A Correspondent:
Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) leaders has urged the Election Commission (EC) to play a responsi-ble role to make the 12th parliamentary election competitive, saying that a total 27 parties are contesting in the polls and general people are election-centric.
“Upcoming general election will be free, fair and acceptable if the Election Commission plays a respon-sible role,” the EMF leaders said at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
EMF director Prof. Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khan, also pro-vice-chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engi-neering and Technology (BUET), read out a writing statement in the press conference.
Around 200 foreign observers are expected to come to Bangladesh to monitor the election, he said, add-ing that 15 international organizations have already contacted EMF to know about election environment, role of political parties and preparation of the Election Commission.
Besides a team of 10-member US observers, including an assistant of former US President and National Security Council’s chief of staff, former Congressman, election observers from different countries in-cluding the UK, Australia, Ireland, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, North Korea, India and Thailand are expected to come to Bangladesh to observe the polls, he said.
“Under this situation, we think that international communities have close an eye on Bangladesh polls, which will play important role in getting acceptance of the election internationally,” said Dr. Abdul Jab-bar Khan.
“Presence of such a huge number of local and foreign observers will also make the election vibrant,” he added.
Former Justice of Appellate Division of the Supreme Court Siddiqur Rahman Mia, EMF chairman Pro-fessor Md. Abed Ali, EMF directors Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University of Bangladesh Prof Dr. Mohammad Mahfuzul Islam, Pro-VC of Islamic Arabic University Professor Dr. Ahmed Abul Kalam Azad, Md. Iqbal Bahar and Dr. Azadul Haque were present at the press conference.
