Dr Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to the caretaker government, said on Friday that if the election-time government is not acceptable to all, it would not be possible to hold free and fair elections only by amending the Representation of the People Order (RPO). “An acceptable parliamentary election would not be possible under a partisan government even if the Election Commission is neutral and the RPO is amended,” he said. The observation came at a roundtable on ‘Review of the Amendment of the RPO’, organised by the Election Working Group (EWG), at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
“The two main political parties — the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — are talking about the election-time neutral government and strengthening of the Election Commission. But they are not providing any specific framework about it. They are virtually fighting with shadows,” Dr Akbar Ali said.
Former adviser to the caretaker government, M Hafiz Uddin Khan, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) secretary Badiul Alam Majumder, and Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah of the Election Working Group, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
“We are not getting any specific framework from the two big political parties to resolve the current political stalemate. They have taken opposing stands about the elections. They are not giving any specific proposal about the acceptable election-time government or for strengthening the Election Commission,” he observed. “Both the ruling party and the opposition are not budging an inch for resolving the political standoff. If this situation continues, it will exacerbate the political crisis,” he added.
“The government is saying that a caretaker government is not necessary, the EC has to be strengthened. On the other hand, the opposition BNP is demanding a caretaker government and dissolution of the Parliament during elections to create a level playing field for all. The EC, again, is saying that these problems will be resolved by amending the RPO. But the amendment of the RPO is not a big matter. An acceptable government during the election time is the major issue. The other matters are small matters,” he pointed out.
Regarding the EC’s authority over all the ministries
during the polls, he said, “It is unconstitutional. The Cabinet has the authority over all
ministries. The EC cannot
be entrusted with the
responsibility.”
Hafiz Uddin Khan said, “The EC would have to exert pressure for removal of inconsistencies from the RPO. The Election Commission was formed during the caretaker government during the past elections. But a question mark remains on the acceptability of the commission as it has been formed during the political government.”
“If the election is held under the partisan government, it will be difficult to control the influence of the government employees,” he added.
Badiul Alam Majumder said, “If the EC wants to bring an amendment to the RPO, it can do so for the sake of holding free and fair elections. But the EC is not showing any such willingness.”
-With The Independent input
