BNP to wage movement if partisan EC formed [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

BNP to wage movement if partisan EC formed

Local January 21, 2017

Bangladesh Nationalist Party is preparing for taking to the streets fearing that a ‘unilateral’ Election Commission might be constituted as per the desire of the ruling Awami League, party leaders said.
They said that the party would take to the streets immediately if the commission was reconstituted with partisan people.
They doubted if president’s talks with the registered parties on the reconstitution of the Election Commission were a sincere move or a trick.
They expressed the doubt as the president initiated the talks after the AL general secretary rejected Khaleda’s proposal for the reconstitution of the commission based on consensus through discussions among the registered political parties.
BNP’s fear of the constitution of a partisan commission deepened following frequent remarks of senior AL leaders including its general secretary that they would accept the president’s decision as per constitution on the reconstitution of the commission even if it goes against their interest.
BNP vice-chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed told New Age on Thursday that definitely a ‘unilateral’ and partisan commission would be formed.
‘We don’t expect any magnanimity from the Awami League,’ he said, adding that the government would appoint as the chief election commissioner and election commissioners from among those people who would act as AL activists.
Hafiz said that BNP would go for movement if the commission was formed with partisan people.
BNP leaders said that different options for street agitations were being discussed in different party forums.
They said that the party was thinking of taking programmes including public meetings at divisional headquarters and road march to be addressed ad led by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to drum up supports for strong and independent commission and election-time neutral government.
The party is also thinking of laying siege to important government offices, the leader said.
The party recently recast some of its front organisations including Jubadal and Swechchhasebak Dal, youth and voluntary wings respectively, to energise the party leaders and activists.
BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed at a programme on Wednesday said that there was no alternative but to wage movement for ensuring the formation of a neutral and strong Election Commission and election-time non-party neutral government.
He said that even a hundred per cent strong Election Commission could not carry out their jobs independently under a partisan government.
The tenure of incumbent commission led by Kazi Raikbuddin Ahmad would expire in February.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on January 15 told New Age that definitely BNP as a major political party would not sit idle if the election commission was constituted unilaterally.
He said his party would find a way out to pressurise the government to hold an inclusive election under a neutral and independent commission acceptable to all.
The party’s next course of action would depend on the president’s decision over reconstituting the commission, he said.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday expressed hope that the president would form a neutral commission through a neutral search committee.
In her recent statements Khaleda Zia said that no partisan election commission would be accepted.
Addressing a rally of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal to mark its founding anniversary in the capital on January 1 she said her party would launch movement on time.