By NNN-BSS
Faridpur : The Election Commission of Bangladesh (EC) is now fully independent and will have its independent secretariat within a couple of weeks.
This was told by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda while exchanging views with persons involved with preparing voter list with photograph at the River Research Institute here today.
He asserted that all the works as per the election commission roadmap to hold the general elections by 2008 will be completed on time.
Dr. Huda said the government is working to prepare a level playing field to hold dialogue with the political parties soon. The CEC said there are over 170 political parties in the country but the commission will not invite all of them.
In CHITTAGONG, the work on preparing a fresh voter list with photographs and national identity cards began in Raozan and Sitakunda pourasabhas Thursday.
Official sources said District Election Office (DEO) with the cooperation of Bangladesh Army formally stated voters registration process by taking fingerprints and digitized photographs of the eligible voters in the pourasabha areas.
Separate teams of the army with necessary expertise are directly supervising and conducting the work at the registration centres already set up in the areas.
In BARISAL, the preparatory work on voter list with photographs has been progressing fast in the district. Work on the preparation of voter list with photographs will commence from the first week of October.
Some 130 Assistant Registration Officers (AROS) have been appointed for the enrollment of the voters in 30 wards of Barisal City Corporation, 85 unions and five other pourashavas of this
district, district election office sources said.