We’ve no favourite: Election Commissioner Sanaullah

The incumbent election commissioner is a “colourless election commission”, Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah remarked on Monday.

“We don’t have any favourite person, no leaning to any side. We’ve just one side - the side of fairness, justice, and to give back people their rights,” he said.

Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah said this while addressing a meeting to exchange views with data collectors, supervisors and new voters on the occasion of updating the voter list at Panchagarh this afternoon at the office of the deputy commissioner.

“The people, not anyone else, will elect their representatives in the elections. This will not be done at the election commission office, deputy commissioner’s verandah, the police super’s verandah or at the office of any intelligence agency. We want to create that environment,” he added.

We will create that environment, the election commissioner stressed.

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah at the meeting also expressed, “If there were bad elections in the past, then our questions to ourselves would provide answers on whether we have our image intact or it is demolished. If it is tarnished, then we have got a golden opportunity to regain our lost images through the next election.”

Recalling the sacrifices of the students and people, the election commissioner insisted, “We have assumed the responsibility of the Election Commission standing in the pool of blood of our children, those children, adolescents and youths. We are pledge-bound. We will repay the loan of their every drop of blood, Insha Allah.”

Pointing out that holding such a big task like the election is not possible for the election commission alone, he said, “The election commission will lead from the front and coordinate. But everyone at the field will carry out that. All of us from the chowkiders to the chief election commissioner are involved with this process.”

Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal also stated, “People’s power should return to the people, not to any party or person. None will engage in child’s play with 180 million people when they will have their power. It is very easy to buy any person or a quarter if the people’s power is snatched and taken under control of the person or quarters. But buying people is not so easy.”

Chaired by district election officer Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Nilphamari Government College principal Md Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan and regional election officer Mohammad Azizul Islam.

Sadar Upazila election office organised the meeting comprising the information collectors, supervisors and newly enrolled voters.