People of the country will no longer fall into Awami League’s trap over the election, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today while criticising the search committee.

Citizens’ platform Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) yesterday urged the search committee to work with full transparency by making public the names of the political parties and their proposed individuals for the roles of new chief election commissioners and other ECs respectively.

The search committee, tasked with recommending 10 names to the president to form the next Election Commission, shortened the proposed list of 322 to some 50 people.

Political parties that have yet to make their recommendations for forming the new election commission can still send the names of their nominees to the search committee by February 24.

One year has passed since Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury took charge, but most of his prioritised pledges are yet to be fulfilled.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today alleged that the search committee is working to form another Election Commission (EC) “obedient” to the government like the outgoing one.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said, “The caretaker government system was introduced in the country to hold free, fair, and transparent elections. This system, however, was destroyed by BNP.”

There is no democracy in the country, and the polls here do not reflect the will of the masses, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar said yesterday, his last day in office.

Police yesterday arrested two people who were photographed toting guns during the February 7 Khagaria Union Parishad election in Satkania, Chattogram.

Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad yesterday demanded at least one election commissioner be from religious and ethnic minority communities.

Almost one third of the individuals recommended to be in the next Election Commission are former bureaucrats.

Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said they have had successes but at the same time failed to earn the confidence of many political parties and fully check polls violence.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy has levelled hefty money laundering allegations against BNP leaders, including Tarique Rahman, backed by evidence from top global watchdogs.

The search committee will disclose all the names proposed for the posts of the chief election commissioner and other commissioners today, said its head, Justice Obaidul Hassan. 

The outgoing Election Commission has conducted its duties successfully and tried to work with neutrality within the law, said Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday.

Five years ago, the Bangladesh Tariqat Federation attracted public attention after the formation of the Election Commission because CEC KM Nurul Huda and election commissioners Rafiqul Islam and Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury were appointed as per recommendations made by the party.

Eminent citizens yesterday suggested the search committee disclose the names of its picks for the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners before sending the nominations to the president.

Faced with huge criticism for his recent remarks over his party’s stance, Jatiya Party co-chairman Moshiur Rahman Ranga apologised yesterday and pledged to not make such comments in the future.

Almost all major opposition parties have refrained from submitting names to the search committee for forming the next Election Commission, citing a lack of confidence in the committee.

The National Central Bureau at the police headquarters has asked CID to investigate whether Harris Chowdhury, former BNP leader and fugitive convict in the August 21 grenade attack case, is dead.