BNP goes by ‘wait and see’ policy [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

BNP goes by ‘wait and see’ policy

Local March 04, 2017

Bangladesh Nationalist Party seems to go by ‘wait and see’ strategy as to if it will take part in the next parliamentary elections under the party in power or forge street agitation for an inclusive and credible election under a neutral government.
The ruling Awami League senior leaders are reiterating that the next general elections, scheduled for early 2019, would be held under the party in power as per the constitution.
BNP also seems inclined more to going for the elections than for street agitations, which has been reflected in its recent stance.
The party leaders, however, have claimed that they are taking preparations both for elections and movements.
BNP was vocal against the search committee formed by president Abdul Hamid on January 25 but it had finally given names of people of their choice to the committee for reconstitution of the Election Commission.
The party came up with severe criticism of the newly appointed chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda branding him an ‘identified Awami Leaguer’.
But, BNP decided to contest the upcoming local government elections to some upazila parishads under the new EC saying that the party had also participated in the local government polls in the past.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in mid-February said that whether they would take part in the next general election or not would depend on what type of government would be there during the election and what role the Election Commission would play.
There are diverse opinions inside BNP centring the next parliament polls, with some senior leaders in favour of taking part in election even at the cost of its key demand for election-time neutral government and mid-level leaders and the party grassroots for sticking to its main demand, as per the party leaders.
The party also fears cancellation of its registration with the Election Commission if it boycotts the next election as, according to the Representation of the People Order, the registration of a political party may be cancelled for a number of reasons including if the political party does not participate in the parliamentary elections for two consecutive terms.
The party had boycotted the last parliament election of January 5, 2014.
The BNP leaders also do not brush aside the possibility of intervention by external powers, particularly by certain neighbouring country, for a fair and inclusive election acceptable to all and would leave no stone unturned for reaching a political negotiation with the ruling party over a fair election, the party leaders said.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told New Age that they urged the party grassroots to take preparation both for election and movement.
He said they must go for movement if the government would not accept their demand for a fair election under a neutral government.
BNP vice-chairman Mohammad Shahjahan, who has been tasked with reorganising the party’s grassroots, told New Age that they were going ahead with parallel way for election and movement.
He said BNP was an election-oriented democratic party and wanted to join election, the key condition being that the election would be inclusive, neutral and credible.
He said BNP took part in the process for reconstituting the Election Commission to make it clear that BNP wanted change of government through a fair election.
The government wanted to show that BNP as a party was uninterested in election, he said.
Replying to a question, he said launching movement would not be needed against the chief election commissioner if he would discharge his responsibility with conscience, respecting public opinion.
Otherwise, situation and time would say what to do, he warned.