Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda has termed the ninth parliamentary election credible, saying no-one should disrespect the people’s verdict as reflected in the polls.
“People are a very important factor. None of us should disregard or ignore their desire or verdict. We should show respect to it,” the CEC said in his first post-polls briefing at the EC Secretariat yesterday. He said this when asked to comment on the BNP chief’s reaction to polls results.
Congratulating the voters, especially the young and women, for exercising their franchise en masse, the CEC said, “People never make any mistake to give their verdict if we can create the opportunity and ensure they will return to their destinations unhindered after casting votes.”
In response to a query about the comment of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on the results, Huda said, “The whole thing was visible. People will judge whether the election is acceptable and we have left the matter for future.”
He said an aged leader of the country made the comment and he does not want to say anything about it. Referring to the observer groups’ reports, he however said the election has been appreciated at home and abroad.
Huda, who was appointed CEC in February 2007 after declaration of the state of emergency, also said they are by and large satisfied that they have presented the nation with a credible election.
“Overall, we’re very happy that the election was held peacefully and in a disciplined manner,” he said, adding a few incidents might take place in such a huge election which is usual.
He also said the Election Commission’s future target should be to establish such an opportunity and create such a foolproof security arrangement.
The CEC expressed the hope the standard in which they have worked must be upheld in future if those things they have set permanently are nurtured and those things which prevailed in this election sustain in future.
He also congratulated political parties, polling staffs, members of law-enforcement agencies and the media for their contributions to holding such a credible election.
Asked whether EC has found the voters’ eagerness in electing honest and competent candidates as per its campaign, the poll chief said when any big issue arises, popular votes go to symbols.
“People don’t see individual candidates in a crucial moment of nation or when the nation tries to overcome a crisis,” he said, reminding the 1954 election when people did not consider the candidate’s competence except symbols.
Huda however said they tried their best to make aware the people so that they consider candidates’ individual competence. He added they had in fact nothing to do except putting information before the people so that they could decide who they would choose.
The CEC said work has already started to enrol around eight to 10 thousand voters as they have ID cards, but their names were not on the roll.
He went on to say the average turnout was 86.29 percent and in some constituencies the number exceeded 90 percent. He termed it unimaginable but said if an environment is created and the people are given the opportunity, they cast their votes in large number.
“The enthusiasm we have seen in this election has never been seen in the past.”
Accompanied by Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, the CEC reminded about their electoral roadmap announced in July last year stipulating that the stalled parliamentary polls must be held by 2008.
“We have been able to fulfil our job as we pledged in the roadmap,” he added.
On the much-talked-about upazila polls scheduled for January 22, the CEC said the upazila election will also be held as per schedule.
He also said EC would move to hold polls to Dhaka City Corporation, municipalities and union parishads. “So it will be a year of ballots,” he added.
On updating the electoral roll, he said EC will begin the task in early February as it cannot do the task earlier due to upazila elections.
Categories: Bangla, Bangladesh, Bangladesh News, Bangladesh Politics, Daily Bangladesh News
