EC addresses TIB concern, warns candidates over dual citizenship

Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed has said the process of renouncing citizenship is time-consuming, responding to concerns raised by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) about candidates holding dual citizenship. 

The commission can take action at any time if a candidate is found to have concealed information under a new provision of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), he warned yesterday (22 January) after meetings with officials of mobile operators, banks and the BNCC at Nirbachan Bhaban. 

Akhtar said more than 16,000 Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) volunteers will work to support law and order during the election, adding that their command structure and deployment plan will be finalised on Sunday (25 January).

He added that vote counting in the upcoming national election may take more time because voters will cast ballots on two papers and that the number of candidates is higher nationwide.

He said around 500 foreign observers and journalists will arrive for the election. The EC has invited 83 organisations, of which 36 have confirmed, he stated.

According to him, 56 EU representatives are currently in Dhaka, and the number may rise to 275–300. Ten from the Commonwealth and nine from Turkey are also expected. On-arrival visa facilities will be provided.

On preventing the influence of black money, he said discussions were held on mobile banking. 

There is no plan for a full shutdown, but a transaction limit may be set, and the same policy may be applied to internet banking, he added.