Staff correspondent :

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said that the Election Commission (EC) will inform the concerned parties so that no communal conflict takes place during the elections.
Regarding the memorandum given to the CEC on behalf of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Parishad fearing communal conflict in the upcoming National Assembly elections, he told reporters, ‘They still fear that such communal conflict or violence may occur in the future. We have been requested not to consider the matter and to do what is due on our part. We take the matter very seriously. We have also said that the matter will be looked into by law enforcement agencies. But when the matter is related to the election, that is the extent of our involvement. We will inform the government, the government’s DC, SP, home ministry and those who are responsible with it, that there should be no communal conflict or violence during the election in the country.’
A delegation of 5 members led by Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad general secretary Rana Dasgupta gave this memorandum to the EC today.
CEC said, religious or communal conflicts and violence have happened in Bangladesh many times around elections. We have taken the threat of election-centric communal conflict very seriously.
Qazi Habibul Awal said, ‘We will strictly warn them, this is never desirable. It can never be civilized behavior. It is an inhuman thing. We never condone such inhumanity. We have also requested them in this regard that you meet all concerned and express your concerns.’
He said, ‘Until 15 days after the election, we have some control over the law and order forces. We will keep an eye on it. It is their responsibility to ensure that the law and order forces maintain the communal harmony of the post-election country, avoid communal violence, conflict. If it is not, they will bear the responsibility.’
The general secretary of Oikya Parishad said, ‘We have informed about our concerns, worries and fears in view of the 12th parliamentary elections. We have made it clear that we all want to vote together. But on behalf of religious minorities, we want violence-free elections. We want an end to the use of communalism in election campaigns.’
Demanding to stop the spread of communal hatred and rumors to disrupt the smooth voting environment, he said, ‘I have received assurances from the EC before the elections in the past as well. But reassurance has always remained in reassurance, we could not be reassured. CEC assured us. But the past experience should not be repeated.’