Bangladesh
EC Formation EC formation: Search Committee to take names from political parties, civil society
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, February 7: The newly constituted Search Committee to form the new Election Commission (EC) will seek names from the political parties for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners. Before that they will take opinions with civil society and journalists.
Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam, who is in charge of the committee's secretarial assistance, told reporters after the first meeting of the search committee at the Supreme Court's Judges Lounge on Sunday (February 6) night.
The cabinet secretary said, "In the first meeting, we completed our introductory session. There are 15 working days from Monday. Inshallah it will be done before the given deadline."
He said, "We will seek names from the registered political parties, whether they have a choice, whether they have a proposal. That will be given through the email or website of the cabinet division through notification. Anyone can submit (name) in person."
Regarding the next meeting, the cabinet secretary said, "We will meet again on Tuesday. There will also be two more meetings next Saturday and one more on Sunday. The committee will sit in three meetings with civil society, media personalities, and election experts, and suggestions will be taken from them. The committee will then look into everyone's statements and the law and other issues, consider the manner in which the qualifications are mentioned in the law and make a selection according to the law."
Khandaker Anwarul Islam said that the working method was discussed on Sunday, adding that there is time till Feb 24. If there is any requirement regarding the Feb 14th, then it will be done. The day after tomorrow (Tuesday) we will hold an internal meeting. In the remaining three meetings, I will sit with dignitaries from civil society and the media. But I will not meet any political party. They will be able to give names through e-mail.
On Sunday, the meeting of the search committee had started at around 4:40 pm. Member Justice SM Quddus Zaman, Auditor General and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, Chairman Public Service Commission (PSC) Md. Sohrab Hossain, former Election Commissioner Sohul Hossain and Prof Anwara Syed Haque joined the meeting, which was chaired by Justice Obaidul Hasan.
