The Jatiya Nagorik Committee has rejected the formation of the new Election Commission led by AMM Nasir Uddin.
The platform, at the same time, also rejected the appointment of the election commissioners and their oath-taking under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act, 2022.
Spokesperson Samanta Sharmin read out a statement at the platform’s Banglamotor central office on Sunday.
The statement said that the Jatiya Nagorik Committee demands the formation of a new Election Commission under a new law, based on the proposals of the Election Reform Commission.
It added that the previous government carried out brutal acts such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and violence and at the same time formulated the laws, including the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act, 2022.
They argue that the interim government has tarnished the spirit of the July student uprising by forming the new commission under the existing law.
Nasiruddin Patwari, the convenor of the platform, criticized the former Election Commission for its role in facilitating fascism over the past 15 years. He added that until the Election Reform Commission submits its report and necessary reforms are made, they would not allow any further arrangements for elections in Bangladesh.
He expressed his hopes that the upcoming report from the Election Reform Commission, led by Badiul Alam Majumdar, would be followed by a fair process, including a referendum, to ensure a better future for Bangladesh.
The written statement also said that the government has acted under pressure from different political parties to form the election commission, which is a betrayal to the people's aspirations.
Akhtar Hossain, general secretary of the committee, said that the current government is not a caretaker government, and the idea that the government can be freed from accountability through holding an election is unacceptable.
