EC must remain cautious to prevent Rohingyas from voting: law minister

Law Minister Anisul Huq today said the Election Commission must remain cautious so that Rohingyas, fleeing from Myanmar, cannot be voters in Bangladesh in any manner.

"Rules will be framed to ensure tough punishment for committing such offence if it's necessary. The government will provide all assistance to this effect," he said.

The minister said this, as chief guest, while addressing a meeting organised by the EC on the occasion of National Voters' Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

"The Election Commission's duty is to continue preparing flawless voter lists and to ensure people's faith in it. The commission must be cautious so that a person cannot be a voter in two separate places and Rohingyas and citizens of other countries cannot be voters of Bangladesh illegally," Anisul Huq said.

About the electronic voting machines (EVMs), the law minister said voting takes place through EVMs in many countries including the USA, Canada, Brazil, Russia, France, Japan, Australia, Peru, Kazakhstan and UAE, but some people of Bangladesh are having negative ideas about EVMs as they don't know about them properly.