New Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said members of the new Election Commission will win the hearts of the people by holding free, fair and credible elections.
"We want to prove through our work that we are neutral. We will try our best to win the confidence of all," he told journalists in the seminar room of the EC Secretariat.
He said holding the next election is the commission's prime objective. "We will do whatever is necessary to hold free, fair and credible elections," he said adding that the new commission will maintain continuation of the work done by the outgoing EC.
Earlier, the new CEC and three new election commissioners -- Mohammad Abu Hafiz, Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, and Brig Gen (retd) Md Zabed Ali -- were sworn in at a simple ceremony which started at 4:30pm in the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge. Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain administered the oath. The ceremony was emceed by Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam.
Another newly appointed Election Commissioner Mohammad Shahnewaz did not take his oath yesterday, as the tenure of one of the outgoing election commissioners, Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain, has yet to expire.
Shahnewaz might take his oath shortly after Shakhawat's tenure expires on February 14.
After taking the oaths, the CEC and the three election commissioners went to the chief justice's office room, and spent a few moments there before coming out to talk to the media briefly.
The CEC, who had a very illustrious career in the civil service, said, "Election is a continuous process. Free, fair and neutral election is our fundamental right. Not only ours, it also remains in the universal declaration of human rights. It exists everywhere, in every country. Our target is also the same."
Replying to a query about how they will win the confidence of the main opposition BNP since it termed the formation of the new EC illegal, Rakibuddin said, "Politics is a continuous process. Different political parties have their individual ideologies and strategies. But, we think we will try to satisfy all political parties, the people, and other stakeholders through our work."
"We have just started our journey. We will try our level best to present free, fair and neutral elections one after another," he said.
The new CEC said if due process is followed, elections can be held freely and fairly.
Finishing the formalities at the Supreme Court the members of the new EC went to their secretariat at Sher-e-Banglanagar, where the EC Secretariat officials welcomed them with bouquets. They did not go to their own rooms and instead went to the seminar room where they got introduced to the secretariat staff. The CEC also briefly talked to the media there one more time.
President Zillur Rahman on Wednesday formed the new five-member EC amid rejection by BNP. The new EC will have a five-year tenure, and will hold the next parliamentary election scheduled for early 2014.
The Cabinet Division published a relevant gazette notification hours after the president formed the new EC.