BNP spent 3 times its income last year
BNP's expenditure on different party activities in 2013 was three times its income in the year, according to an audit report submitted by the party to the Election Commission (EC).
The party's annual income was Tk 76,05,761 while its expenditure was Tk 2,27, 00,362, said the report.
After an extension of the deadline by two weeks, a four-member delegation led by BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday submitted the report to the EC's Acting Secretary Sirazul Islam.
"Our main source of income was donations from party leaders and activists while the money was spent over meetings, processions, rallies and other such party programmes," Rizvi told reporters after submitting the report at the EC Secretariat in the capital.
Replying to a query on the party's higher expenditure as against the income, he said the money was arranged from the party fund.
BNP's income last year reduced significantly compared to 2012. The party's income and expenditure in 2012 stood at Tk 1,79,12,231 and Tk 2,26,93,143 respectively.
The monthly contributions and donations from party leaders and activists could not be collected properly as they remained too busy in different anti-government movements, Rizvi told The Daily Star yesterday.
All the registered parties have to submit their annual audit reports certified by a registered chartered accountant firm within July 31 of the following year, according to Political Parties Registration Rule, 2008.
The Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party, three major political parties, failed to submit their reports within the deadline while 26 parties out of 40 succeeded in complying with the rule, said Rowshan Ara, senior assistant secretary to the EC Secretariat.
Having failed to submit their reports in time, the AL sought extension of the deadline till September 1, Jatiya Party till August 30 and BNP till August 14.
The registration of a party will be cancelled if it fails to submit the audit report for three consecutive years, according to the Representation of People Order (RPO).
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami has been left out of the EC's list of registered political parties as the High Court on August 1 last year declared the party's registration illegal. An appeal against the verdict remains pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
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