Expressing grave concern over the ongoing spate of violence ahead of Sunday's polls, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar has said violence and election cannot go hand in hand.

“If we cannot hold a peaceful election in a violence-free environment after 47 years of independence, the sacrifice of 30 lakh martyrs for independence and democracy will go in vain. We cannot allow this to happen,” he said at a press briefing in his Nirbachan Bhaban office yesterday.

Reading out a statement, the commissioner said, “An election is not just about being participatory; it has to be free, fair, neutral and lawful. Besides, we will  not be able to hold our heads high before the world as a dignified nation if the election is not acceptable and credible.”

Mahbub added, “We don't want to be stigmatised by holding a questionable election. No matter who wins the polls; it has to be ensured that the countrymen don't lose.”

The commissioner has been alleging that there is no level playing field for the upcoming polls. He had issued a similar written statement on December 17 when he said a level playing field was still absent.

However, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda insisted that is not the case and that the election field is very much level. The remarks and counter remarks of the CEC and Mahbub hogged the headlines as the two publicly spoke against each other about the level playing field.

According to media reports, motorcades and campaigns of at least 53 BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront candidates have been attacked allegedly by Awami League men since election campaign officially began on December 10.

Over 1,100 people, mostly BNP men, have been injured in the attacks.

Yesterday, Mahbub made separate calls to members of law enforcement agencies, election officials and voters.

Calling upon law enforcers to act and discharge their duties neutrally, he said, “Don't take any undesirable action being over enthusiastic. You are the most vital supportive force in the election. It is your duty to act neutrally.

“Refrain from being biased in the polls. Uphold the dignity and sanctity of your uniform.”

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder's press statement on December 26, 2018.

Mahbub also urged all the election officials, including returning officers, to uphold their “conscience in performing their responsibilities in this crucial time of the nation".

“Don't be favourable or hostile to anybody, follow your conscience and discharge your duties with courage according to the law. People will remember with gratitude your contribution in establishing and protecting democracy. The nation cannot bear the liability of any tainted polls.”

The commissioner called for the voters to go to the polling centres without fear and vote for the candidates of their choice. “Do not give in to fear or be lured. Your single vote works as the safeguard for democracy.”

“Remember, this election is for upholding our dignity. This election is for building a beautiful future for the next generation and your children,” he added.

Mahbub did not take any questions from reporters after reading out his statement.

'AL STUNNED'

In reaction to Mahbub's statement, HT Imam, co-chairman of AL election steering committee, said they were “stunned” by his statement and said an election commissioner could not issue any directive all on his own and this should not have happened.

“This kind of directive can create confusion among people. It also can destroy the chain of command,” Imam, who led an AL delegation, told reporters after a meeting with the CEC in the evening.

In another development, the ruling AL-led 14-party alliance alleged that opposition BNP and Oikyafront were trying to make the army and December 30 polls questionable.

“The army is deployed as per the demand of BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront. Now they are trying to make the army questionable,” Dilip Barua, general secretary of Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal and a 14-party alliance leader, told journalists after handing over a letter to Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed in the afternoon.

In the letter, Dilip, who led a team, said they protested “attacks on AL men” and sought EC's steps “in stopping conspiracy of BNP and Oikyafront to make the election  questionable and attacks on ruling party men”. 

The rift between the chief election commissioner and an election commissioner has deepened further over the issue of level playing field.

A day after CEC KM Nurul Huda's comment that his colleague Mahbub Talukdar did not speak the truth about level playing field, Mahbub yesterday hit back, and said the CEC "struck at the core of the existence” of an election commissioner by making such remarks.

"It must be kept in mind that the chief election commissioner and all other election commissioners are equal," Mahbub told a press briefing at the Nirbachon Bhaban in the capital.

"Earlier, the chief election commissioner made some negative comments about me in public. I never protested his comments. But I can't help protesting after his remark that I have lied by saying there is no level playing field," he said in a written statement.

"I strongly protest the [CEC's] statement," he said. "On December 17, I told reporters that they will get an answer as to whether there is a level playing field for the polls if they ask the question to their conscience.

"I'm still telling everyone concerned that you consider the situation yourselves and ask yourselves whether a level playing field exists or not."

Mahbub, however, did not take any question from reporters.

Earlier on Monday, he told journalists that level playing field was still absent and the words “level playing field” had become meaningless.

The next day, the CEC told reporters in Rangamati, "He [Mahbub] did not speak the truth. The overall election atmosphere is good."

The face-off between the two comes amid civil society's concerns about the absence of level playing field and continued attacks on the opposition camps in different parts of the country.

The BNP and other opposition parties have long alleged that a congenial polls environment is totally absent, although the ruling Awami League insists that is not the case and that the election field is very much level.

On the ground, however, at least 13 BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront candidates and 900 of their supporters have been injured in attacks allegedly by ruling party men since December 10, the day the campaign began.

AL men allegedly attacked campaigns and motorcades of at least 28 BNP and Oikyafront candidates. Police detained around 255 BNP men during the time, according to media reports.

Following days of violence, the authorities deployed 1,016 platoons of Border Guard members across the country on Tuesday (one platoon has 20-30 members).

The BNP also alleges that its leaders and activists are being harassed and arrested throughout the country even during the campaign.

At least 15 opposition candidates, arrested before and after the campaign began, remain behind bars although election is just 10 days away, according to BNP sources. 

On Tuesday, eminent citizens alleged that the EC was not performing its duty in line with the constitution, and that it created scope for tainting the election.

At a seminar organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), they pointed at the EC's inadequate steps to deal with pre-election violence and said this could lead to a questionable election and post-election crisis.

The latest discord in the EC has raised concerns among experts, who stressed resolving the differences immediately.

"I am worried about the division between the chief election commissioner and an election commissioner,” former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder told The Daily Star yesterday.

There might be differences of opinion between them, but that has to be resolved in the commission meeting, he said.

Instead of doing so, they are speaking against each other publicly which is not a good sign, he noted. 

"As a result, people will get confused and the electoral activities may be hampered. This division should be resolved as soon as possible," he said.

Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain said the election was taking place in such a situation that it was difficult to create a level playing field for all political parties.

"But it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to reduce the gap. However, it is not that much visible that the commission has taken any steps to create level playing field," he said.

But AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader defended the CEC yesterday, saying Mahbub Talukdar's remark on level playing field was not right.

"The Election Commission is formed with five members. The commission makes decisions on the basis of majority's opinion. So the chief election commissioner has said the right thing,” he told a programme at Kabirhat in his Noakhali constituency.

ANNOUNCE ACCURATE RESULTS: CEC

In another development, the CEC yesterday instructed polls officials to announce accurate results.

"We are overwhelmed by the interest people have shown about the elections. So we have to be cautious …. Announce results correctly and convey it to the authorised person. A minor flaw in results may lead to a major anarchy. So you have to be very cautious,” he told EC officials involved in the result management system.

He also called on election officials not to let down the people since they put trust in the commission.

BNP candidate for Laxmipur-3 constituency Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee today said that he would welcome his party if it takes decision to quit the December 30 national election race.

“I will welcome if the election coordination committee of my party quits the polls as there is no atmosphere for the election in the country,” Anee, also publicity affairs secretary of BNP, told The Daily Star this evening.

He said the ruling party leaders and activists and the members of law enforcement agencies are engaged in carrying out terrorist activities in his electoral area.

“I could not carry out electioneering in my area. Under this situation, I informed my party that I would welcome its decision if it quits the polls,” the BNP leader said.

On Monday, Anee came under attack in Shantirhat area of Laxmipur upazila that left 30 of his followers including three journalists injured, the BNP leader alleged.

“My party men are being attacked. Even their residences are also being vandalised. The returning officer is not picking up my phone call,” he said.

The congenial atmosphere is totally absent in the area for holding the election in a free, fair and credible manner, the BNP leader said.

Anee is contesting the polls against Awami League candidate AKM Shajahan Kamal and Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Md Ibrahim.

Just because the Election Commission terms an election fair, does not necessarily mean it was, said Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar yesterday.

He said this while attending a briefing at the EC office in Dhaka. The briefing was arranged for the returning and assistant returning officers of Dhaka city corporation polls.

“All our works would be judged by people. We should pledge to hold a credible and acceptable election,” he said. He also said acceptability and credibility of an election have to be visible.

By-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral post and election to councillor posts in the 36 new wards -- 18 under DNCC and 18 under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) -- will be held on February 28.

Read more

DNCC mayor polls Feb 28

Mahbub Talukdar said all should work towards holding the city corporation election in accordance with law so that no one can raise questions.

He said he studied the reports of returning officers and election observers of the national polls and found that they used words like “satisfactory” and “normal” while describing the election atmosphere.

“Does that mean the election was satisfactory? We have to ask ourselves what is the public perception,” he said.

While addressing the briefing, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda felicitated the election officials for holding a “wonderful, fair and acceptable” national election.

“You should continue the trend during polls and by-polls,” he told the officials. “Don't pay heed to anyone's advice, harsh comments… use your merit, bravery and neutrality while performing election duties,” Huda said.

He hoped that the EC will be able to hold a “flawless” mayoral and councillor elections.

REUTERS REPORT PROTESTED

Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) yesterday termed the national election participatory, peaceful and fair. The observers at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club also appreciated the EC's role in this regard.

EMF Executive Director Mohammad Abed Ali, however, said they cannot comment on the allegations of what happened the night before voting day.

“The policy [for election observers] allows us to monitor the election from 7am on the day, and therefore the comments we are making on the election is based on that. We cannot or even are not allowed to say what took place the night before election,” he said.

The forum is an alliance of 31 local election observers registered under the EC. They fielded 5,811 observers to monitor 17,165 voting centres.

At the conference, Abed, also secretary general of Saarc Human Rights Foundation, protested a Reuters report.

Reuters on January 22 reported that a top official of the foundation and its foreign volunteers regretted participating in the election observation process, casting doubt on the credibility of a polls won overwhelmingly by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her alliance.

Abed said Reuters “distorted” the comments of the foundation's President Mohammad Abdus Salam and Canadian observer Tanya Foster and produced “false, fabricated and baseless” news. He claimed that both of them protested the report.