The Election Commission is not taking seriously the demands by BNP and its coalition the Jatiya Oikya Front to transfer several top-level government officials, including its Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed, according to people familiar with the matter.
Sources confirmed that the decision was taken during an informal meeting on Sunday (Nov 25), hours after a delegation of the 20-party Alliance met the chief election commissioner reiterating the demands for transferring 92 officials, which includes chiefs of district administration and district police units.
Sunday’s meeting went through the letters submitted over the last few days by the BNP, Jatiya Oikya Front and the ruling Awami League-led 14-party Alliance. It also discussed letters by returning officers from across the country.
“We have discussed several issues raised in the letters and instructed the EC Secretariat to act on some of them,” Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam told Bangla Tribune.
On the BNP’s demand for transferring officials, he said, “Anyone can come up with an allegation or demand, but actions can be only taken if they are substantiated. We have instructed to take measures on which we found valid.”
EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said no ‘major decision’ came over the BNP’s calls to transfer officials.
“It just can be done if someone demands. The Commission has issued some directives and measures will be initiated upon proper documents available from any ministry,” he told Bangla Tribune on Sunday.
According to the EC official, the Commission will only take allegations by a candidate in it cognizance. “The Commission has instructed not act on allegations brought by someone who is not a candidate or based on anonymous letters.”
Asked whether letters by political parties will be considered, he replied that they have been instructed not to take them as ‘too seriously’.
The Commission has gone through the letters by BNP and taken some decisions, said Secretary Ahmed. “We have been instructed (by the Commission) on which kind of letters or allegations to be considered.”