No concerns about fair elections: EC Machud

Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Machud said that the cultural environment of voting has changed in the country. There is no concern about fair elections. We can confirm that the Election Commission is not under pressure from any party. The law and order situation in the country is also quite good now. There is a quite supportive environment for the elections. There will be no election engineering this time. He told reporters after a view-exchange meeting organized on the occasion of the 13th National Parliament Election and Referendum at Rangpur Circuit House on Saturday (February 7) afternoon.

Rahmanel Machud said, we are going to different places. Returning officers, assistant returning officers, 1.8 million officials and employees engaged in election work, police force, BGB, army, Ansar are all committed to giving the nation a good election. That kind of mentality is present among them. The law and order situation is also comparatively good.

He said that there is no pressure on the Election Commission regarding the current situation in the country. However, we must cooperate to make the elections easy and acceptable. Our clear message is that we are against these movements that are detrimental to the elections. People must take action to ensure a fair environment for the elections.

EC Machud said that there have been major changes in the country's political environment and voting culture. The leaders of the two major parties have kept the promise of the Election Commission to maintain a fair environment for the elections. As promised by the Election Commission, the party leaders have removed their posters and canceled their tours.

He said that what the leaders of the political parties are saying against each other is part of the election war, a political strategy. We condemn all kinds of violence and killings in the country. At the same time, the law enforcement agencies have been asked to conduct a fair investigation, condemning the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi.

Members of the District Law and Order Cell, Vigilance and Observation Team, Election Investigation and Judicial Committee, and Executive Magistrates in charge of 6 parliamentary constituencies of Rangpur district participated in the meeting.

Regional Election Officer Delwar Hossain, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Enamul Ahsan, Rangpur District Police Superintendent Marufat Hossain, Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Tofail Hossain and others were present at the time.