Dhaka, Sept 21 (V7N) – Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed today said action will be taken in accordance with law regarding Satkhira-4 lawmaker Gazi Mohammad Nazrul Islam upon receipt of a letter from the Speaker.
He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at the Election Building in Agargaon in the capital. The EC secretary said Jamaat-e-Islami had already informed the EC about his expulsion from the party. "However, we have not yet received any letter from the Speaker. Without the Speaker's letter, the Election Commission has no direct responsibility in this matter," he said.
He said there is a provision for receiving a letter from the Parliament Secretariat. "Once the letter is received, further action will be taken accordingly," he said.
Regarding the upcoming local government elections, the EC secretary said a decision would be taken after discussion at a commission meeting. The date of the next commission meeting has not yet been fixed. The Chief Election Commissioner will determine the date and time of the meeting, he added.
Akhtar also announced changes to the identity cards of EC Secretariat and field-level employees. He said, "Instead of laminated cards, field-level employees will be given plastic cards like those used at the headquarters. The new cards will apply to all categories, including revenue, development, outsourced and daily-basis employees."
The Satkhira-4 lawmaker's expulsion from Jamaat-e-Islami has raised questions about his parliamentary membership. Under the Constitution, a lawmaker may lose their seat if they are expelled from their political party. The matter now rests with the Speaker, who must formally communicate the expulsion to the Election Commission for further action. The EC's role is limited to acting upon the Speaker's letter, after which the commission may declare the seat vacant and schedule a by-election.
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