United News of Bangladesh

Head of the Election System Reform Commission Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar on Saturday said the Election Commission (EC) alone cannot ensure a free and fair national election without support from the government. “If political parties indulge in muscle power and money games, a good election will not be possible,” he said while speaking at a shadow parliament debate in the capital. The debate titled ‘The Role of the election commission is Key to ensuring a fair national election’ was organised by Debate for Democracy with its chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron in the chair. Dr Majumdar said it is essential to hold the election within the announced timeframe in February, ensuring a level playing field for all parties, but he stressed that along with the EC, candidates, voters, civil society, media and political parties all must act responsibly. Removal of fascists from parliament, politics recommended: Badiul Alam Referring to student politics, he said student bodies cannot be reduced to muscle power of political parties, as the results of university student union elections may even influence the national election. Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury said political parties, the main stakeholders of elections, are yet to reach a consensus on several crucial issues, including whether to adopt the traditional or PR systems.  He said if elections cannot be held within the declared timeframe, the country could plunge into a grave crisis and urged all political parties to compromise for the sake of democracy, the country, and the people. In the debate competition, Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) defeated Sir Salimullah Medical College to emerge champions. 

The National Consensus Commission has so far received reform opinions from 21 political parties as Bangladesh Nezame Islam submitted its opinions on Monday. A delegation, led by Bangladesh Nezame Islam secretary Maulana Abu Taher handed over its reform opinions to member of the consensus commission Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar at the commission's office at the parliament complex in the city. With the Nezame Islam, a total of 21 political parties, including BNP, Bangladesh Jamaat-e Islami and newly-formed National Citizen Party (NCP) submitted their opinions. Meanwhile, the National Consensus Commission held talks with four political parties to reach a consensus over the reform initiatives taken by the interim government. The four parties are Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Labour Party and Rastra Sangshkar Andolan. BNP submits proposals on reforms to Consensus Commission The Commission will sit in dialogues with other political parties in phases after Eid-ul Fitr. The commission, spearheaded by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, started its work on February 15, 2025. The commission identified the crucial recommendations made in the reports of five reform commissions – the constitution reform commission, the public administration reform commission, the electoral system reform commission, the judiciary reform commission and the ACC reform commission – to seek opinions from the political parties. Consensus Commission to hold talks with two parties Saturday Later, the commission sent a set of recommendations in a spreadsheet format to 38 political parties asking them to send their specific opinions on the important reform recommendations by March 13.