Search committee discloses 322 names proposed for EC

The Search Committee on forming the next Election Commission (EC) on Monday published a list of 322 names proposed by different parties, organisations and individuals. 

The list includes dozens of well-known faces, but it did not mention which names were proposed by whom. See the full list here.

The list, revealed on the website of the Cabinet Division, named 61 former secretaries, 18 retired army officials including two army chiefs, 15 justices including two chief justices. Besides, it names police officials including two inspector general of police, university teachers, lawyers, human rights activists and those who have served different crucial institutions.

The most well-known faces are: former Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, former cabinet secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, former minister for religious affairs and water resources M Nazim Uddin Al Azad, an adviser to the former caretaker government and current president of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Sultana Kamal, Bishwo Shahitto Kendro Founder Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, noted author Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, former Chief Justice Syed JR Mudassir Husain, former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, former Chief Information Commissioner Prof Golam Rahman, journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, film actor and Nirapad Sarak Chai (Nischa) founder Ilias Kanchan, former election commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain, journalist Ajay Dasgupta, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, eminent jurist Dr Shahdeen Malik, former Begum Rokeya University Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, noted economist Dr Ahsan Mansur, noted fashion designer Bibi Russell, Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) Executive Director Dr Meghna Guhathakurta, adviser to a former caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury, noted educator and author Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam, economist Binayak Sen, Bangla Academy director and writer Selina Hossain, dean of Dhaka University Social Science faculty Sadeka Halim, former Bangladesh Ambassador to London MA Hannan, former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman, former Chief of Army Staff Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan and former inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque.

The search committee disclosed the names in just 15 days after its formation as it was in a hurry to form a new Election Commission. The tenure of the commission led by KM Nurul Huda ended Monday.

"The way of publishing the names is not convincing," said Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, a former election commissioner. 

The list included many people who had no idea about the election system, which was very illogical, he told The Business Standard, adding that such a process of forming election commissions was rare in the world.

He said the published list of 322 names had little importance. "The committee will submit 10 names to the president, which is very important and needs prior announcement." 

Tofail Ahmed, a local government expert, said the committee published the list to inform people about the proposed names it received from different political parties.

"Who proposed whom is not important," he told TBS, adding that mentioning the parties who proposed the names would mark a tag on the potential EC office bearers.

"The list is not the final one. The Search Committee will look for eligible ones on its own. It can finalise anyone, even out of the published list. It is the committee's decision."

"From the previous experience, we believe the prime minister and the president would finalise the EC," he added. 

Eminent jurist Shahdeen Malik said, "We (eminent citizens) suggested that the names should be revealed with the names of parties that proposed them. The way the names have been disclosed lacks transparency." 

He also said if all the political parties only propose people from whom they could get favour, a proper EC cannot be formed. 

However, Shahdeen Malik lauded the move of disclosing names saying this was "better than nothing." 

Earlier on 6 February, the committee issued a notice, seeking names to form the next election commission. It also sent letters to the registered political parties for submitting names. The committee received 329 names of candidates till Monday 5pm. 

However, the past search committees, formed in 2012 and 2017, did not disclose the proposed names despite demands from political parties.

The invited citizens at the search committee meeting called for selecting individuals who were honest, competent, brave and believed in the spirit of the liberation war.

The search committee has disclosed the names of 322 people, proposed for serving as the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners in the new Election Commission.

The complete list of the proposed candidates has been given below: