The Daily Star is launching a new series of talk show ‘The Election Talks 2018’ where experts will be analysing all aspects of the upcoming general elections, contemporary politics, events and incidents.

In today’s episode, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), talks with the show host Shakhawat Liton, planning editor of The Daily Star.

The show is the sixth episode of The Daily Star’s political talk show series ahead of the December 30 election.

"Law needed to prevent conflict of interest"

In the election manifesto of Jatiya Oikyafront revealed today, it has announced that a significant number of chairman posts in the parliamentary standing committees will be preserved for the representative political parties.

Commenting on this issue, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said that the main barrier for the parliamentary committees on the way to be effective is the clash of interests. Those who become the members or heads of the committees try to fulfil their own interests.

As an example, it has been seen in earlier parliaments that the members of parliament (MPs) who own businesses are kept in the committees related to their business, he added.  

Iftekharuzzaman considers this conflict of interest to be the main hindrance towards establishing good governance in Bangladesh.

He hopes that to solve this problem all the politicians will agree to formulate laws preventing such conflict of interests.

Commenting on the work culture of the Anti Corruption Commission, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said that these commissions are formed by the government and are run by government money, but their responsibility is not to become a government institution.

They are created to ensure accountability of the government, he said.    

But when the commissioners are recruited based on party considerations, there's nothing to do other than just sitting idly, he added.  

Watch the video to know more!

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said the EC was planning to use electronic voting machines to make sure that ballot boxes could not be stuffed on the night before an election.

He was addressing the trainers of election officials for the fifth phase of upazila polls at the Nirbachan Bhaban yesterday.

He said the Election Commission cannot carry ballot papers to the voting centres on the morning of the polling day. 

Transparency International Bangladesh in a study found that stamping of ballots took place on the night before the general election on December 30 in more than one centres in 33 constituencies out of 50 surveyed.

In 30 constituencies, ballot papers were stamped openly after occupying polling booths on the voting day, said the study titled “Review of Election Process of 11th National Election”.  

The CEC said the situation regarding polls irregularities has been deteriorating gradually.

“The election irregularities could not be stopped despite strict enforcement of related laws and adoption of the electoral code of conduct. We will have to get rid of the situation.”

Huda said the EC would have to take a tough stance on proper enforcement of laws to stop irregularities.

He called upon all election officials to discharge their duties with professionalism.

Referring to the political parties' demand for deployment of army in the elections, the CEC asked, “Which country in the world deploys army for conducting an election?”

He said political parties would take part in elections, people would cast their votes as owners of the country and the EC would carry out its duties smoothly to hold a trouble-free election.

Huda said conducting an election in a nonpartisan manner would be the main objective of the election officials and the candidates' identities and influence would not be considered under any circumstances.

He asked election officials to be careful about not neglecting their duties.

The CEC said defeated candidates always claim that elections are not acceptable while the winners accept the polls results.

Elections to 482 upazila parishads will be held in five phases from tomorrow.

The second, third, fourth and fifth phases of the fifth upazila elections are scheduled for March 18, 24, 31 and June 18.

In 2014, 487 upazilas went to polls in six phases between February and May.

In today’s episode of ‘The Election Talks 2018’, Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director of Center for Policy Dialogue's (CPD), talks with The Daily Star about the upcoming election.

She sheds light on democratic practices in Bangladesh and sustainable development on a one-to-one with Shakhawat Liton, planning editor of The Daily Star.

“Fair election is very important for economic development of a country. Excellence through competition – the democratic process – is also much needed for politics,” she said.

Upholding an economic example, she underlined on the situation of the people if a monopoly is to arise. “Similarly, when one party is in power, a strong opposition can ensure accountability.”

There remains a problem on the way to ensure development’s sustainability and inclusive if this culture does not exist, she added.

Watch the video to know more!