Badiul Alam Majumdar says: Consensus key to fair polls
Staff Reporter :
Election Reform Commission chief Badiul Alam Majumdar on Friday underscored that truly free and fair elections in Bangladesh are possible only through political consensus, stressing that institutional reform alone cannot ensure credibility without shared commitment among all actors.
Speaking as chief guest at a discussion at the Gangni Upazila Parishad auditorium in Meherpur, Majumdar elaborated on the proposed bicameral structure under review.
He said the lower house would continue to be based on constituencies, while the upper house would follow a proportional representation (PR) system.
“Both arrangements have strengths and weaknesses,” he noted. “But we believe this balance is necessary.”
The event, organized under the Hunger Project Bangladesh’s Participatory Governance (PFG) initiative, was attended by youth leaders and local representatives of SHUJAN. Majumdar, who also serves as SHUJAN Secretary, engaged participants in detailed discussions on election system reforms.
Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant Monir Haidar was also present.
On the same day in Dhaka, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman emphasized that the Election Commission (EC) itself holds the central responsibility for ensuring credible elections.
“The EC can hold fair elections if it wants,” he said while addressing the inaugural session of a training workshop on election news reporting, organized by the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) at the TIB office.
Calling for neutral and transparent polls, the TIB chief acknowledged limitations within the administration.
“It is not possible to change the entire administration in a day. Stability and professionalism must be established gradually,” he observed.
While noting some progress on implementing reform commission recommendations, he warned that “it is not enough.”
He also raised concerns about journalists’ access to polling centres, stressing that prior notification requirements could be misused as a form of harassment.
“Journalists must be able to report freely—impartially and truthfully—to expose failures and highlight where the law and voters’ rights are being upheld,” he said.
Iftekharuzzaman further lamented the long-term politicisation and weakening of Bangladesh’s institutions.
“This has destroyed professionalism and impartiality in the administration. Still, some officials are trying to uphold neutrality,” he added.
The session was also addressed by former Election Commission additional secretary Jasmine Tuli. RFED President Kazi Jebel and General Secretary Golam Rabbani were present at the workshop.