STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal yesterday urged the judiciary, the legislation, and the Election Commission to enforce their power and independence.

“We are independent, we will need to enforce that bravely and we will need to speak with courage, because powerful quarters don’t like to see the independence of others,” he said while addressing a discussion programme.

The EC organised the discussion as part of the National Voters Day celebrations in its office in the capital.

Habibul said there was some kind of apathy among the voters. “Many didn’t turn up for voting [during January 7 national polls] as a large party did not participate.”

He added that a major goal of Voters’ Day is to encourage voters to express their opinions freely through the ballot, “so that they can elect the candidate of their choice, so that a government of their choice is formed”.

He further said the importance of National ID cards has increased. “However, in some cases people try to use it for fraudulent activities like property embezzlement… The number is not high but those who are clever make multiple cards.”

The CEC instructed the EC officials to work carefully in this regard.

“We have a zero tolerance against the officials [who facilitate fraud]. We’ll hand over such officials to the police.”

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