EC to be constituted through search committee: PM Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina speaking at the press conference in her official residence Ganobhaban on 4 October on her recent visit to the United States to join the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New YorkPMO

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the new election commission will be constituted through a search committee to be formed by the president.

“The president will form a search committee and the election commission will be constituted through this search committee,” she said while replying to a question at a press conference in her official residence Ganobhaban on her recent visit to the United States to join the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Notably, the present election commission will complete its five-year tenure in February, 2022 and the next commission will organise the 12th parliamentary election to be held at the end of 2023.

BNP and election

Sheikh Hasina said BNP wants to make the next general election controversial as they do not have any chance of winning.

“They know they don’t have any possibility of winning the election. So, their effort is to make it controversial, create confusion among people and harm people by any means,” she said while replying to a question at a press conference in her official residence Ganobhaban on her recent visit to the United States to join the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Some of the journalists attended the press conference at Ganobhaban while others were connected from the prime minister’s office through a virtual platform.

At the press conference Sheikh Hasina questioned the leadership of BNP saying that one (Khaleda) is convicted for misappropriating the fund of orphans and another (Tarique) is a fugitive convicted for various misdeeds, including the August-21 grenade attack and 10-truck arm-haul cases.

“They know they won’t win. How will they win? Where is its leadership? One is a convicted for misappropriating the fund of orphans and another is a fugitive as he’s convicted for the August-21 grenade attack and 10-truck arm-haul cases. They are still there in the (party) leadership. If this is the case, under which consideration people would vote for them,” Sheikh Hasina said.

“The prime minister said even these two leaders are not eligible to take part in the election. They have no confidence that they can win the polls.”

'Who would vote for BNP?'

Referring to the 2014 general election, she said BNP had made frantic efforts to make it questionable and committed many misdeeds, including arson attacks, to thwart the polls. “Since the election was held (successfully) and then there was stability, it (govt) has made possible to ensure development what you’re witnessing today,” she said.

Hasina said BNP has no complaint over the 2008 general election and questioned as to why they could not win the polls.

The prime minister made a pointed reference to some incidents of tortures carried out by BNP men after the 2001 national election.

Mentioning the development activities carried by her government, Hasina questioned who and why would vote for BNP.

Pointing at the journalists, she said, “Ask who would vote for them. I asked all journalists first to question their conscience that who, why and with what hope will vote for BNP and others.”

Some of the journalists attended the press conference at Ganobhaban, while others were connected from the prime minister’s office through a virtual platform.