Chief Election Comm-issioner (EC) K M Nurul Huda on Monday said the EC will hold meetings with all political parties for next national polls. Nurul Huda hopes that the upcoming national poll will be peaceful and fair one with the participation of all parties.
"The next poll will not be like Magura style. The next national poll will be peaceful and fair one with the participation of all parties." Talking to the journalists at the inaugural ceremony of the distribution of machine-readable smart national identity (NID) cards as chief guest at Chittagong Circuit House, Huda said activities of making next national poll free and fair one have already been started. "We are working to create a field for participation of all parties to make the election acceptable to all."
He said they are trying to ensure holding the poll fairly. "We will ensure the environment where the voters can enter the centers easily and return back after exercising the franchise without any pressure and fear. We will ensure the good role and activities of law enforcers and magistrates to control the rigging. Overall, we will ensure the free and fair poll in Bangladesh."
After taking the charge as CEC, we are discharging our duties fairly. If we can continue discharging duties freely and fairly in future, we can gain the trust of all political parties in Bangladesh, he claimed. "If all political parties of Bangladesh participate in the next national poll, the chances of rigging will be decreased." Indicating to controversial Magura poll which was the example of the rigging CEC said,
"There is no chance to repeat a Magura poll or rigging in national poll. At that time, the situation was bad. Now, the EC is almost powerful. So, I never think that the rigging in national poll will back again in our tenure. Besides, after ensuring the participation of all parties, the situation will be changed in favor of democracy."
He said EC will arrange meetings with all political parties of the country for holding the next national poll freely and fairly. He, however observed that they need some times for arranging the meetings with all political parties of the country. "After appointing the returning officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, EC will arrange meeting with all political parties of the country," he added.