CEC: Next general election will be all-inclusive

The next general election will be inclusive of all political parties, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda said on Monday. Speaking with reporters after inaugurating the distribution of Smart National ID cards in Chittagong, the CEC said: “The next general election will be different from the previous one. Situations change over time. I believe what happened during the last election will not be repeated if all political parties participate in the upcoming election.” He said the Election Commission was working to create an environment where voters could freely exercise their rights. “We are committed to hold credible elections. It will take us some time to discuss some issues with the political parties; we will do that before the election. However, the political parties should feel free and give us suggestions, if they have any. We will accept their suggestions regarding the election,” he added. Regarding the Comilla City Corporation election, which is scheduled on March 30, the CEC said they did not plan to deploy armed forces, but they would remain on standby. “We met with top officials of law enforcement agencies on March 9 and they assured us that law and order would be upheld during the [Comilla City Corporation] elections. We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure that voters can cast their votes without fear,” he said. Earlier, the CEC distributed smart NID cards among distinguished personalities, including Chittagong Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, and eminent academic and sociologist Dr Anupam Sen. The ceremony was also addressed by Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury, AJM Nasir Uddin, NID wing Director General Saidul Islam and divisional Election Commissioner Abdul Baten. In the first phase, smart NID cards will be distributed to 600,000 residents in the Kotwali and Double Mooring areas of Chittagong City Corporation.