Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain on Saturday cleared the government`s position in the upcoming election saying that the interim government is not aligned with any political party.

He made the remarks while speaking at a review meeting, held at The Daily Star auditorium in Dhaka, discussing the Election Commission’s guidelines for journalists for 2025.

Sakhawat Hussain said,“We have no party, and we will not support any party. Our sole aim is to ensure a free, fair, and credible election and to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power. Which party comes to power is not our concern,” he said.

He also stressed the need for minor reforms in the guidelines, clarifying, “This is my personal opinion, not the government’s. If the Election Commission aims to conduct a free and fair election, it must be as transparent and open as possible. Once press accreditation (journalist cards) is issued, journalists should face no restrictions on entering polling stations or on how long they can stay. Permission should not be required to access polling booths, though journalists must not interfere with the voting process.”

Reflecting on past practices, the former election commissioner said, “During our time, more than two journalists could not enter a booth due to space constraints, as polling officers and party agents were present. Too many journalists caused disruption.”

“Today, this rule should be reconsidered. Journalists must be able to monitor the election to ensure voters are casting ballots freely and without irregularities. During the Narayanganj City vote, we monitored live on TV and took immediate action when needed.”

He urged the Election Commission to engage with journalists openly. “There is nothing that cannot be resolved through discussion. Make it transparent. Allow live telecasts. The EC claims it will hold the ‘best election of the century.’ Then the EC’s eye should be crystal clear. Permission to enter polling stations should not be needed. The government must reflect its commitment to free and fair elections. For this, the media’s cooperation is essential, as it acts as the EC’s eyes. Even a small irregularity, like a drop of impurity in milk, can ruin the result; similarly, any fraudulent votes must be caught immediately.”

Sakhawat, who served as an election commissioner during the 2008 military-backed government, added, “When we were commissioners, journalists were our eyes. They assisted in implementing rules and reforms, for which we are grateful. We relied on media feedback to ensure transparent and credible elections.

No election in any country is 100% flawless, but journalists play a critical role in free, fair, and acceptable elections. There is nothing to hide. Today’s technology, combined with the media, is the EC’s biggest ally.”

The meeting was organized by the Broadcast Journalists Center (BJSC) and the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy (RFED), in collaboration with BBC Media Action. The session was chaired by BJSC chairman Rezwanul Haque Razar, with the secretary of the BJSC Trustee Board and RTV Head of News Elias Hossain moderating. Participants included Obaidur Rahman Shahin (acting president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists), journalist leader Kader Gani Chowdhury, RFED president Kazi Emad Uddin (Jebel), general secretary Golam Rabbani, and journalists from various media outlets.