance (Fema), Khan Foundation, Jagarani Chakra, Light House, Noakhali Rural Development Society (NRDS), Shariatpur Development Society, Srijani Bangladesh, Bangladesh Manabadhikar Commission, Association of Muslim Welfare of Bangladesh, National Youth Forum of Bangladesh, Hilful Fujul Samajik Sangstha, Jugayan Samajik Unnayan Sangstha, Unit of Social Advancement, BRAVE, COAST Trust, Development Organisation for the Poor, and Nari Udyog Kendra.

In the letter, AL alleged that the organisations are biased towards BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, and so should not be allowed to observe the upcoming general election, AL sources said.

BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan met the commission secretary in the afternoon.

Afterwards, he told journalists that his party has strong reservations about four organisations. He however declined to mention any names.

PARTY REGISTRATION
So far 32 organisations have been registered as political parties, while applications of 10 remain under consideration, said NI Khan, chief of the EC’s technical committee to scrutinise the applications for registration.

Talking to reporters yesterday, Khan said the commission would not take any more application before the December 18 polls.

Asked about the allegation of shortage of CDs containing voter rolls in many areas, Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain said they have sent the CDs to all district election offices and anyone can buy those.