Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal today urged all political parties including BNP to participate in the upcoming national election.
He, however, said the Election Commission has nothing to do if the BNP and some like-minded parties do not participate in the polls.
“It is our clarion call to them to participate in the election. But we can’t make a chart of the course on how they will participate in it,” he said at a press briefing at the EC after meeting with delegates from different political parties.
EC invited 44 parties to join the talks, held today in two phases, where 27 parties joined.
CEC Habibul Awal also said while some think that the EC will conduct a free and fair election on its own, in reality the commission’s ability is very limited.
“We will only organise the election while the responsibilities of the EC have to be transferred. We will surveil them [those who will conduct the election], but the main surveillance should be there from the competing parties and their candidates.”
“Candidates who want to monitor polls in his respective constituency, and contest effectively, must appoint polling agents at every centre,” he said
“Self-interests should be protected by appointing polling agents,” he also said.
“We clearly stated that our space and time is very limited. The Constitution has fixed our timeline for an election. We need to conduct the election by this time.”
He also said they do not have the ability and mandate to solve the political crises.
Asked whether the 17 parties that did not join the EC’s talks would come to the polls, the CEC said, “We are always trying from our position and wish all political parties including BNP will join the upcoming election. We will organise the election, whether anyone likes or dislikes it.”
“We have our best wishes for them to participate and be successful,” he added.
Daily Star
