President Md Abdul Hamid has said voters should be made aware of their rights and responsibilities for ensuring a fair election.
"Along with voter enrolment, voters should be made aware of their rights and responsibilities. The more the voters will be aware, the more the election will be fair," President said.
President Hamid came up with the statement while delivering his speech as the chief guest at "National Voter Day "programme organised by the Bangladesh Election Commission at its premises on Friday, reports UNB.
The day was observed for the first time in the country with the theme "I will be voter, I will cast vote."
President Hamid said, "There is no alternative to efficient and competent leadership for development. We have to choose appropriate leadership from the grassroots to the national level. The most acceptable method of leadership selection is the voting system."
Although holding election is the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission everyone irrespective of their party and opinions will have to extend cooperation to make the election fair and acceptable, the President said.
Hamid said, "Celebration of the National Voter Day is very important. If day is observed properly at the grassroots level, it will create positive impact on the democratic culture of the country."
The President hoped that all political parties and socio-cultural organizations of the country will play a key role in this regard.
"Then the political culture of peace, harmony, sympathy and tolerance would be developed instead of blame game in politics. Democracy and development will advance to the desired goal," he added.
He said he strongly believes that observance of the day will play a positive role in creating the mentality of casting vote among the youth.
He called upon local people's representatives, journalists, teachers, members of civil society, Imams of mosques and all dignitaries of the society to come forward so that people could be enlisted in the voter list.
Stressing the need for inclusion of expatriates in voter list, the President said, "Nearly 1 million people of Bangladesh live abroad. They are playing an important role in the country's economy by sending foreign currency. But many of them do not have a national ID card. I think the Election Commission should take special initiative so that the expatriates could get national ID cards."
Expatriates of 120 countries including the United States, Indonesia, Philippines are exercising their franchise and initiatives should be taken so that the expatriate Bangladeshis get the chance of exercising franchise," he said.
Law Minister Anisul Huq, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda delivered speech while the other commissioners attended the event.