An election commissioner has strongly opposed the use of electronic voting machine (EVM) in the upcoming national election saying “it alone might plunge the polls into controversy”.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder placed the opinion in written form today when he walked out of a key meeting to amend the charter of Representation of People Order (RPO) to incorporate the use of EVMs in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Just four months ahead of the national election, the Election Commission has drawn up plans to use EVMs in several constituencies, a move that has drawn criticism from parties.

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Hasty EVM plan for next JS polls

Today, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda led a meeting with his commissioners at the commission’s Agargaon office for amending the RPO to implement the decision.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder walked out of the meeting 20 minutes after it began around 11:10am, placing a note of dissent and clarifying his position.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of his note of dissent; where he said that he does not support the commission’s move to amend RPO and differs with the commission’s decision.

In the note, he wrote that he is not against the technology, but that there are two big gaps in implementation of the technology – lack of trained manpower to handle the technology and the distrust of the people on its use.

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Don’t use EVM in JS polls, BNP writes to CEC

“I am doubtful that the commission can complete necessary training in the runup to the elections. Also, there has been some untoward incidents with the EVM when it was used during the previous city corporation elections,” he wrote.

“There have been allegations that vote rigging has taken place with EVMs,” he said. “The use of EVM alone can plunge the national elections into controversy.”

It is to be noted that the 11^th parliamentary elections are likely to be held in December, according to what the commission has said.

Last reported, the meeting of the commissioners was adjourned until 3:00pm.

It is quite encouraging to hear Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tell British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly that the Awami League government wants the national polls in Bangladesh to be free and fair like they are in the United Kingdom. It is probably the most specific statement to persuade the international community that there won't be any repetition of the previous two parliamentary elections widely seen as neither free nor fair. Her party won the January 2014 election well before a single vote was cast, as it was boycotted by others following the unilateral abolition of the constitutional provision for election-time non-partisan caretaker government. Though the next election held in December 2018 was a participatory one, it was, again, marred with controversies, including ballot stuffing on the night before, reportedly aided by government officials and members of the law enforcement agencies.

Besides those two parliamentary elections, a few other elections held over the last 10 years, with a handful exceptions, were marred with similar controversies, largely due to the ruling party's "winner takes all" narrow mindset, and not conceding an inch to the opposition parties. In the process of keeping a tighter grip on power at every level of the state, it has been alleged that the system has been rigged in such a way that no institution can function independently anymore. Therefore, it's quite reasonable to ask: how can our election be something similar to those in the UK?

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What will it take for our next election to be credible and acceptable to all?

The UK model, understandably, is quite useful for the ruling Awami League as it nullifies, at least superficially, the opposition demand for the restoration of a caretaker government system. In the UK, the party in power remains in office during elections, though in a caretaker capacity, with limited functions of essential routine affairs of the government. Citing this British model, the Awami League argues that the Election Commission will have full authority on election-related affairs and the government will refrain from anything else other than supporting the Election Commission and running the routine work.

The ruling party's core argument in abolishing the caretaker government system was that even routine functions should not be left with any unelected authority, and for that reason, in the 15th Amendment of the constitution, parliament was kept alive until its successor was elected. This provision alone is quite contrary to the Westminster model, where parliament gets dissolved as soon as an election is called, which means the incumbent prime minister and ministers cease to be elected representatives when they act as a caretaker government.

The most crucial part of the UK model of election is the role of the civil service, which in the current scenario is almost impossible in Bangladesh. As soon as a general election is called in the UK, a "purdah" kicks and all civil service members are reminded of the guideline to abide by. Though the government retains the responsibility to govern, and ministers remain in charge of their departments, civil servants are required to follow some key principles, including 1) avoid any activity that could call their political impartiality into question; and 2) ensure that public resources are not used for party-political purposes. These principles are not only applicable to government departments, but all other non-departmental public bodies that receive any amount of public funding. Bangladesh's abolished caretaker system had, to some extent, tried to emulate such principles, but now it's been abandoned and replaced with civil servants' unconditional allegiance to the ruling party.

By keeping parliament in place under the 15th Amendment, distrust among the contending parties have grown as it can – at least theoretically – annul the election by inventing frivolous allegations of fraud or irregularities if the result means dislodgement from power, creating serious political chaos and upheaval. Former US President Donald Trump's attempt of undoing the election results shows it can happen in any country.

The most crucial part of the UK model of election is the role of the civil service, which in the current scenario is almost impossible in Bangladesh. As soon as a general election is called in the UK, a "purdah" kicks and all civil service members are reminded of the guideline to abide by. Though the government retains the responsibility to govern, and ministers remain in charge of their departments, civil servants are required to follow some key principles, including 1) avoid any activity that could call their political impartiality into question; and 2) ensure that public resources are not used for party-political purposes. These principles are not only applicable to government departments, but all other non-departmental public bodies that receive any amount of public funding. Bangladesh's abolished caretaker system had, to some extent, tried to emulate such principles, but now it's been abandoned and replaced with civil servants' unconditional allegiance to the ruling party.

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Is the US really happy with our election plan?

The UK prime minister, prior to calling a general election, authorises permanent secretaries (equivalent to secretaries in Bangladesh Civil Service) for pre-election contact with the main opposition parties to allow them to be informed about key departmental facts and let them apprise the civil servants of any policy changes likely in the event of a change of government. One may wonder whether that would ever be possible in Bangladesh.

As the government of the day is expected to defend its policies to the electorate, the governing party is entitled to check with the departments that statements made on its behalf are factually correct and consistent with government policy. But at the same time, civil servants are also required to provide consistent factual information on request to candidates of all parties, as well as to organisations and members of the public, if possible, within 24 hours. It helps informed debates on policies, instead of mudslinging and promoting personality cults.

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Genuine elections vs participatory sham

The UK election-time guideline for civil servants, updated in 2019, says all appointments requiring approval by the prime minister, and other civil service and public appointments likely to prove sensitive should be frozen until after the election. It restricts official exhibitions on a contentious policy or proposal during the election period. Films, video, and photographs from departmental libraries or sources are not allowed to be used by any political party. New government advertising campaigns in general remain postponed and running campaigns closed. In Bangladesh, the recent example of the Election Commission's inability to discipline election officials of Gaibandha by-poll shows that even if they want to enforce any such guideline in the country, it is bound to fail due to the excessive politicisation of our civil service. And it's not only our civil service – all such institutions, including the police and judiciary, have been hopelessly politicised.

Promising elections similar to the UK is hardly enough to allay the international community's concerns about the future of our democracy, unless a national consensus on conducting it is reached soon, for which we need an honest dialogue.

Kamal Ahmed is an independent journalist. His Twitter handle is @ahmedka1

People are failing to reap the benefits of the economic growth Bangladesh has been achieving for over a decade due to lack of good governance, weakness in the regulatory bodies and structural flaws in political parties, analysts said yesterday.

Political parties should address the issue in their respective election manifestoes to ensure inclusive growth, they said at a civic dialogue titled “Middle Income with Quality and Dignity: An Agenda for Bangladesh”.

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh and Power and Participation Research Centre jointly organised the event at the LGED Auditorium in the capital.

A remarkable progress has been achieved in the socioeconomic sector since 1990s, but the country's good governance is still far below different in global indexes, said Wahiduddin Mahmud, a noted economist and advisor to a former caretaker government.

“The upcoming election needs to be accepted by the people. Even after 47 years of our independence, we have a basic agenda. And that is an accountable and stable governing system,” he said.

“The current politics and its unfair exercises are mainly responsible for problems in the corporate governance,” he said.

There remain a number of challenges to attain sustainable development goals as the country's allocation for health and education is far lower than its peers, he added.

Sakhawat Hussain, a former election commissioner, said the country's political parties “have been doing their job like private organisations”.

“There is no particular reference in our constitution about the structure of the political parties. We are lagging behind our competing countries because of weakness in our political institutions,” he said.

“The Election Commission's infrastructure is the largest in comparison to the others in the subcontinent. Despite that, the EC has failed to discharge its responsibility properly,” Sakhawat said.

The country does not have any policy on institutionalising the commission, creating crisis to take timely decisions, he said, adding that the businesspeople were now panicked about the situation after the polls.

Rokia Afzal Rahman, vice-president of ICCB, pointed out the rising inequality in Bangladesh.

Quoting a recent Oxfam report, she said Bangladesh has been ranked 148th out of 157 countries. India and Singapore – although financially in a much better position – ranked 147th and 149th respectively. 

“One of the prime philosophies of taxing is to reduce income inequality,” she said.

To harness benefit from the demographic dividend, she said the government must create job opportunities for the ever growing number of unemployed youths.

The ICCB vice president also said the massive development of the country that has taken place in the last few years was not a bi-product of good governance.

Hossain Zillur Rahman, another advisor to a former caretaker government, said one of the core objectives of political parties for ruling the country was providing unfair facilities to the people involving with their organisations.

A demographic discrimination between Dhaka and the other parts of the country has been created, he said.

The political parties should focus on the issues, he said, adding that the electoral process should be credible so that people can vote without fear.

Salehuddin Ahmed, a former Bangladesh Bank governor, said people from all walks of life had not got the benefits of the economic development.

“The central bank has framed a lot of rules and regulations to supervise banks. But banks hardly follow those as many defaulters often reschedule their nonperforming loans more than three times breaching the rules,” he said.

The upcoming government should strengthen the organisational structure of the regulatory bodies, Salehuddin said.

Among others, Selim Raihan, executive director of SANEM, Ghulam Quader, a former advisor to a caretaker government, Asif Ibrahim, a former president of DCCI, Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, M Ramizuddin Chowdhury, editor of daily Purbokone, Nasim Manzur, former president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Abul Kasem Khan, president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry; MA Taslim, former chairman of Tariff Commission; and AB Mirza Azizul Islam, advisor to a former caretaker government; also addressed the event.

The tussle in the Awami League camp of Munshiganj-3 seems to have subsided following a rebel campaigning for the nominee.

The BNP's electioneering, however, is hardly visible there. 

With only five days until the nation goes to polls, AL candidate Mrinal Kanti Das is carrying out a steady campaign with almost no opposition on the campaign trail, said locals.

Although Mrinal's posters were seen on most roads in Munshiganj sadar and Gazaria upazilas, he was not being able to intensify his campaign because of AL rebel Chowdhury Fahria Afrin, said party insiders.

Fahria, wife of Munshiganj Municipality Mayor Mohammad Faisal, had plenty of her posters around the municipality office. Her father-in-law Md Mohiuddin is the president of Munshiganj Awami League and administrator at the Munshiganj District Council. He served Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the chief security officer.

But yesterday, Fahria started campaigning for Mrinal, ending the tussle that was tearing apart the AL campaign.

Meanwhile, the campaign for BNP candidate Abdul Hye, who has accused AL activists of tearing down his posters and vandalising his office, hoped that deployment of army personnel yesterday would help them campaign.

“Now that the army has been deployed, we will get a chance to boost our campaign,” said Hye.

He said his Jubilee Road office was vandalised by AL men. “We could not carry out electioneering due to attacks by the AL men. The local administration is also assisting them,” he claimed.

Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Shaila Farzana said her administration was determined to ensure a level playing field.

Regarding the allegations, she asked the BNP to come up with a written complaint and proof. “If they can show proof, then we will take action,” she said.

BNP's office on Jubilee Road was found locked yesterday. Hye was seen instructing his men outside the polls-time office of the BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront in Muktarpur.

“Be it at a tea stall or a bus station, people used to talk about the election. But this time, we are not seeing that happening,” said Ahmad Ali, a rice trader who lives in Muktarpur Bazar.

“The AL supporters are bringing out processions every day but there is hardly any activity of the other candidates,” said Md Nayan, a salesman at an electronics shop in Munshiganj Sadar Market.

Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Sheikh Md Kamal Hossain of Communist Party of Bangladesh are the other contenders in the constituency.

BNP today met the chief election commissioner and demanded restoration of the pre-2008 demarcation of constituencies before the next parliamentary election.

“After 2008, massive changes have been brought in the parliamentary constituencies. We want the next parliamentary polls based on constituencies before 2008,” BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Moshrraf Hossain told The Daily Star. 

A BNP delegation led by Mosharraf met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad to discuss general election-related issues including upgradation of voter list today.

The CEC assured the BNP delegation that he would take necessary measures following the electoral code of conducts in the regard.

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BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Abdul Moyeen Khan, BNP chairperson's adviser Captain (retd) Sujauddin and Senior Joint Secretary Rizvi Ahmed were among the delegation members.