DHAKA: The recent appointment of a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in Bangladesh has angered the opposition which has been trying for the last several months to get the composition of non-party caretaker government changed and for reforms in the election commission.

The political parties of the country find the position of the CEC very important, as the entire administration of the government is constitutionally bound to cooperate with the Election Commission in conducting national polls, although under the supervision of an interim non-party caretaker government.

The government of Khaleda Zia appointed Justice MA Aziz, a former Supreme Court judge, as the chief election commissioner on May 23, a day after the former CEC , M.A. Syed, completed his five year term on May 21.

The largest opposition party, Awami League of Sheikh Hasina, has rejected outright the appointment of the new CEC on the grounds that the opposition was not consulted for the appointment.

M.A. Aziz, who became the ninth chief election commissioner of the country, was made a High Court Judge in 1996, when a non-party caretaker government of Justice Habibur Rahman was in power. The government of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League confirmed his job in 1998, while he was elevated to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in 2004, a little more than two years after Begum Khaleda Zia took office in October 2001.

However, immediately after being appointed the CEC, Mr Aziz told journalists that he would discharge his duties ‘in line with the provisions of the constitution, his conscience and rationality’. “I am nobody’s man, I have no political ambition whatsoever. By profession I am a judge. As the chief election commissioner, I will discharge my responsibilities in accordance with the constitution, my conscience and rationality,” he said, hoping to ‘get cooperation from all quarters, including the political parties’.

“My main duty is to hold election in a free, fair and impartial manner, and which is acceptable to all. I don’t have any enmity with or favour or disfavour towards anyone.” But the main opposition, Awami League, has rejected outright his appointment.

“The government has unilaterally appointed the chief election commissioner, without any prior consultation with the opposition parties, said League’s general secretary, M.A. Jalil, after a brief meeting of the party presidium in a few hours after the appointment.

“The BNP-Jamaat government’s unilateral appointment of the CEC proved that it was part of a blueprint of ensuring the alliance’s return to power in the coming general elections. We reject this appointment.”

The next day, on May 24, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, who kept mum on the issue for a day, commented that ‘the ruling BNP has unilaterally appointed the CEC to rig the next general elections’.

“Is there anything to help him?” Hasina posed the counter question, when a group of reporters referred to her the newly appointed CEC’s hope for the opposition cooperation in discharging his responsibilities. Most of the opposition parties and groups echoed sentiments of Sheikh Hasina. Bimal Biswas, the coordinator of the 11-Party Alliance, a political alliance of the left and liberal democratic parties and groups, told the press on May 23 that the government appointed the CEC unilaterally ‘without showing any respect to the public opinion and demand of the political parties’.

“When the entire opposition was demanding reforms in both the caretaker government system and election commission, this unilateral appointment of CEC would further fuel the course of confrontational politics.” The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (national socialist party) faction led by Hasanul Huq Inu rejected the appointment, and called upon the newly appointed CEC to ‘leave the position to honour the people’s opinion’.

The Jatiya Party faction led by Anwar Hossain Monzu said that ‘it was a desire of the people to have the CEC appointed following consultation with the opposition political parties.There is no alternative to consensus on resolving any political crisis.”