20 shortlisted for five EC posts

Twenty people were shortlisted yesterday for election commissioners' posts.

A search committee, formed recently for the constitution of the commission, picked them from around 125 names recommended by 26 registered political parties, which also had held talks with the president recently.

“The names were shortlisted after scrutinising the persons' background, service record, honesty, and competency,” Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said yesterday. He was talking to reporters after the third panel meeting at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge.

He, however, said the committee would not disclose the names which were shortlisted and those which had been recommended.

Now, the panel will pick 10 names from the shortlist and submit those to the president, who, on the prime minister's advice, would appoint the chief election commissioner (CEC) and four other commissioners this month.

Apart from the names proposed by the parties, the members of the panel could themselves come up with other names on the basis of “experience”.

The committee would complete the process before February 8, Alam said, adding that it would keep working after taking opinions from civil society members.

Unverified sources in the ruling Awami League said the party gave five names, including those of former principal secretary Abdul Karim, former senior secretary Monzur Hossain, former inspector general of police Nur Mohammad, former PMO secretary Molla Wahiduzzaman and Dhaka University's Prof Sadeka Halim, to the panel.

Some BNP sources said there was discussion within the party to give some names, including those of former secretary Asafuddowla, former Bangladesh Bank governor Salehuddin Ahmed, local government expert Tofail Ahmed, eminent jurist Shahdeen Malik and Dhaka University's Prof Tasneem Siddique.

Other sources in the party said it might propose the names of former cabinet secretary Sadat Hossain and former additional secretary to the EC Jesmin Tuly.

None of the sources, however, confirmed whether those names were sent to the search committee.

Before the committee's meeting, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizivi along with party chairperson's personal secretary ABM Abdus Sattar handed over a letter to the Cabinet Division around noon.

Later in the day, Awami League's Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap handed over his party's recommendations to Abdul Wadud, additional secretary to the Cabinet Division.

No political party officially disclosed its names recommended to the panel.

Bangladesh Communist Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) sent letters to the cabinet yesterday, saying the parties would not submit any names.

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Gono Forum, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Mojlish also did not recommend any names.

However, the Gono Forum proposed selecting the five commissioners either from 17 civil society members or finalising the five names following consultation with them.

On Monday, the search committee met with 12 of those civil society members.

The other five members were scheduled to meet the panel today. They include Daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar, Barrister Rokonuddin Mahmud, former CEC Abu Hena, security expert Maj Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid, and The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam.

However, talking to this newspaper last night, the cabinet secretary said the name of Abdur Rashid had been dropped "at the last moment", as a case against him was pending with the High Court.

On January 25, President Abdul Hamid formed the six-member search panel, headed by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, after holding a series of talks on EC formation with 31 political parties registered with the EC.

The other members of the panel are Justice Obaidul Hassan, a HC judge, Muhammed Sadique, chairman of Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC), Masud Ahmed, comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh, Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam, trustee board member of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), and Shireen Akhter, pro-vice chancellor of Chittagong University.

The tenure of the incumbent EC expires this month. The new commission will conduct the next general elections in 2019.

The Rakib-led current EC drew a lot of flak for holding the January 5 “one-sided” elections where 153 lawmakers were elected unopposed in 2014.

According to a gazette issued on this January 25, the search committee would recommend two names each for the posts of the EC chief and four election commissioners. The panel would present its recommendations to the president in 10 working days.

Later, the president, on the prime minister's advice, will appoint the CEC and the other commissioners.

On January 28, the search committee, in its first meeting, requested the 31 political parties to recommend five names each to the additional secretary of the Cabinet Division by yesterday for the appointment of the CEC and other commissioners.

Meanwhile, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has asked the authorities concerned to appoint skilled, neutral and judicious people to the new EC for holding free, fair and inclusive polls.

TIB members made the call at a meeting at its head office in the capital on Monday, said a TIB press release yesterday.

Expressing hopes that the search committee would include stakeholders in the EC formation, the TIB said the panel should make public the final list of the names to be submitted to the president for ensuring transparency.

It also observed that good governance and corruption prevention depends much on an effective EC, one of the institutions included in the National Integrity Strategy announced by the government.

The TIB also voiced concern at the meeting as there is no specific law regarding EC formation, although it has the constitutional obligation to appoint election commissioners.

About 35 people from different professions who are involved in anti-corruption social movement along with the TIB attended the meeting.

NAMES PROPOSED BY SOME OTHER PARTIES

The Daily Star learnt about the following names “recommended” by the following parties after talking to several of their leaders, who wished not to be named.

Bangladesh NAP: Former secretary Asafuddowla, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Salehuddin Ahmed, former secretary Alauddin Sarkar, local government expert Tofail Ahmed, and Prof Tasneem Siddique.

Khelafat Majlish: Former secretary Asafuddowla, Shahdeen Malik, Tofail Ahmed, Gulshan Azad Mosque Khatib Mahmudul Hasan and former additional secretary to the EC Jesmin Tuly.

Bangladesh Muslim League: Salehuddin Ahmed, Prof Tasnim Siddique and former district judge MA Gafur.

Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Partha):  Asafuddowla and Shahdeen Malik.

Gonotantri Party: Former PSC chairman Ikram Ahmed, former cabinet secretary Sadat Hossain, former judge Kabita Khanam, Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Chowdhury and Shipping Secretary Ashok Madhab Roy.

Jatiya Party (Monju): Election Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Sadeka Halim and former secretary Sheikh Wahiduzzaman.

Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal (BSD): Former secretary Abdul Karim, Kabita Khanam and former bureaucrat Rafiqul Islam.

Jamiat e Ulama e Islam Bangladesh: Shahdeen Malik and Syed Modasser Hossain as CEC; and former Supreme Court registrar Iktedar Ahmed, former Planning Division secretary Akhtar Hossain Khan, former secretary Moniruzzaman Khan, Brig Gen AJM Fazlur Rahman (retd), Tofail Ahmed and Tasneem Siddique as commissioners.

Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal: Sadat Hossain, Tofail Ahmed, former election commissioner M Shakhawat Hussain, former ambassador Humayun Kabir and Prof Naseem Akhter Hussain.

Bangladesh Islami Front: Former secretary Abdul Karim, former judge Khademul Islam Chowdhury, Brig Gen (retd) Khurshid Alam, former judge Ismail Mia and Saikhul Hadith Kazi Moinuddin Ashrafi .