Fair and acceptable election hard to imagine in current climate: NCP’s Samantha Sharmin
The NCP leader has stressed that genuine electoral credibility hinges on key reforms
Commenting on the chief adviser's announcement of an election timeframe, Samantha Sharmin, senior joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said it is difficult to even imagine a fair and acceptable election under the current context.
"Since the formation of the NCP, one party has been fixated on discussing election dates —making vague statements that avoid addressing the core issues. But simply announcing a date has no bearing on whether the election will be fair," Samantha told The Business Standard this evening (5 August).
The NCP leader stressed that genuine electoral credibility hinges on key reforms, particularly in law enforcement and the electoral system — none of which have materialised.
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"Those responsible for rigging the last three unlawful elections — within law enforcement and the administration — have not been held accountable," she noted.
She also pointed out that no elections have been held at any level across the country in the past year, making it difficult to properly assess the fairness of any upcoming national poll.
"In this context, it is difficult to even imagine a fair and acceptable election," she said, warning that the current state of electoral reform and law and order undermines public confidence in the process.
However, Samantha acknowledged that there are still seven months left in the timeframe announced by the chief adviser.
"If meaningful reforms are implemented — especially regarding electoral policy and law and order — there is still an opportunity to hold a credible election," she said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced that he will formally write to the chief election commissioner (CEC), requesting the Election Commission to hold the 13th parliamentary election in February 2026.
