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All parties to be invited to talks before polls: CEC


Published : 20 May 2022 09:46 PM | Updated : 21 May 2022 02:01 PM

All political parties will be called upon for a discussion on the next polls very soon and it will happen within one or two months, said Kazi Abdul Awal, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Friday.

The CEC made the remarks after inaugurating the voter list update campaign in Savar at Upazila Parishad hall room on Friday morning.

He said, “We will invite all the political parties regarding the next national election soon.”

He further said that there are many countries in the world where election exists, and people exercise their voting rights, but the difference is no violence happens there and people there enjoys their voting rights by standing in a queue.

“I told my colleagues that if I were the CEC of New Zealand or Britain, I could have finished the polls sipping tea on the chair,” he said adding, “I would not have to take any stress or my pressure would not be high. But in our country, voting situations make us stressed and we have to be careful.”

The CEC further said “Election Commission cannot hold any election successfully alone. It’s very important to play a key role by police, and administration who are employees of the republic. They have to play a central role during the polls.”

“To exercise the voting right is a civic duty. We have to understand that we will be operated by the representatives we selected,” he said.

The CEC also said, “I read a report of violence during elections in a newspaper yesterday. We want competition and a participatory election. But sometimes violence breaks out involving chase and counter chase.” 

“One writer said that this is not our election crisis, rather it is our cultural crisis,” he added.

He said, “Our culture has developed that we have to commit occurrence during elections. This makes us sad in many cases, and we need to get out of this exercise, and maybe it will take time.”

Md Humayun Kabir Khandker, EC secretary, also spoke at the event and called upon people, local government representatives, and the administration to come forward for the cooperation of the staff engaged in the updating process of the voters list.

Dhaka Divisional Commissioner, DC Dhaka, DIG of Dhaka range police, Savar upazila chairman, Savar municipality mayor and Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer were also present at the event.

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