How will EC control law enforcement agencies, US team asks

The visiting US pre-election assessment mission wanted to know about the electoral process of Bangladesh, as well as how the election commission (EC) will control election officials and law enforcement agency members to be deployed on the fields during polls.

The delegation also wanted to know how the commission will also tackle law and order situation during the election, several sources at the commission confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.

The US pre-election assessment mission arrived in Dhaka on Sunday to follow electoral preparations and conduct an impartial assessment about sending a full-fledged election observation team in the upcoming general election.

The nine-member mission consisting of members of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) of the US held a meeting with the election commissioner at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon on the fourth day of its visit on Tuesday.

Chief election commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, election commissioners Md Ahsan Habib Khan, Rasheda Sultana, Md Alamgir and Md Anisur Rahman, and senior officials of the election commission secretariat were present at the meeting.

The US delegation, however, did not brief the media after the meeting.

According to the election commission sources, regarding the control of the field-level officials, everyone is legally obliged to cooperate with the election commission and anyone violating this rule will face action.

The US delegation asks, "What sort of action is taken on this matter?"

In reply, the EC officials said if anyone violates instructions, the election commission writes to the recruitment authorities of the officials concerned as per the law to take action, and the recruitment authorities can take action against the officials concerned.

Usually, deputy commissioners carry out the responsibility of the returning officers during the national election while upzila nirbahi officers (UNO) and election commission officials as assistant returning officers and officials from various government and private organisations carry out the responsibility of the assistant presiding officers and polling officers.

A source present at the meeting said the US mission wanted to know how the law and order situation is supervised during the election.

In reply, the commission said various government agencies work as per the commission’s demand. Training and briefings were held for senior officials of law enforcement agencies prior to the election.

Besides, the government has assured the election commission of providing all kinds of assistance, and the commission is capable of holding a free, fair and neutral election.

The meeting source said the CEC told the US team that the commission wanted a fair and inclusive election, so, they held several dialogues with stakeholders including political parties and the commission thinks a balance is created when the election becomes fair, but some parties rejected the invitation of the commission.

The US mission, however, said nothing about the inclusive election, several resources present at the meeting told Prothom Alo.

The meeting sources said the US team also wanted to know about the registration process of political parties, and election spending of candidates, and the commission briefed them on it.

Besides, the US delegation was also briefed on the legal jurisdiction of the commission. They were also told that if any problem arises presiding officers can stop voting; candidates or their agents are allowed to be present during vote counting; result log books contain their signatures and results are hung up in polling centres.

Meeting sources said the US delegation informed the commission that they did not come to Bangladesh as the representative of the US government and they would inform the people concerned about their overall observation before or after leaving Bangladesh.

Earlier last July, a pre-election observation team of the European Union visited Dhaka. Based on the team’s observation, the EU said it will not send a full-fledged observation team to observe the forthcoming election. The organisation informed the EC of their decision in a letter.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, CEC  Kazi Habibul Awal said the main focus of the discussions between the US team and EC was free, fair, inclusive and peaceful elections.

The US team wanted to know about the EC's work and responsibilities. He said that they explained to the US team how the EC functions, how it coordinates its work with the government.

The CEC said the US team may return to their country and decide whether or not they would send an observation team to the forthcoming national election or not.