Holding election and referendum on same day is challenging for EC: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin has said that holding the national parliamentary election and the referendum on the same day will be challenging for the Election Commission (EC).

Speaking on Saturday, November 22, at an election-related workshop organised by the Asian Network for Free Elections in Gulshan, Dhaka, he said that no previous election commission had ever faced a situation where it had to conduct two nationally significant votes on the same day.

The CEC said the interim government has already sent a letter to the EC instructing it to prepare for the thirteenth national parliamentary election alongside the referendum. The law on the referendum is expected to be passed next week. Once the law is enacted, the Commission will begin preparations for holding the referendum.

He added that no earlier commission had dealt with such complexity. The current Commission is proceeding strictly in accordance with the law, and there is no alternative to this approach.

Highlighting the high public expectations, the Chief Election Commissioner said he has clearly sensed this in recent days. “Whatever challenges come, our goal is to deliver a transparent election to the nation. We have given that assurance to the political parties as well.”

“Our primary objective is to hold a free, fair, and accurate election; nothing more, nothing less,” he said.

Referring to the present political situation in Bangladesh as not very smooth, he expressed hope that a transparent election would help restore calm and normalcy. “I have full confidence that our political leadership is responsible and prudent,” he added.