Local polls to be held to same standard as national election: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin today (24 August) said the standard of the upcoming local government elections will be no less credible than the national election held on 12 February this year.

“There is no shortfall in our commitment…. We cannot go below the standard we set in that election (general election). So that standard will remain (too in the local government elections). If we can, we will do better than that,” he said.

The CEC said this while talking to reporters after joining a dialogue titled “Strategic Leadership for Bangladesh Local Government Election”, organised by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) at the Election Training Institute (ETI) building in the city’s Agargaon area.

Other election commissioners, the EC secretary and senior officials of the commission were present at the event.

Nasir Uddin expressed optimism that the commission would be able to conduct the local government elections successfully with the cooperation of all concerned.

Asked when the local government elections would be held, the CEC said the commission would set dates for the elections following consultation with the government.

“The date of the local government elections cannot be announced now. It depends on many things. We have to amend some laws, rules and regulations, but it will not take much time,” he said.

The CEC said the EC’s overall preparations for the local government elections are underway.

Citing that local government elections usually witness a larger number of violent incidents compared with the national elections, he said law enforcement agencies would be deployed required to control the situation.

 “There is somewhat more violence in these elections. We will make every possible effort. In particular, the responsibilities of different forces and law enforcement agencies will be greater,” he said.

Asked about the by-election to Thakurgaon-1 constituency, the CEC said the election would have to be held within 90 days. “We are working on it,” he said.