The 12 distinguished citizens invited by the search committee have asked for appointment of skilled, honest, acceptable and non-partisan persons in the next Election Commission.
Published : 31 Jan 2017, 01:56 AM
The search committee headed by Appellate Division judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain sat with them at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge on Monday.
After the two-hour meeting started at 4pm, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told the media: "All the citizens advised the search committee to recommend honest, skilled, acceptable, neutral and non-partisan persons for the next EC."
The Cabinet Division is providing secretarial help to the committee.
Former High Court judge Justice Abdur Rashid, Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury, former University Grants Commission chairman and Dhaka University vice-chancellor AK Azad Chowdhury, former DU VC SMA Faiz and former adviser to the caretaker government Sultana Kamal attended the meeting, responding to the committee's call.
Sakhawat told reporters that none of them proposed any name for the next EC.
"We have placed a set of proposals. I hope the search committee will recommend neutral and acceptable persons for the next EC," he added.
He also said they recommended at the meeting that some standards in the selection process be maintained.
"Persons who can gain people's trust at first look should be picked. They also have to be skilled in administrative work and neutral."
Sultana Kamal said their proposals were only on what type of persons the people want to see in the commission, not on any particular individuals.
She said they asked for picking honest, transparent and competent persons for the EC.
"We want to see such persons in the commission who can conduct fair election…they will have to keep in mind that they have a moral responsibility. It's not a matter of getting an opportunity, but a national duty," she added.
Asked about the BNP's doubt over the search committee's impartiality, the former adviser to the caretaker government said, "Some persons don't trust while the others do. But only standing on lack of trust will stop us from going forward. The lack of trust has at least been solved to some extent by the formation of the search committee."
About the members of the search committee, she said, "I think they are very honourable persons. They have been doing their professional duties with competence for a long time."
"To put trust is also the people's moral duty. Neither the EC nor the search committee foils polls. The political parties are to blame for this," she added.
Professor Tofayel said they advised the committee to maintain transparency in order to increase the public trust.
"The committee has taken our views positively," he said.
Shujan Secretary Badiul and Prof Abul Kashem said their proposals were similar to the others.
Prof Serajul declined comment on the meeting.
The search committee in its first meeting held in the same venue on Saturday decided to invite them. On Monday, it invited five more distinguished citizens to hear their opinions.
They are former CEC Mohammad Abu Hena, Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud, daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam and retired major general Abdur Rashid.
President Md Abdul Hamid formed the search committee and gave them 10 working days to recommend names for the next EC. He will pick out the next CEC and election commissioners from the recommended names.
The other members of the committee are High Court judge Justice Obaidul Hassan, Bangladesh Public Service Commission Chairman Dr Muhammed Sadique, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Masud Ahmed, Dhaka University English Department Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, and Chittagong University Pro-VC Shireen Akhter.
Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam hopes the committee would be able to recommend the names within the stipulated time, Feb 8, and the new commission will be finalised within Feb 14.