Will facilitate BNP if it joins polls; can't influence it to do so: EC Alamgir

The BNP will be given all-out assistance from the Election Commission, if the party seeks support from the commission to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Election Commissioner Md Alamgir has said. 

"If the BNP expresses willingness to join the elections and seeks assistance, we will definitely do so," he told reporters at the Election Commission headquarters in the capital's Agargaon on Sunday.

Alamgir added that it is not the commission's responsibility to influence any political party over its decision regarding coming to the polls.

"All necessary efforts will be made for those [parties] who will participate in the elections. We have nothing to do about those who will not come," the commissioner mentioned.

Asked about the allegations by several parties regarding the absence of a conducive environment for a fair election, he said, "Always the ruling party complains about the opposition party. The opposition party also complains against the ruling one. I have been seeing this since 1970."

So far, a total of 10 parties, including the ruling Awami League, have informed the commission that they will join the elections in alliance since the announcement of the election schedule on 15 November.

The BNP and like-minded parties are still on the streets with protest programmes, sticking to their one-point demand for resignation of the incumbent government and the national elections under a non-party caretaker government. 

On the other hand, several parties willing to join the 7 January polls have meanwhile started selling nomination forms to pick their candidates.