Online Desk: US political analyst Terry L Easley has said the demand of independent caretaker government is unconstitutional under the current situation. “Your constitution doesn’t approve the caretaker government.” He said, “On behalf of the international monitoring team, we want to say that the Election Commission in approved by the constitution and it is independent. So, it could organise fair elections.”

The political analyst said, “You need to amend the constitution if you want caretaker government. And the Election Commission can’t do that because it has not the legal framework. We talked about that and it is not possible.” He said, “We think that the commission will be able to organise fair elections under this government. I do not represent the US government. Recently, the US Secretary of State said they want free and fair elections in the country and we also think that the Election Commission will be able to conduct fair elections.”

On the invitation of the Election Monitoring Forum, the International Election Monitoring Commission team held a meeting with the Election Commission, Home Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs on Sunday. The foreign observers also met the EC in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Sunday morning.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal, four election commissioners — Ahsan Habib Khan, Md Alamgir, Rasheda Sultana and Anisur Rahman — were present there. Political analyst from Japan and social worker Yosuke Suga and ND Lin from China were also present. European Union representative journalist Nick Paul said, “We had a fruitful discussion with the Election Commission and we hope that election will be held according to the constitution and it will be free and fair.”

Election Monitoring Forum (EMF) chairman Abed Ali said there had a cordial discussion and the visiting delegation want to know about the preparation of the upcoming national election and the recently held city corporation elections. He said the foreign observers from US and European Union want to come in next election and they want to know the regulation in this regard. The EC told them that it had no obstruction. He said the delegation also talk about the EC’s steps taken against the attack on Hero Alam during Dhaka-17 election. EC had informed them that the attackers were held and they will be punished according to the law, he added.

EMF directors Professor Dr Mahfuzul Islam, Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad and vice-president of SAARC Human Rights Foundation Mizanur Rahman Mazumdar were also present.