Bangladesh Election Commission Warns Local Polls May Delay National Elections
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The Bangladesh Election Commission has expressed concerns that conducting local government elections before national polls could result in significant delays. They oppose proposals for simultaneous elections, emphasizing that local elections take nearly a year due to their phased nature. Political tensions are escalating as parties debate the election schedule amidst allegations of conspiracies.
Key Takeaways
- EC warns that local polls before national elections will cause delays.
- Local elections typically take nearly a year to complete.
- EC has rejected proposals for simultaneous elections.
- Political tensions rise as parties clash over election scheduling.
- BNP expresses concerns about a conspiracy to delay elections.
Dhaka, March 18 (NationPress) The Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has cautioned that conducting local government elections prior to the national elections could lead to delays in parliamentary voting.
Rejecting the idea of completing both national and local government elections within a four-month period, the EC highlighted that local elections typically require almost a year to finalize, as these elections are conducted in phases.
On Monday, the EC communicated its views to the National Consensus Commission of Bangladesh, opposing several reform suggestions concerning the elections. "In correspondence with Ali Riaz (Vice-Chair of the National Consensus Commission), we have submitted our opinions, presenting differing perspectives on certain proposals," EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was reported as stating by the Bangladeshi media outlet UNB.
According to the leading newspaper Daily Star, the EC has raised objections to various reform proposals, including those pertaining to the delimitation of constituencies, the scheduling of local government elections, and the national elections, as well as investigations against election commissioners.
"Moreover, the EC opposed the suggested Election Commission Ordinance 2025, which aims to establish criminal accountability for election commissioners for not ensuring fair elections. The EC argued that this clause would undermine the independence of the commissioners and subject them to political pressures," the newspaper mentioned.
Earlier this month, the Bangladesh Election Commission declared that it would be unfeasible to hold local elections before the national elections. This assertion emerged amidst ongoing disputes among major political parties in Bangladesh regarding the order of the elections.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has also cast doubt on the feasibility of national parliamentary elections occurring in December. Senior members of the party suspect that a "conspiracy" is afoot to postpone the elections, allegedly orchestrated by the interim government under Muhammad Yunus.
Last week, a member of the BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council, Zainul Abedin Farroque, accused the National Citizen Party (NCP) of instigating turmoil to delay the national election.
The much-touted unity among various political factions in Bangladesh, which was prominently displayed during the ousting of the democratically-elected Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, appears to be diminishing. As the nation has faced a crisis over the past seven months, numerous political leaders who previously supported Yunus are now publicly criticizing him, particularly regarding the extensive delay in conducting national elections.
