Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, chief of the Electoral Reform Commission, on Friday, said the last three parliamentary elections were controversial.
“During those times, election commissioners failed to uphold their constitutional oath of neutrality,” he said at a discussion on electoral reforms at the conference room of the Khulna Deputy Commissioner's office.
Majumdar said that Bangladesh’s electoral system has collapsed. To restore a functional democratic process, the Electoral Reform Commission was formed to recommend measures for an effective and reformed system.
He emphasized the need for collective efforts to ensure that the Election Commission operates independently and efficiently.
Badiul highlighted several issues, including irregularities in the current voter list, which shows a disproportionate representation of female voters.
“If the voter list is inaccurate, elections will face disruptions. Voter list corrections, re-evaluation of parliamentary constituencies if necessary, and updating the electoral code of conduct are crucial,” he said.
He further emphasized increasing women’s participation in elections and addressing systemic flaws in monitoring and observing elections. Additionally, he called for strict measures to prevent electoral crimes.
