Foreigners have not put pressure on Election Commission over polls: EC Alamgir
"We are not worried about the election. The election will be held on time," Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said
Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said today that the foreign delegations that met the Election Commission did not put any pressure regarding the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls.
"They [foreigners] have not put any pressure on us and they do not have the right to put pressure. We are an independent and sovereign country," EC Md Alamgir said following an exchange meeting with the Jamalpur district administration, police administration and election-related government officials on Wednesday (6 December), reports Prothom Alo.
"The Election Commission is an independent institution. They want to know what measures we have taken to make the elections fair, free and peaceful," he added.
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Earlier, journalists had asked the Election Commission whether there is any pressure from foreign delegations over the upcoming election scheduled to take place on 7 January.
"We are not worried about the election. The election will be held on time," Md Alamgir said.
In response to a question whether the election will be acceptable to foreigners without BNP joining the polls, he said, "If any political party does not want to participate in the election, it is their democratic right. No one has the right to interfere there. The Election Commission also has no right to interfere in that matter."
He added: "If the election is free, fair and peaceful and if the voter turnout is good, the election will be acceptable at home and abroad."
Regarding the instances of code of conduct reportedly being violated by candidates, EC Md Alamgir said, "Many people do not know which code of conduct is being violated. Not everyone reads the law. When elections come in the country, everyone takes it as a festival. As a result, many things are done out of joy and passion.
"When the magistrates see this, issue a show cause notice, conduct a hearing and ask the candidate why they have broken the code of conduct, they give explanations. They are normally excused the first time but if they do it again, they will be finned."
The meeting was held in the auditorium of the Jamalpur Deputy Commissioner's office. Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Shafiur Rahman presided over it.
Superintendent of Police Md Kamruzzaman, regional election officer of Mymensingh Belayet Hossain and district election officer Mohammad Shaniazzaman Talukdar along with senior officials of the local administration were present at the meeting.
