Thirty-seven eminent personalities today called upon Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda to make an apology in public if he fails to prove allegations of irregularities against Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar within a week.
In a joint statement, the citizens strongly criticised the remarks of the CEC as saying, "Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda at a programme on January 27 made some baseless, indecent statements and brought allegations of Tk 1 crore irregularities against Badiul Alam Majumdar."
Badiul Alam has already termed CEC's statement as fabricated and motivated and challenged to prove the allegations.
According to the statement, Shujan (Sushaner Jonno Nagarik) had fought in the court during the last BNP government and played a role in establishing people's right to know the affidavits of the candidates.
He has been vocal against electoral fraud and irregularities during every government. He also revealed information about various irregularities in the controversial elections of 2014 and 2018.
In 2020 and 2021, on the basis of this information and a series of reports by a television channel, Shujan secretary and 42 citizens of the country associated with Shujan sent two letters to the president and appealed to investigate the allegations of serious misconduct and corruption against Nurul Huda-led EC through forming Supreme Judicial Council.
"We think that in an attempt to cover up these misdeeds, he is trying to create haze by making serious allegations against Badiul Alam and some prominent citizens of the country out of vengeance," reads the statement.
They also said in the interest of restoring honesty and confidence in the electoral system of the country, along with electoral reforms, we think it is the necessary responsibility of the state to bring a person like him to justice.
The signatories include Prof Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury, Justice MA Matin, former caretaker government advisers -- Sultana Kamal, Hafiz Uddin Khan and Rasheda K Choudhury, former diplomat Mohiuddin Ahmed, human rights activist Hameeda Hossain, among others.
