BNP among 5 parties absent from EC meeting on EVMs

Five political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have refrained from taking part in the Election Commission's meeting on the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) in the next general election.

A total of 13 parties were invited to the meeting that started at 3 pm on Tuesday at the Election Commission building in the capital.

In this regard, BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told the media, "BNP will not go to any election under this government. So there is no question of going to this election-related meeting."

Representatives of Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, National People's Party (NPP), Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Islami Front, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh attended the meeting.

The BNP, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Muslim League (BML) avoided the meeting.

Of the parties that attended, only the Islamic Front Bangladesh spoke in favour of voting  by EVMs. Everyone else said EVMs should be used in the next national elections on a trial basis.

Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, organising secretary of Islamic Front Bangladesh, said, "We have no doubt about EVMs, but have doubts about the election process."

"We are worried that someone else will cast the ballot in the secret room, like the last election where voting took place a day ago. EVM will only ensure that voting will take place on the Election Day, not the day before," he added.

After a two-and-a-half-hour discussion, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said, "You have some misgivings about EVMs and we are listening to your opinions. We value them."

"Since you do not have full confidence in EVMs, we have not come to any decision yet and will not, without the opinions of all parties," he said.

Kazi Habibul Awal said the Election Commission will not work in obedience to the government. "We are working towards a truly participatory election so voters can cast their ballots freely. It is not up to us to decide who will win and who will lose," the CEC added.