Jatiya Party for strong, competent EC

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said their party wants a strong Election Commission (EC) that will be capable of holding a credible national election.

“We want a strong Election Commission with people who will be able to hold free, fair, neutral and acceptable elections,” he said.

The Jatiya Party chief said people are keeping their sharp eyes on the search committee to see whose names are proposed by it for the appointment of the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Commissioners.

GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, came up with the remarks while speaking at a meeting of Jatiya Party co-chairmen at the party Chairman's Banani office.

He said their party wanted a law in accordance with the constitution to form the Election Commission. "We also wanted the law to ensure full power of the Election Commission to hold credible elections."

The Jatiya Party chairman said a powerless election commission cannot hold fair elections. "But the law for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners is nothing but the old wine in a new bottle." 

He, however, said all the search committee members nominated by the President are respected personalities. "I hope they’ll select and recommend the right people who are competent and acceptable for the Election Commission."

GM Quader said the entire nation is eagerly waiting to see what type of Election Commission the president will give at the end of the day.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Co-Chairmen ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, Kazi Firoz Rashid, Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Advocate Salma Islam and Opposition Chief Whip Moshiur Rahman Ranga also addressed the meeting.

On February 5, a six-member search committee, led by Appellate Division Justice Obaidul Hassan, was formed in line with the new law on forming the Election Commission.

The search committee will recommend names to the President for the appointments of the CEC and other Commissioners as the tenure of the current EC, headed by CEC KM Nurul Huda, expires on Monday.