Workers Party for polls under incumbent govt

Workers Party of Bangladesh yesterday recommended holding the next general elections under the incumbent Awami League government.

The party made a 14-point recommendation for the Election Commission to conduct the polls in a free and fair way.

Led by its President Rashed Khan Menon, Workers Party handed the recommendations to the EC during a two-hour dialogue with the commission in the city's Nirbachon Bhaban.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, four election commissioners and other top EC officials were present.

The EC on August 24 had opened the dialogue with 40 registered political parties to know their opinion about the next parliamentary elections, likely to be held late next year or early in 2019.

In a written proposal, Workers Party said the polls-time government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, would only carry out routine works after the announcement of the election schedule.

A component in the ruling Awami League-led grand alliance, the party also suggested that the home, public administration and the LGRD ministries should be brought under the EC's command during the election period.

It recommended that all the election officials should discharge their duties under the EC before and after a certain period of the election.

However, the left-leaning party opposed the EC's move to demarcate electoral constituencies afresh ahead of the next general elections, saying it might give rise to controversy. It also disapproved of deployment of armed forces during the polls.

Workers Party suggested stopping use of black money, muscle power and religion in the polls, including non-resident Bangladeshis in the voter list, ensuring a level playing field for all political parties, using an electronic voting system and introducing a system for submission of nomination papers online.