‘Public confidence main challenge for EC’

Gaining public confidence is the major challenge for the new Election Commission (EC), former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said today.

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<strong><em>“Currently, the reputation of the EC is at a very low level. So, the commission must work hard and neutrally to uplift its image and gain public trust”</em></strong> says former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda

“Currently, the reputation of the EC is at a very low level. So, the commission must work hard and neutrally to uplift its image and gain public trust,” he said.
Huda was speaking at a roundtable titled ‘Challenges for the New Election Commission’ organised by Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujon) at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

The former CEC also suggested the new EC for maintaining a good relationship with all the stakeholders – mainly political parties – and act neutral to clear any confusion among the public.
He opined for introduction of a separate cadre service for election officials to strengthen the EC.
Former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain said “holding the 2019 parliamentary election in a fair and neutral manner will be the top challenge for the new EC”.
Noted columnist Syed Abul Maksud said ensuring level-playing field for all parties concerned in each election is the major challenge for the EC.
Presenting a paper, Shujon Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said, people lack confidence on Election Commission because of the “failures” of the previous commissioners.
“We hope the new election commission will hold the next parliamentary election fairly showing honesty, integrity, neutrality and boldness,” said the paper.
Majumdar also came up with a set of recommendations including reformation of some electoral laws, updating voter list and delimitation of electoral constituencies for the new EC.
Shujon president M Hafizuddin Khan chaired the function, while former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder, Dhaka University Law Professor Asif Nazrul, among others, also spoke at the function.