Mohammadi News Agency News – Features – Photo
MNA National Desk: Civil society members who joined the Election Commission’s maiden dialogue on Monday suggested the commission to keep ‘No’ vote as an option to show no confidence in candidates should be included in the ballot papers for the next national polls.
Most of the civil society members also recommended the Commission to take proper step for ensuring the participation of all political parties in the next election and removing the fear of voters.
They recommended defining army as law enforcers so that they can be engaged in the next polls or holding it in a free and fair manner. However, some of them opposed deployment of army in the election.
The commission sat for the dialogue with some members of the civil society around 11:00am and the proposals were tabled there.
The EC earlier invited 59 civil society members to join the dialogue.
The participants include former caretaker government advisers Rasheda K Chowdhury and M Hafizuddin Khan, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Mohammed Farasuddin, CPD distinguished fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, local government expert Dr Tofail Ahmed, TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman, former diplomat Md Golam Hossain, former foreign secretary Mohiuddun Ahmed, former secretaries AHM Kashem and Abdul Latif Mandal, Prof Syed Anwar Hussain, Prof MM Akash, Prof Salimullah Khan, Prof Mahbuba Nasreen, Prof Tareque Shamsur Rahman, Nijera Kori executive director Khushi Kabir, general secretary of Bangladesh Engineers Peoples Forum Sanjeeb Drong, president of Move Foundation Saiful Haque, Brotee CEO Sharmin Murshid, Janipop chairman Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, media personalities Mizanur Rahman Khan (Prothom Alo) and BLIA director Waliur Rahman.
