Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, head of the Election System Reform Commission and the secretary of the civil society platform SHUJAN, has called for individuals responsible for mass killings, enforced disappearances, and severe human rights violations to be excluded from future elections.
Speaking as the chief guest at a Reporters' Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED) talk on Tuesday, at Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon, Badiul reiterated the commission's recommendation to the Election Commission to prevent those involved in crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killings from participating in elections.
He emphasized that the majority of the population does not support allowing such individuals to return to power.
"We do not seek to exclude anyone from the electoral process," Badiul Alam clarified. "Our aim is to ensure that those who have committed serious wrongdoings are held accountable through a fair judicial process."
He said the commission has also suggested the formation of a commission to conduct an impartial investigation into election rigging in the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections.
Badiul said anyone found guilty of aiding in the manipulation of these elections should face justice, including those involved in previous election commissions.
"No one wants a return to the corrupt electoral practices of the past," he added. "We must free the electoral system from criminal influence and ensure fair elections moving forward."
