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President Shahabuddin Urges EC to Ensure Free, Fair, and Credible Elections
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has called upon the Election Commission (EC) to take a responsible and courageous role in ensuring that the next national elections are conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner, following constitutional rules and regulations. He emphasized that a fair and credible election necessitates active cooperation from the people, the executive department, and political parties, not just the EC alone.
President Shahabuddin made these remarks during a meeting with an EC delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal at Bangabhaban to discuss the election schedule. He urged all political parties to come together to ensure a free, fair, and participatory election.
The President highlighted the importance of democratic continuity for the country’s development, noting that free and fair elections strengthen democracy, which, in turn, promotes development. He stressed that elections are a crucial means of reflecting public opinion in the democratic process, allowing voters to choose their representatives and have their expectations fulfilled.
President Shahabuddin expressed hope that the government will provide full cooperation to the EC to ensure the upcoming general election is conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner. During the meeting, the CEC briefed the President on the preparations for the 12th general polls and the EC’s efforts to engage with political parties and relevant authorities for a smooth election process.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal emphasized his strong commitment to conducting a transparent and impartial national election scheduled for January 7 next year.
“We are determined to ensure a fair and credible election to safeguard the country’s economy and future,” he stated.
Addressing the first phase of a daylong training for divisional officials at the Election Commission (EC), the CEC mentioned that the EC is actively working to prevent the influence of muscle power, black money, and irregularities.
In reference to the training program, Awal underscored the importance of providing intensive training on electoral rules and regulations to enable members of the electoral investigative committee to perform their duties accurately.
While acknowledging the collaborative effort required, the CEC expressed that it would be impossible for the EC alone to organize a genuinely fair election without government support and the sincerity, bravery, and integrity of officials assisting in the process.
“We must ensure that voters can participate in hassle-free voting, and allegations from candidates will only be considered if polling agents are present at the polling centers,” he added.
The CEC emphasized the EC’s pursuit of an uncontroversial election result, stating, “For the sake of the country’s democracy and economy, we have no alternative but to conduct a free and fair election.”
The ruling Awami League has selected former Bangladesh cricket captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza as its candidate for the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election from the Narail-2 constituency. This decision was announced by Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader during a press briefing on Sunday.
Despite competition from 23 other leaders vying for the Awami League’s nomination in the Narail-2 constituency, the party opted to retain the incumbent MP, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, for the upcoming election.
The Awami League has selected cricketer Shakib Al Hasan as their candidate for the Magura-1 constituency in the upcoming 12th parliamentary election. This marks Shakib’s debut in parliamentary elections, and he is renowned as the world’s best all-rounder in ODIs.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader unveiled the party’s 300 parliamentary seat nominees at the central office on Bangabandhu Avenue. Shakib Al Hasan had previously obtained three nomination forms to contest in the 12th parliamentary election, covering Magura-1, Magura-2, and Dhaka-10, with his relatives collecting the forms from the AL central office.
