Bangladesh
BNP Elections would have been more acceptable if BNP participated: CEC
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 7 January 2024: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said that if BNP participated, the election would have been more acceptable and participatory. He said this in response to questions from journalists at a press conference organized on the occasion of the 12th National Parliament election at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Saturday afternoon.
He said, if BNP participated in the elections, it would have been more acceptable and participatory. They asked voters to refrain from voting. We will say, they (voters) should come to vote. It is their sacred political duty to elect representatives by voting. He also said that he will try to make the election as acceptable as possible.
Habibul Awal said in response to the question that the Election Commission will be satisfied with the percentage of votes, it is difficult to say. It is difficult to talk about how many votes I will be happy with. But the election will be done if two percent of the votes are counted. There is much debate as to what percentage would make an election acceptable.
Stating that all measures have been taken to make the election transparent, he said that even an officer of the Election Commission will not be involved in polling. When the election will be held tomorrow at 8 am, that is the polling. If vote theft, rigging or irregularities are widespread in that polling, then some of the responsibility will fall on us.
Returning Officers are Government Officers. They have been trained to the maximum, to make them aware. Tried to convince them, this is important responsibility. You (media) will also go around with cameras, observers and media workers will have free access to polling stations.
