New EC in Bangladesh ahead of parliamentary elections
Dhaka, Feb 7 (IANS) Ending speculations, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid has reconstituted the Election Commission to conduct the country’s 11th general elections slated for early 2019, a media report said on Tuesday.
Hamid on Monday night appointed K.M. Nurul Huda, a former secretary, as the next Chief Election Commissioner, besides four other commissioners, Xinhua news agency reported.
The appointments came after a Presidential Search Committee submitted 10 names of prospective candidates following the examining of 125 names proposed by 25 political parties.
The move came after the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) demanded the formation of an Election Commission through consultation with all parties.
Though initially Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League (AL) rejected Zia’s demand, the party later said it was ready for the new EC.
BNP, led by ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, came with its proposals as the term of the current Election Commission is to expire on February 14.
BNP, which has alternated power with its arch rival the AL party since 1991, boycotted the election on January 5, 2014 as its demand for polls under a non-party caretaker administration remained unfulfilled.
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