Staff Reporter:
Election Reform Commission Chairman Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar yesterday stressed the need for re-sponsible role of all concerned including the political parties for holding a fair election.
“It is not possible for the Election Commission alone to organize fair elections. The responsible role of all concerned, including political parties, candidates, voters, civil society and the media, is essential in this connection,” he said.
He made the remarks while addressing a shadow parliament organized by Debate for Democracy at the FDC in the capital.
But, he confirmed that there is no uncertainty about the upcoming national elections defying all the speculations over delay in election.
“It is important that the elections be held within the time announced in February,” he said.
Dr. Majumdar hoped that a level playing field will be maintained in this year’s elections.
However, he warned that if political parties are obsessed with money and muscle power then a good election is not possible.
He opined that if the elections are held without reforms, they can be controversial.
“Allegiance student politics is not acceptable. University student parliament elections can affect the na-tional elections,” he said.
Referring to the limitations of both seat-based and proportional systems, he said that the issue of forming the lower house on the basis of seat-based system and the upper house on proportional system is gaining importance in the current discussion.
Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran presided over the programme.
Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) won the debate titled ‘The role of the Elec-tion Commission is the main in making the upcoming national parliament elections fair’ by defeating Sir Salimullah Medical College.
The judges of the competition were Professor Abu Muhammad Rais, Dr. SM Morshed, journalist Saidur Rahman, journalist Zakir Hossain Liton and journalist Md. Humayun Kabir.
At the end, the participating teams were awarded trophies, crests and certificates.
