Mahbub Talukdar says Huda attacked election commissioner's post by calling him a liar

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar, who has been embroiled in controversy for going against the decisions of the rest of the Election Commission, has protested the chief election commissioner’s response to his statement that there is no level playing field in the election.

In an event at Rangamati on Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda gave a speech that attacked the very post of the election commissioner, said Talukdar in a written statement on Wednesday.

He read out the rejoinder to reporters at his office.

“On Dec 18 in Rangamati, the honourable Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda called me a liar for stating there is no level playing field in the election. I strongly protest against his statement, as by saying that, he has wounded the very position an election commissioner. We must not forget that all election commissioners, including the CEC, are equal,” he said.

The BNP had complained of a lack of equal opportunity for all in the election before the announcement of the election schedule. It has been filing complaints to the Election Commission repeatedly along with its ally Jatiya Oikya Front even after the schedule was announced and campaigning began.   

Election officials have ensured an equal opportunity for everyone, Huda said in a media briefing on Saturday.

On Monday, a delegation of Jatiya Oikya Front had a meeting with the EC and repeated their complaint. Following the meeting, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar issued a written statement saying he does not believe that a ‘level playing field’ had been created for the election.

He issued the statement in response to the queries of journalists.

Huda called the statement of his colleague ‘personal and untrue’ during an event in Rangamati.

He expressed his dissatisfaction over the ‘level playing field’ in another event in Chattogram on the same day.

“The honourable CEC has made negative remarks about me earlier in several public occasions. I have never protested his statements. But I could not help myself from protesting as he said I lied when I said there is no level playing field,” Talukdar said in his statement.

He urged journalists to decide on his statement on the ‘level playing field’.

“In response to the queries of reporters, I ask them to consider the matter with your conscience. I am repeating it; please ask your conscience if there is a level playing field in the election or not?”

The ruling party leaders have called Talukdar a ‘BNP pick’ after he opposed the use of EVMs, issuing a ‘note of dissent’ and boycotting the EC meeting.

The government engaged in dialogue with political parties before the formation of the Election Commission and received their proposed names for its members. The BNP had proposed the name of Mahbub Talukdar, according to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader.