Our whole focus is on national election, not any other polls: EC Sanaullah

The Election Commission has its full focus on the next parliamentary polls, not any other elections, said Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah today.

"I would like to say categorically that our overall focus is on the national election. It would not be the right thing to hold any event that would disrupt the national election," he said when asked whether the commission will hold the local body elections as test cases before the national polls.

Sanaullah was talking to journalists after the new commission's second meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commission AMM Nasir Uddin, in the capital.

During the meeting, the commission also decided to take an initiative to keep the national identity (NID) activities under it, cancelling the National Identity Registration Act and restoring the related act of 2010, he said.

About the proposal that came from different quarters over holding the national polls with elections to all types of local bodies simultaneously, Sanaullah said the proposal is not realistic.

He said, "If preparations for the national election are in place, preparations for all other elections are naturally completed.

"In the current changing situation, a reform commission is working, and if any laws or regulations need to be amended, there is a set timeline for that.

"In Bangladesh's reality, weather is a factor too. Nevertheless, we will work according to the decisions made by the relevant ministry and the reform commission," said the election commissioner.

"However, if the government wants us to hold all elections simultaneously, our position is that holding all elections together will not be appropriate. It is also not feasible to hold all local government elections at once as well."

So far, no letter has been issued by the local government ministry regarding this matter, Sanaullah said. "However, we have proactively discussed this issue in light of ongoing discussions."