Decision on nat'l polls after city elections

Senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed yesterday said their party will decide whether it will participate in the general election under the partisan government or not, assessing the elections in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal.

Speaking at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club arranged by Zia Sangskritik Sangathan, he also said BNP is going to join the three upcoming city polls to prove further that a credible election is not possible under a partisan government.

“You may ask, 'Why are you going to participate in three other city polls while there was no (fair) election in Gazipur?' We have only one answer. We're joining the polls to expose further before the nation that election can't be free and fair under a partisan government and the Election Commission can't work independently under it,” the BNP leader said.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said the three city elections are the last test both for the government and the EC before the next general election.

The BNP leader questioned the capability of the EC, as he said it has completely failed to hold the Khulna and Gazipur polls in a fair and neutral manner. “This Commission is a subservient one. It has no ability and courage to exercise the power enshrined by the constitution.”

The BNP leader said the current EC must be reconstituted before the next general election.

Referring to the Gazipur polls, he said responsible media has depicted how the election was marred by various irregularities. “In fact, it was not an election.”