A 7-member European Union (EU) delegation will visit Bangladesh in mid-September to observe election preparations, he says
Election Commission Senior Secretary Md Akhtar Ahmed spoke to reporters at a press conference in front of his office at the Election Bhaban in Agargaon today (4 August). Photo: UNB
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Election Commission Senior Secretary Md Akhtar Ahmed spoke to reporters at a press conference in front of his office at the Election Bhaban in Agargaon today (4 August). Photo: UNB
Refuting criticism that the Election Commission is “spineless,” Senior Secretary Md Akhtar Ahmed today (4 August) said the EC “is standing tall because it has a backbone”.
Speaking at a press conference in front of his office at the Election Bhaban in Agargaon, the EC secretary responded to recent criticism from the National Citizen Party (NCP), which claimed the commission lacked the courage to uphold democratic values.
In response, Akhtar Ahmed said, “If the Election Commission doesn’t have a backbone, then how am I standing tall? I’m part of the commission. Doesn’t my presence here prove it?”
He reiterated that all activities are focused on ensuring a smooth national election.
“The commission is doing its best to carry out its responsibilities. Political parties may say what they want, but we are proceeding at our own pace. The election schedule will be announced once all preparations are complete,” he said.
The remarks follow comments made by NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, who, after meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin yesterday, said, “People haven’t been able to vote freely for 15 years. And now, when someone tries to vote through a democratic process, they are obstructed. The more I see this Election Commission, the more I realise it is spineless.”
Addressing a range of electoral issues, Akhtar Ahmed said the commission is seriously considering incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in the electoral code of conduct.
“AI could become a significant factor, so we are looking into it carefully,” he noted.
The code of conduct is expected to be finalised at a commission meeting scheduled for Thursday.
He also announced that the final voter list will be published on 31 August, and procurement of election materials is targeted for completion by 30 September.
Regarding political party compliance, the secretary said 51 parties are currently registered. Of them, 30 have submitted their audit reports, 15 have sought an extension, and 5 are yet to respond. One newly registered party has also requested more time.
Additionally, 145 applications for new party registrations have been received. Of those, 80 have provided the required information, 6 have requested extensions, while the rest have yet to respond. “We are evaluating these and will conduct field-level investigations before making decisions,” he said.
Akhtar Ahmed also announced that a 7-member European Union (EU) delegation will visit Bangladesh in mid-September to observe election preparations.
Meanwhile, he said training sessions for election officials and other stakeholders are ongoing.
