Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said he personally believed army should be deployed in the upcoming parliamentary polls, but added the decision rested with the Election Commission.

He came up with the comment while replying to queries from reporters at a programme titled “Introducing Overseas Voting in Bangladesh: Issues and Challenges” organised by Election Working Group at the Cirdap Auditorium in the capital.

“In the past, army was deployed during the national elections. I am not saying army will not be deployed this time. Army can be deployed… It is the decision of the Election Commission. I cannot make the decision alone,” he said.

The CEC added they do not support deployment of army in the local government polls.

Meantime, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said the EC has no jurisdiction to deploy army in the general elections.

“Military deployment is not under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. Rather, the government will take steps in this regard realising the necessity if the commission wanted army deployment,” Quader said while addressing a programme at The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital.

The armed forces would remain under the Ministry of Defence and the law-enforcement agencies would be under the EC during the national polls, he argued.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the EC at best could request the government to deploy army during the polls.

During a dialogue with Election Commission late last year, most of the political parties wanted deployment of military personnel and dissolution of parliament before the next general elections.

At least 25 out of 40 parties that took part in the dialogue demanded deployment of army in the parliamentary polls. Six parties left it to the commission to decide, while three others opposed the idea. The rest did not comment on the issue.

The defence forces had earlier been mentioned as law enforcers in the Representation of the People Order and empowered to arrest anyone on the voting day for any election- related offence. However, the RPO was amended in 2009 and the armed forces are no longer mentioned as the law enforcers.

The much-talked-about issue came at the forefront as the ruling Awami League opposed the idea and its arch-rival BNP strongly demanded military deployment.

The EC is yet to clear its position in this regard.

At yesterday's roundtable, AL lawmaker and party's presidium member Col (retd) Faruk Khan said they want to work unitedly with all political parties, civil society members and other stakeholders to hold a free, fair and inclusive national election.

Faruk said it is true that there are some flaws in the electoral system. “Therefore, we cannot expect a 100 percent flawless election in the country.”

On BNP's demand of deployment of armed forces in the elections, the senior AL leader said it is the EC that will make the decision.

He claimed that people hope that all political parties will contest the next general election as the present EC is the strongest and most capable compared to any commission of the past.

On the voting rights of Bangladeshi nationals abroad, he said AL is always vocal to ensure their franchise as the constitution has guaranteed it for every voter.

BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan stressed the need for amending the electoral rules and holding dialogues with political parties and other stakeholders to find out the best way to ensure the franchise of the Bangladeshi expatriates.

He reiterated his party's demand for deployment of military personnel in the next national election to ensure free and fair polls.

On the franchise of overseas voters, the CEC said officials engaged in election duty including law enforcers, prisoners and Bangladeshi expats will be able to cast their votes through postal ballots. They have to apply to their respective returning officers to that end, he added.

The CEC, however, said the existing law often creates obstacles in this regard as the court sometimes issues ruling centring election candidates at the eleventh hour.

Change in ballot papers in the last moment creates a major obstacle to sending the postal ballots in time, he added.

Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, former ambassadors Shamsher M Chowdhury, Abdul Momen Chowdhury, Nasim Ferdous, among others, spoke at the programme. EWG Director Dr Md Abdul Alim presented a keynote paper.

The CEC has meanwhile said the commission would bring some changes to the electoral code of conduct to create a level-playing field in case of holding the election without dissolving the present Jatiya Sangsad.

In reply to a query, he told reporters on Saturday it would be unfortunate if the next election is held like the way the previous national election took place in 2014. If all parties do not take part, the election would not be a fair and competitive one, he observed.

BNP FOR ARMY IN CITY POLLS

BNP wants army deployment in both Khulna and Gazipur city corporation elections scheduled to be held on May 15.

The party, however, opined against the use of electronic voting machine (EVM) in the polls.

“The law-enforcement agencies are working like a government's partisan force. Voters cannot trust in them. In such a situation, army deployment is essential,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the party, told journalists at a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan headquarters.

Rizvi added, “Although people have no interests in the use of EVMs, the Election Commission has announced that the machine would be used in many polling stations. We think it reflects the government's intention.

“I on behalf of my party demand normal ballot boxes and deployment of army in the two city corporation polls.”

The BNP leader alleged that there is no level-playing field in the city elections and “AL criminals” are taking arms rehearsal in the voting areas.

Referring to CEC Nurul Huda's statement that participation of all political parties is essential for holding a fair election, Rizvi said it is the responsibility of the CEC to bring all parties to the polls.