The government’s Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Limited (BMTF) supplied these EVM to the Election Commission. In February last these, BMTF informed the Election Commission that around 40,000 of the machines were damaged. The remaining 110,000 EVMs also required repairs. This would require Tk 12.6 billion (Tk 1260 crore). The finance ministry did not provide the Election Commission with these funds.
Sources of the EVM project said, at least 105,000 EVM are out of order or unfit for use. Of these 30,000 to 40,000 are beyond repair. Basically, most of the EVM are partially damaged due to lack of allocations for repair.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, election commissioner Md Alamgir said that they had ‘inherited’ these EVM from the previous election commission. Their observation was that the project planning had been flawed. There had been no piloting. The project had no provision for the repair, maintenance and workforce for the operating of these machines. A proposal will be sent to the government in this regard. However, he said, the Election Commission under the present circumstances has no plan to take up any project for the purchase of EVM.
However, prior to the last parliamentary election, the present commission had wanted to buy 200,000 EVM afresh. They had send at Tk 87.11 billion (Tk 8711 crore) project to the planning commission in this regard. The project was no passed due to the prevailing economic conditions. The term of the project to purchase EVM in 2018 ended in June 2023. The term was later extended.
Election Commission sources say that the project term will end in June this year. The commission is in a dilemma over what will happen then with the EVM. Most of the machines are out or order and will require huge funds for repair. Once the repairs were done, funds and human resources would be required for maintenance of the machines. As it is, dues amounting to over Tk 500 million (Tk 50 crore) have piled up as rent for their storage. EC will not apply directly for maintenance funds. They will inform the government of the situation by letter. The EC has another alternative, and that is to dispose of the machines.
Additional secretary of the election commission, Ashok Debnath, told Prothom Alo that the problem was that there is no provision for maintenance in the project. A letter will be submitted to the cabinet division for a decision on what to do with the EVMs. The EVMs that are in working condition will be used for as long as possible.
