Staff Correspondent

Pledging to hold a free and fair election, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin says the Election Commission has ‘good intentions.’

“Be assured that our intentions are good. I can say confidently that there’ll be a good election,” he told the media following the swearing-in of the election regulator by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed at the Supreme Court Judge’s Lounge on Sunday.

“We need the cooperation of the people and political parties. With the cooperation of everyone, we’ll give a free, fair and credible election to the nation,” the CEC said.

Asked if the Election Commission would begin electoral activities after reforms, or whether it would start right away, he said: “See, reform is a continuous process. However, we’ll need some essential reforms to hold an election.”

“Some people are talking about proportional representation while some are saying FPTP - that is the existing system - is needed. Which one should we follow if the Constitution doesn’t decide on it? To hold an election, the current generation - which has eagerly waited for years to cast their votes - should be brought under a voter list. We need to make a voter list,” he explained.

The CEC said the Election Commission would be advised on where the reforms were needed, as a reform commission was there to guide the EC. “Let’s see what recommendations they draw and which of them are acceptable. We’ll implement those.”

The commission’s “journey will be aimless” if the Constitution is not proper, the CEC said. The reform commission was working on the election as well, he said, adding it would not take much time as the government has set a deadline in December.

Earlier, the Nasir-led Election Commission took their oaths of office from the chief justice.

Nasir was the first to take his oath. The four other election commissioners took their oaths of office afterwards.

The other new members of the electoral watchdog are Md Anwarul Islam Sarker, a retired additional secretary, Abdur Rahmanel Masud, a district and sessions judge, Tahmida Ahmad, a retired joint secretary, and retired brig gen Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah.

The new EC is sworn in as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus lays out plans to continue state reforms before holding the next general election.