Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Thursday said that the upcoming national elections may require the deployment of the Bangladesh Army along with other forces.
He said this in a dialogue with the Bangladesh Jatiya Party at the conference room of the EC building.
"We will try to install CCTV cameras in every polling station according to our capacity in the National Assembly elections. I would like your help so that I can control the muscle power," he said
He added that the EC cannot do it alone. The participation of district administration, police, district magistrate, Border Guards Bangladesh, and even the army may be necessary.
“The Electoral Act has given the commission quite a bit of power,” Habibul said while also pointing out that they can use that power to reduce potential violence.
Regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the CEC said: "I am aware of the skepticism and lack of confidence regarding it. We have not blindly taken any decision on EVM. But we are not ruling out that there are some good or bad sides to it. EC is trying to test how objective that potential is."
Calling upon all the parties to participate in the election, he said balloting will be held on time as it is their responsibility according to the constitution.
"If a party does not want to participate, we cannot force it. But we expect your participation," he said.
The CEC also said that the parties’ proposals are reasonable. “That's why you have to be strong and active, and we will be stronger.”
He noted that the election is not a joke as the government will be formed through the polls of the National Parliament and the highest administrative organization of the state will be the Cabinet.
"So we think that the election is not a matter of negligence, the election should be representative of the people, and the government should be formed with the support of the countrymen. This requires a free, impartial election, where voters can cast their ballots unhindered," he said.
The 12-member Bangladesh Jatiya Party team was led by its chairman prof MA Mukit.
Four election commissioners, EC secretary, and senior officials of the organization were also present.
