Chief Election Commission (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has said he had been joking when he stated that if anyone comes with a sword, they should be faced with a rifle. However, he regretted making the statement and even apologised for it.
The CEC was speaking to Islami Oikya Jote today, Monday, and made these remarks towards the end of the dialogue with the party.
The CEC blamed the media, saying that the media had demeaned him by publishing that statement without understanding the context. He said that if he had meant that, then he would have told the political parties to gather arms.
Expressing his dismay, he said that his parents would read the newspapers. Had they been alive today, they may have admonished him, saying, "Babu, why did you give such bad advice?" The CEC said that the media could have said that he had been speaking humorously.
Having blamed the media, the CEC then went on to say that he respected the media. He said that in the past elections the election commission had given the media ample opportunity in order to maintain transparency.
A 10-member team of Islami Oikya Jote, led by the party's chairman Abul Hasnat Amini, took part in the dialogue. During the talks, the party advised the CEC not to make statements such as, "If anyone comes with swords, you all take position with rifles." Later, at the end of the dialogue, the CEC came up with his response.
CEC Habibul Awal said that this matter had been raised during the dialogue with NDM, where someone had said confusion has been created over the statement about taking position with a rifle if anyone came with a sword. A CEC cannot speak in this manner.
The CEC went on to say, "I laughed at Bobby Hajjaj's words, saying that the reference to facing a sword with a rifle was just a twist of words. A chief election commissioner cannot mean anything like this. If I really meant it, then from the beginning I would have told everyone to gather arms. I would have said, procure arms and strengthen yourselves. I don't think I have ever said any such thing."