BNP's 36-point proposal to EC

BNP has submitted a 36-point proposal to the Election Commission (EC) to make the upcoming national parliamentary elections free, fair and participatory. BNP National Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moin Khan presented these proposals after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Building in Agargaon in the capital on Thursday (October 23).

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Dr. Moin Khan said, "We hope that the upcoming elections will be held in a festive atmosphere. The concerns about law and order will be removed." He added, "The past three elections were a farce. We have warned the commission to be aware of controversial and biased people."

BNP was also present at the meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half, with party chairperson's advisor Ismail Zabiullah and former Election Commission Secretary Dr. Mohammad Zakaria.

Summary of BNP's 36-point main proposals

The main goal of BNP's proposals was administrative neutrality, ensuring free voting rights and increasing transparency during the election period. The important parts of the proposals are mentioned below—

1. Neutral election-time government: BNP has demanded that the current interim government and the EC, on the model of a caretaker government, must guarantee 100% neutrality.

2. Administrative reorganization: Administrative balance during the election period must be brought by rearranging field administration officers—DC, UNO, SP, OC.

3. Removal of controversial officials: Controversial officials involved in previous elections must be removed from election duties.

4. Appointment of returning officers: Along with the administration, experienced officials of the Election Commission must be appointed as returning officers.

5. Election-time security: Deployment of all law enforcement agencies including the army, BGB, RAB and police must be ensured a week before the election.
6. Election Observation: Commission officials should be given magistrate powers so that they can quickly deal with violations of law and order and code of conduct.
7. Installation of CCTV cameras: Demands were made to install CCTV cameras to make the activities of polling stations observable.
8. Complaint Redress Center: It was proposed to set up a 'Complain Redress Center' at the district and upazila levels and resolve complaints within 12 hours.
9. Suspension of election of committees of educational institutions: The directive to elect the governing committees of educational institutions during the national elections should be canceled.
10. No appointment of party organization employees: Officials of institutions such as Islami Bank, Al-Arafah Bank, Ibn Sina, etc. cannot be made polling officers.
11. Withdrawal of false cases: False cases filed against political leaders and activists should be withdrawn before the election schedule is announced.
12. Deposit of weapons: Weapons distributed during the previous government should be deposited with the state and illegal weapons should be recovered.
13. Control of financial power: BNP demanded that elections be held free from the influence of money and muscle power.
14. Suppression of electoral violence: Any violence around the polling station must be suppressed immediately.
15. Transparency of vote counting: Results must be announced immediately after the counting of votes at each polling station.
16. Rights of expatriate voters: Transparency and timely measures must be taken in exercising the voting rights of expatriates in postal ballots.

In addition, the BNP called on the Election Commission to be “fearless” in exercising the powers granted by the constitution and law. The party says that the election must not only be free and fair, but it must also be visibly fair to the people.

Debate and clarification

However, in response to a question from journalists after the meeting, Dr. Abdul Moin Khan said, “We have not given any written proposal.” Although a written document titled ‘Proposals to be done in the interest of fair and fair elections’ was seen in his hand, which indicates that the BNP has officially handed over these proposals to the EC.

According to political analysts, BNP's 36-point proposal is essentially a "neutral election outline" emerging from the experience of previous elections, which, if implemented, will increase public confidence in the elections.
It is necessary to ensure that all weapons given to the government at the party's discretion during the previous fascist government's tenure are submitted to the government.

13. Immediate measures must be taken to recover the countless illegal weapons spread across the country.

14. Arrangements must be made to stop the infiltration of illegal weapons, fake money, and black money coming through the border.

15. All contractual appointments in all government, semi-government, and autonomous election-related institutions and embassies must be canceled.

16. The elections must be free, credible, peaceful, and impartial. A favorable environment and opportunity must be created for the voters to exercise their voting rights freely by removing all possible obstacles.

17. All possible opportunities for rigging in the elections must be prevented and accurate and error-free results must be ensured.

18. The use of money, muscle power, and influence in the exercise of voting rights at polling stations must be prevented.

19. No outsider will be able to participate in the election campaign in the constituency.

20. The members of the Election Commission must be loyal to the constitutional oath taken and perform their duties impartially and courageously. They must be fearless in exercising the powers granted by the constitution and law to make the election free and fair.

21. The fact that the election is being free, impartial and free from fraud must be visible to the country and the nation.

22. An environment of trust must be created by ensuring the safety of all voters.

23. There must be prior arrangements to prevent any controversial statements from any political party or rival candidate.

24. All propaganda that spreads the poison of religion and sectarianism in the election must be prevented.

25. Such religious temptations or threats of religious punishments that influence voters must be prevented.

26. Arrangements must be made to hold the election free from the dishonest influence of money, corruption and violence, i.e. Triple ‘C’ (Cash, Corruption, Criminality).

27. In determining the polling stations, the highest importance should be given to bringing the polling stations closer to the voters as per the rules and regulations. It is better to determine the polling stations with as few voters as possible. This will encourage voters to easily vote at the polling stations by covering less distance.

28. Voter awareness should be created widely among the voters and the general public about all the rules and regulations of the election - voting rights, voting process, etc. through newspapers, radio-television, leaflets, etc.

29. The overall impartiality of all election officers (returning officers, assistant returning officers, executive and judicial magistrates, polling officers, law and order officers and members) mentioned in the Election Officers (Special Provisions) Act should be ensured. If any negligence is observed in this regard, the concerned officer should be immediately withdrawn and legal action should be taken.

30. Terrorist activities must be immediately suppressed not only within a radius of 400 yards of the polling station but also outside it in any part of the constituency.

31. Local observers cannot be given responsibility in their own district. Moreover, observation organizations that promote political ideology or any party ideology cannot be allowed to observe.

32. In case of deployment of Ansar and VDP, they cannot be deployed in their own district.

33. Community police cannot be deployed in any way at the polling station.

34. Voter lists with photographs must be provided to all polling agents including polling personnel on time.

35. The election results must be announced directly from each center immediately after the counting of votes is completed.

36. The right to vote by expatriates through postal ballots must be exercised with legal transparency. The list of registered expatriate voters willing to vote in postal ballots in different countries must be provided to the political parties in a reasonable time.

Incidentally, however, later Dr. Abdul Moin Khan claimed to the journalists that they had not given any written proposal. Although a document titled 'Proposals to be done in the interest of fair and impartial elections, proposed working paper for the meeting with the Election Commission' was seen in the hands of this BNP leader.