It is a widely used tactic to assassinate the character of a critic if there lacks proper answers to logical criticism and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda has done just that, observed speakers during a program.
They made the remarks at a virtual press conference held in response to the recent allegations made by the CEC against Citizens for Good Governance (Shujan) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar and former Election Commission (EC) chief ATM Shamsul Huda on Saturday.
On January 27, CEC Huda, while speaking with media in Dhaka, claimed that the Shujan secretary engaged in criticism of the present EC as he did not get any work from the commission.
Nurul Huda claimed to have found irregularities involving Tk1 crore against Badiul Alam.
He also blasted former CEC ATM Shamsul Huda and said that his commission held elections with the "blessings of the cantonment."
Denying the allegations, Badiul Alam called the outgoing CEC a "villain."
"It is so unfortunate for us to have such a villain be appointed to the post of the CEC," he said adding that not only him but all those associated with Shujan have been defamed by Nurul Huda's statement.
When asked about the organisation taking any legal action in this regard, he said, "We will decide whether to file a defamation case or not later."
Eminent jurist Dr Shahdeen Malik echoed Badiul.
He said, "The CEC said what he said because he didn't have a proper reply to the constructive criticism.
"The CEC, at the press briefing, didn't talk about his inefficiencies and misdeeds in the polls held during his five-year tenure. He has violated the electoral system and for this he should be held accountable and face punishment."
Criticizing the CEC, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, renowned environmentalist and chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) said that she was shocked to see Nurul Huda lie, despite being holding the office a prestigious constitutional body.
She said, "Nurul Huda's remarks are completely fabricated and ill-motivated. He has to prove his claims against Shujan and its secretary. He also has to answer why he didn't present any evidence to support his allegations."
Addressing the virtual event, Shujan President M Hafizuddin Khan said, "When a CEC can say 'we
aren't responsible for peoples death and for low voter turnout' – he is not aware of his duties."He
should be punished for destroying the electoral system."
