Will unveil all names today
FROM PAGE 1
The new committee received names of 329 candidates till Saturday. Of them, 136 names came from political parties, 40 from professional bodies, and 34 from individuals. Ninety-nine names were sent via emails.
In Saturday’s meeting with the eminent citizens, some of them suggested the panel take an initiative to include the parties that have not submitted any names, in the process.
The panel had written to all 39 registered political parties urging them to submit their nominations by February 11, but only 24 parties have proposed names for EC appointments.
Parties, including the BNP, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and the Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, haven’t suggested any names. “We have extended the time for them. Hopefully, they will respond positively,” Justice Hassan said yesterday.
Contacted, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a standing committee member of the BNP, said they would not propose any names as “people have no confidence in this search panel”.
“We don’t recognise this process of stealing the election. When we are waging a struggle to restore people’s voting rights in the country, why would we engage in this process of stealing the election?” he asked.
CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim said proposing names to the panel would not make any difference. “The final decision will be taken by the prime minister,” he said.
The previous search committee, formed in 2017, had asked 31 political parties to propose five names each. In response, 26 parties, including the BNP and its alliance partners, proposed 125 names.
But this year, the search panel sought 10 names from each party.
THE MEETING YESTERDAY
Eighteen out of 23 invitees joined the meeting yesterday. With them, 43 eminent citizens participated in the meetings on Saturday and yesterday.
The panel had invited 60 eminent personalities to the meetings to take their opinions and proposals on the EC appointments.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, general secretary of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), recommended arranging a public hearing on the proposed candidates.
He told the panel yesterday it should make a primary list of 20 proposed names. Five of the candidates should be women. “The 20 names can be published as a public notice, and a public hearing can be arranged on the candidates.
“Then a shortlist of 10 candidates, including three women, should be published as another public notice. It should be done at least three days before sending the names to the president.”
On the CEC, eminent historian Muntasir Mamoon said since it is tough to get a neutral person who is also strict, a “fairly strict” person can get that appointment. “There is nobody who is acceptable to all.”
Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriar Kabir said he suggested 10 names to the committee, including those of women and members from the minority communities.
He also suggested the panel look for courageous and honest people, instead of only neutral people.
Noted educationist Muhammed Zafar Iqbal said, “I told the search committee to pick candidates who will remain accountable to their conscience”.
Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain said, “Our election process and Election Commission have been destroyed. We need courageous people who can earn people’s trust and can hold a free, fair and acceptable election.”
He also said the search panel should reveal its final picks before sending the nominations to the president.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said the panel would hold its meeting on Tuesday. “It will make its final decision about the candidates there.”
The six-member search committee was formed under the “Appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners Act-2022” on February 5. It held its first meeting the following day and sought names for the EC appointments.
The Cabinet Division is giving secretarial support to the panel, which has to propose 10 names to the president by February 24. The president will finally pick five for the EC posts, according to the law.
Today is the last day for the current EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, in office.