'Isolated incident': Election on track despite Hadi shooting, says CEC Nasir

He says there is “no cause for concern” about the election, insisting that the country’s law and order situation had not deteriorated

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has allayed concerns over security ahead of the upcoming national election, describing the recent shooting of Inqilab Moncho Convenor Osman Sharif Hadi as an "isolated incident".

Speaking after inaugurating a youth voter programme in Dhaka's Gulshan on Monday, CEC Nasir said that there was “no cause for concern” about the election, insisting that the country’s law and order situation had not deteriorated.

The attack on Hadi, a prospective candidate in the Dhaka-8 constituency, should not be seen as part of a wider pattern, according to him.

“The election will be held in an inclusive manner and with everyone’s cooperation. Whatever concerns may cross your mind, cast them aside."

Asked whether a deterioration in law and order posed an obstacle to a fair election, the CEC said: “Where has law and order deteriorated? Occasionally there are one or two incidents of killings or violence. This one incident involving Hadi -- we see these as isolated incidents. Such incidents have always happened.

“Wasn’t [former Gazipur MP] Ahsanullah Master murdered? Didn’t former foreign minister [Shah AMS] Kibria get killed? These things have happened many times in the past. When elections approach, such incidents occur. This is nothing new in Bangladesh. So rather than deteriorating, the law and order situation has actually improved.”

He also said law-enforcing agencies had assured the commission that they were fully prepared to maintain peace and order throughout the election period.

Nasir urged voters, particularly young people, to take part in the election and encourage others to do the same, saying the commission remained committed to delivering a free, fair and competitive poll.