Reza Mahmud :
Almost all political parties welcomed the 13thh national election schedule announced by the election commission (EC) on Thursday saying it was long awaited as the people failed to franchise their voting rights for the last 17 years.
BNP welcomed the announcement saying the long-awaited national election and the referendum on the Reform Charter, calling it a ‘new chapter’ in Bangladesh’s political journey.
“BNP has never feared elections. We have always maintained that elections are the only path to resolving the ongoing crisis.
Now that the formal process has begun, we welcome the announced schedule,” party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters.
Commenting on his party’s initial response, Fakhrul said the schedule reflects that Bangladesh has embarked on its journey toward the democratic aspirations for which its people have struggled and sacrificed for over fifteen years.
“We are pleased with the schedule released by the Chief Election Commissioner. While there may be minor discrepancies, we consider them insignificant.
What matters most is that the announcement of both the election and referendum schedule marks a historic moment in Bangladesh’s political landscape,” he added.
Mirza Fakhrul expressed hope that a new political chapter would begin in the country with this announcement.
He also urged all pro-democracy parties to participate in the forthcoming elections and hoped that voting would proceed peacefully.
He emphasized that it is now the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure that the elections are free, fair, neutral, and credible.
The Election Commission, on Thursday evening, declared that both the national election and the referendum will take place simultaneously on Thursday, February 12, under a non-partisan government.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin announced the schedules through a pre-recorded message broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami also welcomed the announcement of the polls schedule.
The party has said that although there were uncertainties regarding the election, the announcement of the schedule has reassured them.
However, the party stated that Jamaat, along with seven other parties, will continue to carry out programmes to ensure a ‘Yes’ victory in the referendum.
On Thursday evening, immediately after CEC announced the schedule in a televised address to the nation, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer gave this reaction on behalf of the party.
Calling upon the Election Commission (EC) to carry out its crucial responsibilities to ensure a fair election, Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer said that ensuring a level playing field for all political parties is now the EC’s primary duty. Without ensuring this, he commented, it will not be possible to make the election meaningful.
Expressing dissatisfaction over past electoral processes, the Jamaat leader alleged, “In the past, although various assurances were given before the election, a fair election could not be ensured. We hope this trend will change in the upcoming election.”
Besides, NCP welcomes the election schedule but sees a lack of fairness and neutrality Nasir Uddin Patwary, the Chief Coordinator of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has welcomed the announced schedule after the CEC’s announcement.
However, the NCP leader believes that despite the government’s goodwill, there are shortcomings in ensuring a fair and neutral election atmosphere.
He said that this election will open a new chapter in the country. However, the government, the Election Commission, and the law enforcement agencies must overcome limitations in capability and transparency.
He added that his party has instructed its activists to follow the electoral code of conduct. “If other parties do not comply, disparities will arise,” he said.
When contacted, Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Comrade Saiful Haque told The New Nation after the polls schedule announcement, “We welcome the polls schedule announcement as the countrymen are waiting for the last 17 years for franchising their voting rights.”
He said this election will be a milestone for the nation if the law and order situation remain stable.
He, however, said, there are huge challenges over the polls as the referendum also with be conducted together.
