The Election Commission (EC) has acted as a mere extension of the executive branch deviating from its original role as an independent body, alleges a reform commission chief.
"The Election Commission should have acted independently. However, it appeared to function under the executive branch's directives. To ensure democratic reconstruction, the appointment process must be changed, laws should be updated and those responsible for the past wrongdoings should be held accountable," Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the Electoral System Reform Commission, said on Thursday.
He was speaking at an informative dialogue on democratic reconstruction hosted by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies auditorium in Dhaka.
Badiul Alam reiterated his stance on keeping aside 100 parliamentary seats for women to combat discrimination.
"A flawed appointment system has crippled constitutional institutions, making legal and procedural reforms imperative," he said.
Former Chairman of the National Board of Revenue Muhammad Abdul Mazid, Ambassador M Shafiullah, Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director Fahmida Khatun, CGS Chairperson Munira Khan, Executive Director Zillur Rahman, BNP Chairperson's Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapon, former District Judge Ikteder Ahmed, BARVIDA founding President Abdul Haque and Gono Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury were, among others, present on the occasion.
In his speech, Zahir Uddin Swapon questioned whether an interim government is capable of implementing democratic reconstruction, emphasising that without a clear framework and stakeholder consensus, discussions may not yield any tangible outcomes.
"The current political discourse lacks substance. As much as we need to talk about constitutional bodies and the need for characteristic changes in Bangladeshi politics, the lack of substance should be our main concern with the future in mind," he said.
Zillur Rahman said reforms are essential and should be an ongoing process. "In the past 53 years, we’ve failed to establish robust institutions. Leaders may make mistakes, but a functional system provides opportunities for correction," he said.
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