Law on EC formation after dialogue just another ‘joke’: BNP

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Saturday described the government's move to enact a law on the formation of the Election Commission (EC) after the President's dialogue with political parties as just another 'joke'.

"Those who rule the country by force will pass a law. Then, a search committee will be formed as per the law. In other words, the search committee will give the president a list that will be provided by the Prime Minister," he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said the president will just announce the names of the chief election commissioner and other commissioners from that list.

"So, it's just another joke to confuse people. The government had made a joke first by holding a dialogue with the political parties through the president," he observed.

Ziaur Rahman Foundation arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 86th birth anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

The much-talked-about Bill, "Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill-2022", will be placed in parliament on (Sunday) as the government wants to have a law in this regard as per the Constitution.

On Monday last, the Cabinet meeting approved the draft Bill.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said their party has a strict stance on not joining any election under the current 'illegal' and 'fascist' government.

"So, the drama the government is staging now is pointless. There'll never be a neutral and acceptable election under this regime, and no Election Commission can function independently under this government. The two last Election Commissions have left evidence of that," he observed.

The BNP leader said Bangladesh's image has been seriously dented globally only for lack of an elected government. "The current regime is fully responsible for it as they have been committing various misdeeds to hang onto power by force."

He said it is now urgent to oust the current Awami League government from power to restore the country's image by establishing a democratic government through a credible election under a non-party neutral administration.

Big Warning

Mosharraf said the 12 international Human Rights (HR) organisations' letter to the United Nations to ban Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from deploying the peacekeeping missions and the US stations on the elite force and its former and current officials are a big warning to the Awami League government.

Referring to the media reports, he said the UN has taken the rights bodies' letter into its cognizance. "They (UN) will investigate the matter and take action."

He said the government is failing to understand how it is being warned internationally only because of the arrogance of power.