Bangladesh
EU | Bangladesh Elections EU satisfied with legal framework for fair elections
Dhaka, July 12: The Ministry of Law told the European Union (EU) delegation that Bangladesh's legal framework is sufficient for free and fair elections. Law and Justice Department Secretary Md. Golam Sarwar said this in response to a question in a meeting with the six-member electoral investigation team of the European Union (EU) that came to the Secretariat on Wednesday to assess the environment of the national elections. In response, the delegation expressed satisfaction. After the meeting, the law secretary informed the reporters.
The secretary said, "They want to know whether our legal framework is sufficient for free and fair elections. We have said that the legal framework we have for free and fair elections is sufficient. The RPO (Representation of the People Order) was passed during the reign of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He said, "There is no such law in the subcontinent as the law that has been made recently regarding the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners."
The secretary said that they were told about the search committee for the formation of the Election Commission, "They are satisfied with it. We have also given them the law."
On whether they said anything about the elections under the party government or not, Golam Sarwar said, "No, there was no discussion about these things."
When asked whether they have given any observation or not, Golam Sarwar said, "No, they wanted to know whether this legal framework is sufficient for free and fair elections! We have said, yes we have mechanisms, legal frameworks for free and fair elections. The structure is sufficiently free and fair that nothing else needs to be done."
Regarding whether they said anything about the revision of the RPO, the secretary said, "According to the previous RPO, the Election Commission has the power, they can stop any polling. They can stop the polling of the entire constituencies."
