Bangladesh: Next general election and the search committee

by Swadesh Roy-Feb 1, 2017

( February 1, 2017, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) The honourable President of Bangladesh has formed a search committee to select the next election commissioners of Bangladesh. According to the constitution of Bangladesh, the President has absolute power to appoint the election commissioners. But, five years back, the former President of Bangladesh and the nation’s most senior politician of the then time, Mr. Zillur Rahman, set up a new avenue of democracy in Bangladesh. Even though, he had the absolute constitutional power, he did not use it; rather he talked with all major political parties of Bangladesh and took their opinion to form a new election commission. It is to be said that, he established a good election commission. The present Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. Rakibuddin, who is about to retire in mid-February, is a man of highly common sense. Some critics may say that, in his period, the general election held in Bangladesh was not inclusive. It is true that the election held in 2014 was not inclusive but it was not the fault of the election commission and its total responsibilities went to the political parties, basically the oppositions, who not only boycotted the election but also tried to postpone the election by terrorist activities. They killed more than two hundred people including women and children, even the pregnant woman with her caring baby; and destroyed public wealth estimated at least several millions of US dollars.

However, in these circumstances, the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. Rakbibuddin did not say a word with the press which was little harmful for the dignity of the election commission. Besides, when he got chance, all political parties helped him and his commission conducted a good election. Recently his commission has conducted a crucial city corporation election in one of the river port cites named ‘Narayangang’, near Dhaka. There were many bad rumors before the election but nothing happened during the election; and the country witnessed a free, fair and inclusive election. So, Narayangang city corporation election proved that only election commission is not the factor for conducting a good election in Bangladesh; rather there are many other components like good understanding among the political parties, awareness of people and other logistics support from the administration.

However, the present search committee has started their work by sharing views with some intellectuals. Their nature of working shows that they will talk with more stakeholders, list some names to the President as a proposal so that he can choose the Chief and other election commissioners from that list. In my opinion, the search committee has made a mistake in the meantime. They declared that they would invite a list of proposed names from all political parties. It will create a misunderstanding and some people in the society will be branded as several political parties’ identities which is not the reality. To illustrate, if the biggest party, Awami League proposes ten names, Bangladesh National Party (BNP) will do the same. And, all members from two lists will be branded with a political identity according to the list. So it will create many obstacles to find out the acceptable person to all parties. That is why, search committee can avoid it; otherwise most of the efficient persons will face controversy. Not only that, if they select people by themselves, which is their duty, will face controversy as well; because when any political party will see that the members of the election commission is out of their list, they will think that committee was bias to others.

Therefore, the search committee should sit several times with the President; because the President of Bangladesh is a renowned season politician. On the other hand, the election commission is very much sophisticated political organ of the state. All members of the search committee are highly knowledgeable and man of dignity; but they are not that much politically literate as the president of Bangladesh. So they should talk with the president in every step that Bangladesh can set up a smart and efficient election commission which will be helpful for forwarding democracy of Bangladesh, through the next election.

Swadesh Roy, Executive Editor, The Daily Janakantha, Dhaka, Bangladesh he can be reached swadeshroy@gmail.com