Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan), told the Dhaka Tribune: “We did not see the reflection of our recommendations. We had recommended that the total process of formation for the Election Commission be disclosed. [The search committee] talked to us before making the list. Was that merely for appearances? The whole process was not transparent. They should have accountability. This confidential process raises many questions.”
Similar reservations with the new EC were voiced by Jannatul Islam, a civilian. He said: “Without representatives from the civil society how can the EC play a neutral role?”
On the other hand, Chittagong University Professor Ghazi Asmat voiced his admiration with the president's selections, as he said: “It is not possible to form a better election commission than this one in such a situation.”
“It should be free from influence. Otherwise, the country will be ruined,” he added.
In the same vein, Mayen Uddin Tazim, a civilian, said: “The nation is definitely happy to see the newly appointed CEC.”
“We hope that he (the Chief Election Commissioner) will play a vital and neutral role performing his duties during his tenure,” Tazim, also a member of Transparency International Bangladesh, added.
Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain said that “It is good. Let them work”, adding that he does not want to make further comments on the matter.
Local government expert Tofayel Ahmed and former adviser to the caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury also refused to make any comments.
While Tofayel did not wish to speak as his name was included in the list of candidates, Rasheda said: “This is a partisan issue. As a non-political person, I cannot make any comment on this. My comments may go either in favour or disfavour of the political parties.”
Dhaka Judge Court lawyer Golam Azam and professional photographer Emdadul Islam Bitu were among those who wanted to wait and see the new EC's actions before making any judgments.
Golam said: “Nobody can imagine what will happen at the end of the day.”
Emdadul Islam Bitu echoed the lawyer as he told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am not convinced with the process of formation of election commission, but I want to see that how they play their role in future.”
On Monday, President Abdul Hamid appointed former bureaucrat KM Nurul Huda as the next chief election commissioner (CEC) of Bangladesh.
The other four commissioners are former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former district and sessions Judge Begum Kabita Khanam and Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam announced the names appointed by the president for the CEC and other commissioners at a press briefing at 9:30pm on Monday.
Earlier, at around 6pm, the search committee submitted 10 names taken from the 125 recommendations of 27 political parties to the president.
