BANGLADESH

The newly-formed Election Commission will hold talks with political parties if needed regarding the use of electronic voting machines in the national polls, the chief election commissioner has said.The EC will again take the initiative to hold dialogue with political parties to make use of EVMs in the national polls acceptable to everyone. The new commission has not yet taken a decision on the matter, Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed told journalists at the EC secretariat on Tuesday.This is first time the new CEC has talked about EVMs after taking office on Feb 9.When the previous EC talked to political parties on the issue, they suggested using EVMs in other polls prior to their use in the national polls. BNP strongly opposed their use, while Awami League extended full support.At the end of the previous commissions tenure, former CEC A T M Shamsul Huda said that they are completing all preparations needed for the use of EVMs in the national polls.The former EC also instructed BUETs IICT to develop prototype of the present EVM to be used in the national polls.New CEC Kazi Rakib said, Technology has seen massive development. So we will not lag behind the technology.Talks are going on with BUET to make the current EVMs more precise and reliable, so that normal voters do not face any problems and can cast their votes properly.