No intention of imposing views on anyone: CEC on EVM

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said the commission does not want to impose its views about the electronic voting machine (EVM) on anyone.

"We have informed everyone that we have not yet made a final decision on EVMs," he said at a meeting regading EVMs with 10 registered political parties, including the Jatiya Party in the capital's Agargaon on Sunday (19 June) afternoon.

"Our discussion today will be limited to EVMs. We don't want to discuss anything else today. You will get more opportunities for that," the CEC said. 

"We have used the EVM. Our purpose is to give you an idea about EVMs. But your opinion, it will be your independent opinion. We cannot impose any opinion on anyone, we will not do so, we have no such desire," he addressed the parties. 

"If you have any question you can ask. Our experts will answer you", he added.

Representatives of Jatiya Party, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Jaker Party, Bangladesh Muslim League, Gono Front, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) and Bangladesh Congress attended the meeting Sunday (19 June) to share their views. 

Gono Forum, Krishak Sramik Janata League and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) did not attend the meeting despite receiving invitations. 

Election Commissioners Retired District and Sessions Judge Begum Rashida Sultana, Brigadier General (Retd) Ahsan Habib Khan, Retired Senior Secretary Mohammad Alamgir and Anisur Rahman were present at the meeting.