Work neutrally for credible election

Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) President Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury yesterday said the administration will have to function neutrally during the next general election to make it free, fair and credible.
“The government officials who were promoted by political parties during their regimes must be kept away for holding free and fair polls as they might influence the election directly,” he added.
The BDB president was speaking at a press conference at its central office on Topkhana Road in the city where former lawmaker from Barguna-1 Dr Abdur Rahman Khokon and former PWD chief engineer Mohammad Eusuf joined the party.
The former president said problems of the country will reduce significantly if the countrymen cast their votes to those candidates who hate corruption and terrorism, adding that the political parties should make pledges that they would not keep any criminal and corruptionists in their respective parties.
B Chowdhury said, “We will definitely take part in the parliamentary election as we believe in election.”
Asked whether his party would join the Awami League-led grand alliance, he said they are discussing and will take a final decision after observing the attitudes and moves of other political parties.
“It is not a unilateral issue, it is a multilateral issue and so we will observe attitudes and moves of other political parties to take our decision,” he said, adding, “We have good organisations and people in half of the total parliamentary constituencies and we are capable to give nominations for over half of the total constituencies.”
He further said, “We will participate in the election for wining as well as forming a government. So, we will demand and sacrifice for the candidates who have possibility to win.”
Asked about whether they will join BNP-led four-party alliance, he said, “We will not join those parties who have confusions over Liberation War and have different ideologies.”
Prof Chowdhury said the government will have to take the security measures to ensure security and safety to voters, candidates, campaigners and poll officials.
“The country had experienced some unexpected incidents during the election in the past and it is the duty of the government to ensure security to the voters so that they can cast their votes without any fear,” he added.
Referring to the decision of providing Special Security Force (SSF) to two former premiers, he said the government could have also offered special security to him as he was the former president of the country.
BDB Secretary General Maj (retd) Abdul Mannan said they would start distributing nomination forms for the parliamentary polls from November 5 and it will be continued for three days.
“We will take part in the election and are taking preparation for it,” he said, adding that they have formed an 11-member steering committee led by its Convener Dr Nurul Amin Bepary to monitor the whole election process.
Organising Secretary Mahi B Chowdhury also took part in the conference.