TDS Desk:

Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, who tendered his resignation on Thursday said that the last general election was controversial due to its lack of inclusiveness.

“Since the election did not include participation from all political parties, it became controversial, which is logical,” Awal said at a press conference in Nirbachon Bhaban, where he announced the resignation of himself and other election commissioners.

Kazi Habibul Awal admitted that there was no need for vote-rigging and exercising influence from the government since it was a one-party election. “The election was held within the party. It was within not between (the parties),” he said.

But in the 53-year history of Bangladesh, there is no instance that any election commission voluntarily resigned, cancelling an election by ignoring the constitution, he said.

In the past two years, the Election Commission conducted elections and by-polls across 992 Union Parishads, 496 Upazila Parishads, 71 Zilla Parishads, 90 municipalities, and 16 City Corporations, according to Awal.

“These elections did not face the widespread controversy or criticism seen in previous polls,” he claimed.

Reflecting on past elections, including those in 2008, 2014, and 2018, Awal said his commission made efforts to conduct all elections with caution, considering the historical challenges.