They also stressed mandatory registration of the political parties and the need of a strong, independent and impartial Election Commission (EC) for a free, fair and neutral election where black money and muscle power will not dominate.

Lal Golap Event Management organised a roundtable on 'How to find eligible candidates?' at Jatiya Press Club while Shujan (Citizens for Good Governance) organised a view exchange meeting on 'Possible doings of civil society to establish rule of the honest through a fair election' at the Cirdap auditorium.

Shujan will form human chains across the country including the one on Manik Miah Avenue in the capital on April 22 to press home its demands for inclusion of people illegally left out of the voter lists, nominating honest and eligible candidates in the upcoming elections, mandatory registration of the political parties and realising the reform proposals made by Shujan.

Addressing both the discussions, Treasurer of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Trusty Board Prof Mozaffar Ahmed said the discussion on finding honest candidates for the upcoming election is a positive matter for our political culture.

Those who are not honest and not close to the general public will not be accepted by the people in the next elections, he said.

The EC cannot function properly as it is under the Prime Minister's Office, he said, adding that a strong, independent and impartial EC is needed for a free, fair and neutral election.

Shujan Member Secretary Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar placed a keynote on the reforms in the caretaker government emphasising registration of political parties and cultivating democracy inside them.

Awami League Presidium Member Abdur Razzak MP said the current trend in politics is dependency on black money, and for this it is very difficult for the honest and eligible candidates to be involved in politics.

Ruling BNP lawmaker Mushfiqur Rahman MP emphasised registration of the political parties to 'establish healthy politics' in the country.

Former adviser of the caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan said reforms in the caretaker government is needed for an election free from black money, as the culture of democracy could not advance much even after three elections under caretaker governments.

The armed forces should be kept under the caretaker government to avoid controversy, he said.

A free, fair and neutral election is not possible under the existing Election Commission as there are controversies over the election commissioners.

Proposing a 10-day long election to 'maintain a peaceful law and order situation and to keep the army out of controversy', former inspector general of police Nurul Huda said if the administration takes appropriate measurers on politics and political parties, then it will be easy to find honest and eligible candidates.

Laws should be enacted to control politics and political parties in order to nominate honest and eligible candidates in the general elections, Maj Gen (rtd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim said, adding that there should be a 'no' box in the ballot paper for voters to say 'no' to the ineligible candidates.

Former advisor of caretaker government ASM Sahjahan, Justice Kazi Ibadul Haque, Ataus Samad, Muhammad Jahangir, ASM Abdur Rab, Brig (rtd) Sakhawat Hossain, Dr Tofail Ahmed, Syed Anwar Hossain, among others, spoke at the Shujan roundtable.

Executive Director of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Debapriya Bhattachariya said, "Before finding honest candidates, we have to bring democracy and financial transparency within the political parties first. Otherwise, how can we give them the authority to maintain the government's treasury?"

In his keynote on 'How to find eligible candidates?', Prof Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University said if political parties follow their party constitution no corrupt and dishonest person can get nomination.

To ensure the participation of people of all strata of society, ASM Abdur Rab proposed the introduction of a bicameral parliamentary system, where the upper house will act as the caretaker government.

To find honest and capable candidates for the elections, the practice of democracy should be introduced within the political parties first, Mahi B Chowdhury MP said. He suggested considering grassroots workers' recommendation before nominating a candidate from a constituency.

Emphasising the change of political culture, General Secretary of Jatiya Party (Manju) Sheikh Shahidul Islam suggested mandatory registration of all the political parties.

Lt General (rtd) Mahbubur Rahman MP, Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelly, Prof Azad Chowdhury, Inam Ahmed Chowdhury, Amirul Islam Chowdhury, Kazi Faruk Ahmed, Prof Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, AMM Bahauddin, and Sadek Khan spoke at the Lal Golap roundtable.