'No election under political government was fair'

Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) yesterday opposed the Election Commission's (EC) planned move of using electronic voting machines (EVM) at one-third of the polling stations in the next national election.

Formed in July, LDA, an alliance of eight left-leaning parties, also demanded resignation of the present government, dissolution of parliament, forming of a non-partisan election-time government and reconstitution of the election commission before declaring the national election schedule.

LDA came up with the demands at a press conference at Mukti Bhaban, headquarters of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB).

“The government is planning to manipulate the election results through using EVM in a third of the total constituencies. We demand that the election commission drop the plan as the EVM system is not transparent and acceptable to many political parties,” CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim said at the briefing.

He added, “We want a free and fair election under an election-time neutral, caretaker government as the country's history shows no election under political government was fair and free.”

The CPB chief said a free and fair election is not possible under the present government.

He also said to ensure a neutral election-time government, constitution should be amended, otherwise, the country would be in deep crisis.

The Alliance Coordinator Saiful Haq announced their future programmes, including seminars, views-exchange meetings, and rallies during September and October.

LDA will hold a views-exchange meeting with people of different professions today, a meeting with intellectuals and civil society members on September 8, protest rallies across the country on September 10, and protest programmes in front of the election commission offices in Dhaka and other districts on September 20.