Dhaka: Urging the government not to influence the Election Commission, New Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda on Wednesday promised to hold fair polls wining the trust of all political parties, including BNP.

“We’ll continue to work to win the trust of not only of BNP but also all small and major political parties,” he said at his first press conference immediately after joining office at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city’s Agargaon area.

“Our challenge is only one, which is to present fair elections. We’ll work out a plan for this (to arrange fair pollslections) through discussion with my colleagues,” the country’s 12th CEC said.

Newly-appointed CEC KM Nurul Huda and four election commissioners -- former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former secretary Md Rafiqul Islam, former district and sessions judge Kabita Khanam and Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury— joined the office at 4:25 pm after they were sworn in at 3 pm.

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha administered the oath at the Supreme Court Judges’ Lounge.

KM Nurul Huda said his commission will not allow any influence from any quarter going beyond the Constitution and laws. “It’s our call to the government not to influence (the EC). There’s no scope to influence as we discharge the constitutional duty. We’ll perform the duty impartially and we’ll never be influenced by anyone,” he said.

He said his commission will strictly face partisan government officials and partisan law enforcers for the sake of arrangement of elections in a credible manner. 

He dismissed the allegation that he was the chief of Awami League’s Patuakhali district unit election board saying that he was not in-charge of any election board.

“I’ve no relation with any political party after taking oath today. I’ve taken oath for working impartially. I’ll work accordingly,”  Huda asserted.

The new CEC also dismissed another allegation that he was a man of Janatar Mancha, a platform formed in the mid-90s to oust the then BNP government, saying it is not true and it is a false accusation.

He said his first task will be to define and solve the problems through discussions with his deputies and EC Secretariat officials.

Huda sought cooperation from the government, political parties, civil society, media and people in performing his duties.

The new four election commissioners and EC Secretary Mohammad Abdullah were present at the press conference.

President Abdul Hamid on February 6 last reconstituted the Election Commission with former secretary KM Nurul Huda as the CEC following the recommendation of the search committee formed to pick names for the new election body.

The five-year tenure of immediate-past CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad and three election commissioners expired on February 8 last, while that of another election commissioner on February 14.