CEC Huda's name came from Tariqat

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda. File photo

If number speaks for itself, Awami League ally Bangladesh Tariqat Federation can consider itself very lucky at the moment.

Three members of the new Election Commission, including the chief election commissioner, have been picked from the list given by the party, Tariqat Chairman Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary told The Daily Star yesterday.

The two election commissioners chosen from the Tariqat list are ex-secretary Md Rafiqul Islam and Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.

On Monday, President Abdul Hamid appointed MK Nurul Huda as CEC and four others as commissioners.

The five will take oath of office on February 15 at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge.

Following their appointment, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told reporters on Monday night that Huda's name was not on the AL or BNP's list, but declined to say which party proposed his name.

He, however, said Mahbub Talukder's name was suggested by the BNP as commissioner and that of Begum Kabita Khanam by the AL.

Talking to this newspaper last night, Maizvandary, who ran in the 2014 polls with AL's election symbol and won, said they proposed five names to the Search Panel for consideration, including the three appointed by the president. 

“The five we recommended are either freedom fighters or they believe in the spirit of the Liberation War,” he said by phone.

Asked if they spoke with their nominees before proposing their names, he said, “Of course we spoke with them. We know him [Nurul Huda] as a good soul and that's why we proposed his name. We hope that they would carry out their duties properly.”

Contacted last night, a Search Panel member confirmed that the names of Huda, Rafiqul and Shahadat were indeed proposed by Tariqat.

However, several other small parties also proposed their names, the panel member added, asking not to be named.

But it is not clear if all the three names were on any other party's list.      

Tariqat has two MPs in the current parliament -- Maizvandary himself from Chittagong-2 and party Secretary General MA Awal from Laxshmipur-1. Awal too ran in the election with AL's polls symbol -- “boat”.

Its leaders often join meetings of the AL-led 14-party alliance.

Maizvandary formed Tariqat Federation in 2003 as a political party that “believes in spirituality and the spirit of the Liberation War”.

He was first elected lawmaker in 1991 from the AL. He again became an MP in the controversial February 15, 1996, election from the BNP. 

WON'T YIELD TO PRESSURE: HUDA

Talking to the Daily Star last night, the new CEC said their main challenge would be holding a free, fair and inclusive election.

And to do so, he said, he would not yield to any pressure and that he expected the same from his colleagues.

“I will work in line with the constitution and impartially to deliver the best. The Election Commission will not bow down to any person or any political party, whatever the situation,” he said.

Asked if he would sit with political parties, he said, “I will definitely talk with political parties and other stakeholders if needed.”

He also dismissed reports linking him with Janatar Mancha (people's platform), saying he was posted as deputy commissioner of Comilla at the time. “How can I join the Janatar Mancha in Dhaka?”

In March 1996, a group of government officials set up the Mancha in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital and called on other public servants to join them to dislodge the then BNP government.

The BNP lost the subsequent election that year. But after it returned to power in 2001, the CID filed a sedition case against seven top bureaucrats in 2002. The AL government in 2009 decided to drop the case.