New CEC Nurul Huda says he will work impartially

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The newly appointed chief election commissioner has pledged to work without bias.

This was the immediate reaction he made exclusively to bdnews24.com following his appointment as the CEC at a crucial political juncture of Bangladesh.

On Monday, President Abdul Hamid entrusted the former secretary with the responsibility to head the next EC that will conduct the 2019 general elections.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, Huda said, "I'm grateful to the president for appointing me to this vital constitutional responsibility. I'll discharge this constitutional responsibility with impartially and within the Constitution and the law."

He will have on his team former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former district judge Kabita Khanam, and former brigadier general Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury as election commissioners.

Huda, a 1973 batch officer of Bangladesh Civil Service, has served as chief executive of Dhaka City Corporation. He was also joint secretary and additional secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Parliament Secretariat, respectively.

He retired in 2006 after being made officer on special duty for a long time during the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami government.

The 69-year old said he would work in unanimity with all the commissioners.

The BNP, which has been critical of the outgoing CEC, are yet to comment on the new EC.

The Awami League has always maintained that they will accept the president's choice.

All eyes will be glued to the new commission as the outgoing one failed to bring all the parties to the last polls.

Huda tried to not comment on any political party immediately after being appointed.

"Let me assume responsibility first, then we shall discuss with everyone on the overall programme and then discuss the next step with you," the former bureaucrat said.

Discussion with everyone will be on top of his agenda as he said he intends to move ahead with everyone.

Huda did his graduation and post-graduation in statistics at Dhaka University.

A residential student at Fazlul Haque Hall, he became the cultural secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union in 1972-73.

As a second-year Bachelor's student, he fought the War of Independence under Major MAJalil in Barisal. He fought under the Sector 9 and played a role in freeing Patuakhali from the Pakistani occupation.

Recalling the Liberation War days, he said, "We fought vigorously and captured entire Patuakhali district on Dec 9. I returned to Dhaka University after the war."

He was also involved with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSoD).

He holds degrees in higher education from Manchester University of the UK and from the former USSR.

After retirement, he joined the Bangladesh Municipal Development Fund in 2010 as its managing director.

He was also associated with Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan.

He has three children with his wife Husne Ara.

His eldest son is an engineer and lives in Canada. His second child, a daughter, having done her PhD in Bangladesh now lives in Michigan in the US. His youngest daughter is pursuing higher studies in Canada.

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