BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan has stated that the Election Commission (EC) will be fully ready to hold the 13th national parliamentary elections by May or June, once the voter list is updated.
This came after a meeting between BNP and the Election Commission regarding the election preparations.
After the meeting, Khan spoke to reporters, saying,
"We discussed with the Election Commission about their current work and their preparations for the upcoming national election. From what we understand, the EC aims to complete their preparation by May or June after updating the voter list. However, they currently do not have the authority to make any decisions about the election date."
Khan also explained that, according to the constitution, elections should be held within 90 days if the government resigns.
However, he added,
"The country is not operating under this law right now. Therefore, the government needs to make a request based on political agreement, and only then can the Election Commission announce the election. But from what we`ve understood, if the EC is fully ready by May or June, the elections could happen without any major delays."
The meeting took place at the Election Commission’s office in Agargaon, Dhaka, at 3:30 PM, where Khan led a three-member BNP delegation.
They met with the Chief Election Commissioner, Kazi Habibul Awal, and other commissioners to discuss the election timeline and readiness.
Following the meeting, Khan responded to questions from journalists about the election date, saying,
"The Election Commission cannot announce the date at this time because the country is not following the normal constitutional procedures."
When asked if the BNP had made any proposals regarding the election, Khan clarified,
"We haven’t made any proposals. We’re not in a position to do so. It’s the government’s responsibility to announce the election date. Once they do that, the Election Commission will announce the election schedule. We’re also meeting with the chief advisor tomorrow to discuss the matter further."
This meeting marked the first time the new Election Commission, formed last November, had met with the BNP since its appointment.
The new commission, led by retired secretary Kazi Habibul Awal, was set up after a shift in the political landscape.
Apart from Khan, the BNP delegation included Salahuddin Ahmed and Selima Rahman, members of the party’s permanent committee.
The EC members present were Kazi Habibul Awal, along with commissioners Anwarul Islam, Abdur Rahman, Begum Tahmida Ahmed, and retired Brigadier General Abul Fazl Mohammad Sanaullah.
EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was also in attendance.
BNP`s Satisfaction with EC’s Preparations
When asked whether BNP was satisfied with the Election Commission’s progress on election preparations, Khan answered,
"We believe they are following the correct procedures as per the law."
Regarding the Election Reform Commission’s recommendations, Khan commented,
"The government will consult with various stakeholders. If changes to the laws or rules occur as a result, the Election Commission will have to follow them. However, these changes haven’t been made yet."
Responding to a question about the potential reduction in the EC’s powers due to the reform commission’s recommendations, Khan said,
"That’s something for the Election Commission to handle. If we think any of the proposals would block the path to a free and fair election, we won’t support them. But this is not a matter for collaboration; we will express our opinions, and they will express theirs."
Voter List Update: 15 million New Voters Expected
Khan also shared updates about the voter list.
He explained,
"According to what we’ve learned, approximately 30 million new voters will be added to the list, including those who were previously missed. These new voters will be 18 years old by January 1st next year. But there’s also the issue of 15 million people who have passed away, and their names will be removed from the list."
He continued,
"The Election Commission is updating the list based on death records from union councils. But we all know that in many areas, deaths are not registered properly. So, even though people have passed away, their names may not appear in the records. The Commission is actively looking into these discrepancies and will address them accordingly."
This discussion reveals how the Election Commission is preparing for the next national election, and with the voter list under review, it’s clear that this process is far from straightforward.
The process involves not just adding new voters, but also cleaning up the list to ensure accuracy and fairness in the coming elections.
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