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The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal on Wednesday proposed enacting a permanent legal framework and forming a search committee to constitute an acceptable Election Commission as they held a dialogue with President M Abdul Hamid.
A six-member JSD delegation, led by its chief Hasanul Haque Inu, MP, came up with the proposals during a talk with President M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban here in the afternoon.
The dialogue lasted for about an hour from 4 pm. At the end of the dialogue, Inu told reporters that they had placed a number of specific proposals to the President.
He said according to Article 118 of the Constitution, the President has the authority to form the Election Commission and “We highly appreciated the initiatives of the president for initiating discussions with other political parties to form an acceptable EC.”
Inu said the government usually faces an awkward situation every five years with the formation of the Election Commission. So, the enactment of a permanent law can resolve the issue.
On the other hand, Inu said the President could advise the government to form an inquiry committee.
In that case, members from the country’s constitutional bodies should be included in the committee, he said, adding that it is necessary to include people, who have honesty, integrity and acceptance.
He also mentioned that the individuals with the status of Appellate Division Judges and Comptroller and Auditor General can be chosen in this regard. The formation of an election commission was not enough for a free, fair and credible poll, the Jasad chief said, adding “It is necessary to ensure that the government’s executives extend all-out cooperation to the EC properly.”
After the dialogue, president’s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS that the president held talks with one of the opposition parties in Jatiya Sangsad at Bangabhaban on the second day over the formation of an independent, neutral, acceptable, strong and effective Election Commission.
Welcoming the JSD delegation at Bangabhaban, the President said there was no specific law for forming the Election Commission. Therefore, he hoped that all political parties would play a very positive role in forming an acceptable EC.
The head of state sought the full cooperation of all the political parties in this regard.
The delegation members include the party General Secretary Shirin Akhter, MP, Acting President Md Rabiul Alam, Standing Committee Member and former MP Mosharraf Hossain, vice-president Mir Hossain Akhter, and VP Former lawmaker Rezaul Karim Tansen.
On Monday last (December 20), President Hamid held a talk with the main opposition party of the parliament Jatiya Party.
The president will hold a dialogue with Bangladesh National Awami Party next Sunday (December 26) at 4:00pm, while Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal will sit with the head of the state on the same day at 6:00pm.
Bangladesh Tarikat Federation will sit in a dialogue with the President on Monday next (December 27) at 4 pm and Khilafat Majlis at 6:00pm.
The president will also hold a dialogue with Bangladesh Workers Party on Tuesday (December 28) at 4:00pm.
Talks with Bangladesh Nationalist Front-BNF and Islamic Oikya Jote will be held respectively at 4:00pm and at 6:00 on Wednesday (December 29).
However, no date has yet been set for talks with other political parties.
Earlier, talks were held with the participation of political parties ahead of the ninth, tenth and eleventh parliamentary polls.
The president has the authority to appoint the Chief Election Commission and not more than four Election Commissioners.
In the last few terms, the President has formed the Election Commission on the basis of the recommendations of the ‘Search Committee’.
The current EC’s five-year term will expire on February 14 next year.
During this period, the President will form a new commission, under which the 12th parliamentary elections will be held.
