Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar is doing whatever necessary to disgrace and undermine the current Election Commission, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said today.

He said this following Mahbub Talukdar's speech at National Voters' Day programme at the auditorium of Bangladesh Nirbachon Bhaban today.

The CEC also accused Mahbub -- present at the programme at the time -- of undermining the commission for his own benefit.

"Mahbub Talukdar has made political remarks on the occasion of National Voters' Day," he stated.

"He does not work for the benefit of the country's Election Commission," CEC said.

Earlier, Mahbub Talukdar, at the same programme, said that voter turnout in the elections where electronic voting machines were used has reduced to a critical level.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar. File photo

He said that a "sensational" election took place at Rauzan municipality in Chattogram where all the mayor and councilor candidates were elected unopposed.

He also mockingly proposed that the same model can be followed across the country where everyone will be elected unopposed.

"This process will save money and can reduce violence, and Election Commission will have no responsibility. If it happens, question will arise whether there is any necessity of Election Commission anymore" Mahbub said.

Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain has urged people to bring about a "vote revolution" by exercising franchise, and said December 30 will be another victory day for the nation with the Oikyafront coming out victorious.

"We won in the past, and we will win this time too. December 30 will be another victory day. You will bring about a vote revolution on that day," he said at a press conference yesterday.

The eminent jurist made the call after attending an emergency meeting of the steering committee of the opposition alliance at his chamber in the capital's Purana Paltan.

Calling upon the voters to cast ballots for “sheaf of paddy”, he said, “The symbol does not belong to any party. It stands as a symbol of unity. Cast your votes for this symbol to free the nation.”

He further said the Oikyafront's win in the polls will be a victory for the people, not for any component of the alliance.

"People's ownership of the country will be restored through the vote revolution.”

The people of this country never bowed down to arms, money and power, he said.

"There is nothing to fear. We fought autocrats throughout our life, and we won, not the autocrats. Had the autocrats won, there would have been no '71 and no Bangladesh," observed Dr Kamal, also president of the Gonoforum.

Urging the voters to go to polling centres in groups early in the morning, he said, "You will be able to enjoy freedom if you cast ballots for sheaf of paddy." 

If the Oikyafront is voted to power, the administration would work for the people, instead of protecting the interests of any party, he pledged.

Speaking at the press conference, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “The government has already suffered a moral defeat as it is trying to ensure victory by using the state machinery.”

Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddiqui, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, and Gonoforum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury, among others, were present at the press conference.

Earlier in a written statement to the media, the Oikyafront convener said the election was just two days away, but the level playing field was still absent.

The people expected that the situation would change following deployment of the army, Dr Kamal mentioned.

"But the army's role in the election is totally controlled by the Election Commission," he said, adding that it is difficult to expect an effective role of the army in a "controlled election".

"Yet, we hope the people, who are the owner of the country, will be able to exercise the right to vote in a peaceful environment. The Election Commission has to ensure that."

Otherwise, the EC will have to take full responsibility for all its failures and will be held accountable to the people, warned Dr Kamal.

He further said it seems that the public and the police administration as well as the state machinery unilaterally got engaged in destroying effective democracy in the country by taking the chance of "the EC's bias".

"We should not forget that destroying democracy is tantamount to denying Bangladesh's existence and the constitution."

The Oikyafront convener said there is a “tide of the masses” in favour of “sheaf of paddy” despite numerous obstructions, arrests, attacks, filing of cases, arson, bombing, biased behaviour of the administration, inactiveness of the EC, ghost cases and intimidation.

"Today, the people and the voters are the Oikyafront's main hope. Those, who did not make mistakes in the past, will not make mistakes this time as well."

The people consider voting as a festival, but they were deprived of it after the ninth parliamentary polls, he said.

"We hope that the people, who are now united, will thwart any anti-people blueprint of the government and the Election Commission."

He urged the people to vote for their preferred candidates to ensure their ownership of the country and restore democracy.

"The country achieved independence in 1971 because the people were united. If the people remain united, effective democracy and the rule of law will soon be ensured," he remarked.

Ruling 14-party alliance today alleged that opposition BNP and its alliance Jatiya Oikyafront are trying to make army and December 30 elections “questionable”.

“Army is deployed as per the demands of BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront. Now they are trying to make the army questionable,” 14-party alliance leader Dilip Barua told reporters after handing over a letter to the EC secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.

Dilip Barua led a delegation that protested attack on Awami League activists and sought EC's steps on stopping the conspiracy of BNP and Oikyafront.   

“They [BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront] are trying to make December 30 election dubious by raising one after another false allegations” Dilip also said.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said army personnel deployed for election duty would take any measures required to maintain law and order.

“If any situation that needs to be controlled arises in front of the army, they will go there on their own and bring the situation under control," he said.

The army personnel have been deployed to restore voters' confidence, Huda said, urging all the political parties to maintain a congenial atmosphere for the December 30 election.  

Read More: Army starts polls duty

He made the comments while visiting a trial voting session on using electronic voting machines (EVM) at Dhaka Residential Model School and College.

Army personnel started discharging election duties yesterday to help ensure a peaceful atmosphere and maintain law and order across the country for the polls.

The CEC urged all the political parties to ensure that the election was held the way it should be. He also asked them to shun violence, remove “misunderstandings” and dedicate themselves only to electioneering.

In this regard, the army's role would be helpful, he pointed out. “I do believe, from now on, anything untoward will be controlled.”

Responding to a query, Huda said Election Commission officials would be in charge of operating the EVMs while skilled army personnel would assist them.

Asked if the BNP would be allowed for a rally at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan on Thursday, he said he would communicate with the Dhaka Metropolitan Police over the matter.

'NOTHING TO BE DELIGHTED ABOUT'

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said army did not belong to any party or alliance.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, made the statement while addressing an election rally of Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Jatiya Party candidate for Feni-3 under the AL-led grand alliance, at Ataturk High School ground in Daganbhuiyan upazila.

"The army has taken positions in districts to discharge duties for the sake of a free and fair election. A quarter is much delighted over the army deployment. But they should remember that they [Army] would not work for any particular party. Their role will be neutral,” he said.

Quader urged all not to make the army controversial.

Soldiers stand guard outside a temporary camp set up at the capital's Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium. Photo: Amran Hossain

AL contestant for Feni-2 Nizam Uddin Hazari, district AL President Abdur Rahman and the unit's senior vice-president Akram Hossain Humayun, among others, were present at the rally chaired by Daganbhuiyan  AL president Master Kamal Uddin.

Yesterday, the AL also sought steps from the EC to stop “attacks on its activists across the country during campaigning”.

BNP and Jamaat goons are attacking AL activists, the party's Election Steering Committee member Akteruzzaman told reporters after handing over a letter to EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.

He hoped that the polls environment would improve as members of the armed forces were deployed.

Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh lodged a complaint with the EC, saying its activists were facing attack and harassment across the country, said the party's Senior Joint Secretary General ATM Hemayetullah.