CEC favours emergency until election

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TANGAIL, Oct 1 (bdnews24.com): Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said Monday the state of emergency should remain in force through to general elections for a sound law and order for fair voting.
"The law and order must be kept normal for the next parliament election to be free and fair. And to keep it normal it is necessary to continue with the state of emergency," Huda said.
He made the remarks at a meeting on the voter list and national ID cards project at Tangail Shilpakala Academy auditorium.
He singled out a flawed voter list as the main problem in the forestalled January 22 elections.
"Political parties built a movement against it and 30 people were killed. We want to hold the election with a correct voter list. We want to stop the culture of vandalism and arson."
On the participation of the army in preparing the voter list, Huda said: "When someone mentions the army, it is as if they're talking about the Pakistan army."
"In an independent Bangladesh, the army is working with the administration and with people to make the voter list. I see no problem in it. Whatever the politicians are saying, the people are attaching importance to the voter list."
The CEC said work on the list was progressing faster than expected with 10 per cent of the work already completed by September.
"If we can complete the work of voter listing by the deadline it will be a milestone in the history of Bangladesh."