Advisor Touhid highlights three key challenges to ensuring fair elections

The government will encourage a ‘Yes’ vote, but the decision will rest with the people, he says

The interim government faces three key challenges in conducting the parliamentary election and the referendum in a free and fair manner, Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain has said.

The first is ensuring voters can exercise their right to vote, the second is counting ballots accurately, and the third is declaring as winner the candidate who secures the highest number of votes.

Touhid outlined the challenges on Tuesday afternoon at an exchange meeting with election officials, law-enforcing agencies and government officers in Barguna.

Addressing election officials and members of the security forces, he said they may have personal preferences, but those must not influence the electoral field in any way.

Reiterating the interim government’s position, he said it would remain fully neutral in the parliamentary election and was committed to ensuring a credible vote.

On the referendum, Touhid said the government would campaign in favour of a “Yes” vote, but stressed that the final decision would be made by the people.

No manipulation would be allowed in the polls, he added.

He also urged journalists to play a positive role in encouraging voters to turn out at polling centres.