The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission is considering holding of national and upazila polls simultaneously, Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda told newsmen yesterday after inspecting the elections of the FBCCI governing body.

The EC, earlier, had planned local government polls ahead of national elections, but the decision ran into fierce opposition from most political parties, including the Awami League.

Meanwhile, Speaker Jamirdduin Sircar Sunday said that the caretaker government must prioritise national elections over the local government polls as he said a parliamentary election is its main job.

The election the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) began at 9:00 am Monday and continued till 4:30pm for the voters to elect 12 directors each from chamber and association groups. Out of 1,551 voters 1,441 have exercised their voting rights.

The rate of casting vote from association group is 91.90 per cent and 96.83 per cent from the chamber group.

Both the panel leaders have expressed their satisfaction over the holding of election in the free and fair environment.

"FBCCI is holding both chamber group and association group elections together here. We are also considering holding the national and upazila polls simultaneously. No decision has been taken on the issue though," said CEC ATM Shamsul Huda.

He said FBCCI is using transparent ballot boxes in the elections. "We'll collect sample boxes and test their suitability."

Meanwhile, 14 directors-seven members from chamber group and seven from association group- have been elected.

All 38 directors will elect the president, one senior vice president and one vice president on Wednesday.

Former BGMEA president Annisul Huq and former FBCCI director MA Rouf Chowdhury are contenders for the president post.

Prof Ali Ashraf, chairman of the election board, told newsmen that elections are being held at the FBCCI using transparent ballot boxes.

"The ballot boxes have been brought in from abroad as a test case, but such boxes can also be made locally," he said.

The CEC has expressed satisfaction over the FBCCI polls, Ashraf said. The national elections can also be held successfully if the Election Commission demonstrates "expected skills and sincerity", he added.

Local observers like FEMA and Democracy Watch have monitored the FBCCI election.

Executive Director of Democracy Watch Taleya Rehman expressed her satisfaction saying that the election was held in a fair manner.