Election monitoring
Photo: STAR
The lead news in The Daily Star internet edition is that "5500 local and international observers to monitor polls". There might be lot of people in Bangladesh who would be delighted to see the news and at the same time disagree with my opinion on the question of observers monitoring the elections in Bangladesh. Firstly, I am totally against any foreign or local observer doing the work: and, secondly, I find it disgraceful to the nation. These events have so far successfully managed to demonise the role and authority of the Election Commission and grown as "orchid " bodies to deter the growth of the EC as an independent and neutral institution, fully capable of conducting and monitoring the entire electoral process. The present EC is missing those two important qualities plus the courage to act independently. This has given scope to poll monitors to meddle in our election process. Their neutrality and objectives are not beyond question, at least to me. I am afraid that the poll monitors will only give rise to more controversy and disturb the smooth electoral process that could easily be organised by an efficient EC, and not the one in charge now. Proper and transparent selection procedures for ensuring the independent and neutral character of EC is vitally important. My final observation is: Over patronising of the NGOs over the last 35 years has made the moribund local government institution further moribund. This has just become a political roadmap for the neo-politicians. Similarly, over patronisation of the poll monitoring events would only cripple the EC and the electoral process. Let the EC stand on its own feet. We need right people in the EC to perform that task.
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