New CEC wants participation of all parties in next elections

Newly-appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has called on all political parties to participate in the next elections.

The former senior secretary made the call while talking to the media at his residence in the capital on Saturday.

The new CEC said, “A political party means it has to participate in the elections. Be it BNP or others, we will invite all to take part in the elections.”

“We will appeal to those parties who are reluctant to take part in the elections to participate in the next elections,” Habibul Awal said.

He said, "After taking oath as chief election commissioner, I will exchange views with my colleagues. We'll see what's written in the book. There are only two years left for the national elections, so we have to be prepared."

Meanwhile, earlier on the day, Anisur Rahman, a newly-appointed election commissioner, said the Election Commission (EC) is going to first sit together and identify the priorities needed to move forward.

The retired senior secretary of Energy and Mineral Resources Division said, “I will work the way I have always done, according to the rules of law. I will perform my duties with devotion as per the jurisdiction given to me‎ by the constitution. “‎

Regarding the nation’s expectation from the newly formed EC, Rahman said, “First we‎ (EC) will sit and discuss what's ahead of us, and what to do.”

Earlier on the day, the government had appointed Kazi Habibul Awal as the 13th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of Bangladesh.

The government also appointed retired sessions and district judge Begum Rashida Sultana, retired Brig Gen Md Ahsan Habib Khan, retired senior secretary Md Alamgir, and retired senior secretary Anisur Rahman as the four commissioners.