No shift from Dec 18 election fixture

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday reassured a crowd of professional experts and politicians that the parliamentary poll will be held on the announced date of December 18.
He said all apprehensions regarding holding of the election will be removed as soon as the Election Commission (EC) announces the detailed poll schedule on November 1 or 2.
"If the army wanted to defer or hinder the December 18 election, they could have delayed handing over the voter list to the Election Commission. But they handed it over 15 days ahead of the deadline," he added.
He made the comments as the chief guest to a roundtable discussion titled 'Elections 2008: Our Expectations' organised by the
vernacular daily Prothom Alo in its office auditorium in the capital, where almost all speakers expressed their doubts over holding of the national election on schedule.
They said a congenial environment for a fair and credible election is yet to be created in the country, and the people are concerned as the state of emergency is still in effect.
Some speakers said they found people of all walks of life including government officials murmuring their doubts about holding of the election on schedule.
They said corruption suspects have already been released and the government and EC have conceded too much to some political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami on different issues -- a development which erodes public confidence.
The CEC said his commission would cancel candidacies of the candidates convicted in criminal cases, had the appellate court not stayed their convictions following appeals.
The EC already completed all preparatory work related to holding of the election including preparing the voter list, amending the electoral rules and the electoral code of conduct, appointments of electoral staff, and establishment of offices at upazila levels, Shamsul Huda added.
"The electronic data base of voters is a great achievement for the nation, and there is no problem with its security," he said.
He also said two consignments of transparent ballot boxes already reached the country, and the rest will arrive soon.
"Three and a half lakh manpower for holding the national election and another five and a half lakh manpower for the upazill elections will be needed. The Election Commission has already changed the Representation of the People Order 2008 enough times on request of the political parties, and it will not be changed anymore," he said adding that the EC will give registration certificates to Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Jatiya Party (Manju), as they met the prerequisites for political parties' mandatory registration with the commission.
He hoped that all other political parties including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami will also get registered with the commission soon.
He said the EC has already taken steps to ensure law and order during the election.
"We've a plan to hold the election keeping the striking forces in reserve, so no panic is created among voters," he said adding that candidacies will be cancelled if candidates violate the electoral code of conduct.
He said being inspired by different sections of the people, the commission had planned to hold the national and upazila elections simultaneously, but the political parties opposed holding of upazila elections right on the heels of the parliamentary poll.
"The government is now dealing with the political parties. The decision regarding holding of the upazila elections is now up to the government," he noted.
The CEC said magistrates will be assigned to monitor whether candidates are providing the required eight-point information to the EC during submission of nomination papers, or applications for candidacies in cases of independent candidates.
Acting General Secretary of Awami League Syed Ashraful Islam hoped that the national election will be held on December 18, and the emergency will be lifted during the poll period.
He, however, apprehended that candidates free of the stigma of corruption will be difficult to find in the upcoming elections as 'the world champions of corruption' have been released from jails.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Chairman Prof Muzaffer Ahmad said the election is a mean to restoring democracy, but the political parties have been treating it as an end.
"We expect the political parties to nominate competent and honest candidates to form an effective parliament, otherwise the rule of law will be violated in many different ways," he said.
He suggested formation of a review committee for scrapping of false cases against indicted political leaders, in order to maintain adherence to the rule of law.
Prof Muzaffer added that the government is duty-bound to ensure public security during elections.
President of Bangladesh Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon said the parliamentary election must be held on December 18, and any alternative will be very dangerous for the nation.
"If the election date is deferred, that would mean the election will not be held in 2009," he said.
He also said elections amid the state of emergency will not be acceptable.
"Corrupt people have been getting treatment abroad after being released from jails while over eight crore voters are languishing under the state of emergency. This is not desired. I can't launch a political campaign due to the emergency. I don't know when the government will lift the emergency and when we can campaign," he said.
Candidates with criminal convictions should not be allowed to contest in elections until the courts overturn the convictions, he added.
Menon said his party wants increased participation of women in elections.
Former adviser to a caretaker government SM Shahjahan said the confusions over holding of the election must be removed.
"If the election is not held on December 18, anarchy will engulf the country," he warned.
Moderated by Editor of the Prothom Alo Matiur Rahman, the roundtable was also addressed by Jatiya Party Presidium Member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, FBCCI President Annisul Huq, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekheruzzaman, Prof Dilara Zaman, and legal expert Dr Shahdeen Malik, among others.