Following Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad’s announcement of non-participation in the upcoming polls on Tuesday, the Election Commission has reportedly slowed down polls preparations.
Since the announcement of polls’ schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections on November 25, officials and employees at the EC have been working overtime every day.
However, on Tuesday there was less workload while officials and employees left the office around 8pm, unlike the last couple of weeks when most of them would leave around 10pm.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, officials and employees at the EC said the work rate there slowed down following Ershad’s announcement, which formed clouds of uncertainty over the next parliamentary elections.
The main opposition BNP and its 18-party alliance has already rejected the schedule and said it would not be participating in the polls.
They said one-sided polls would not be acceptable in the country and all around the world. This type of election was not accepted before as well. A number of officials and employees said they were dreading attacks, which was taking place all across the country.
“Our field-level officials were in more danger. On Tuesday one of our Dhaka election office staff was found dead,” one of them, seeking anonymity said.
Meanwhile, a senior assistant secretary said the commission would not issue any letter or circular regarding the elections.
On Tuesday at an informal commission meeting, election commissioners expressed their opinions saying the country would not accept a one-sided polls.
One of the election commissioners, however, seeking anonymity on Tuesday said:“The EC has nothing to do because of the present political situation. The commission is bound to hold the election as per the constitution.”
“We can’t suspend the polls, if we want. But if the political parties reach a consensus, anything is possible,” he said.
About the schedule, the commissioner said we are not prepared for holdinga one sided polls.
“We were thinking about changing the polls schedule so that the major political parties can reach consensus during this time. If the full commission agrees, the polls schedule may be changed anytime,” he said.