‘No schedule without solving poll-time govt issue’

Senior Correspondent: BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said political parties will not accept a schedule for the next general election if announced before an understanding over the nature of election-time government.

“We want the election to be held under an election-time neutral government, and this issue should be resolved politically through discussions among the political parties. But the government has long been ignoring it,” he said.

The BNP leader further said, “We would like to clearly say that no party will accept if the Election Commission announces the schedule before resolving the polls-time government problem.”

Fakhrul on Wednesday came up with the comment while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at Ziaur Rahman’s grave along with the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal leaders, marking its 39th founding anniversary.

Earlier on April 30, Election Commissioner (EC) Md Rafiqul Islam said the schedule for 11th parliamentary elections will be announced in October.

Opposing the EC’s plan, Fakhrul said the Commission has no ability to hold a fair and credible election as it is working only to fulfill the government’s desire.

About the delimitation of 25 parliamentary constituencies, he said the Commission has done it as per the directives of the government without discussions with political parties.

The BNP leader said the government is going ahead with its plan to hold a lopsided election by force with the help of the Election Commission as it knows it will face a debacle if BNP joins the next election.

Fakhrul also raised doubt whether the Gazipur and Khulna city polls will be held in a fair and credible manner as police is arresting BNP leaders and activists and harassing them.

He accused the ruling party of pushing the country’s politics towards a dark tunnel only for hanging onto power by restoring one-party rule.

risingbd/Dhaka/May 02, 2018/Reza/A K Azad