BNP wants to see how EC search panel works

The BNP would “neither accept nor reject” the newly formed search committee for constituting the Election Commission though the party is “frustrated and aggrieved” over the committee, say party insiders.

A number of party leaders said they would keep a close watch on the committee's activities.

“We are now looking forward to see what kind of Election Commission is constituted. We will see whether a really independent and political influence-free Election Commission is formed or not,” BNP Standing Committee Member Moudud Ahmed told The Daily Star yesterday.

The ruling Awami League believes that the BNP would not outright reject the search committee as it wants to participate in the next national elections.

AL Advisory Council member Tofail Ahmed said, “I strongly believe that the BNP will contest the next national elections under the Election Commission to be constituted with the persons recommended by this search committee.

“The BNP shouldn't make the initiative controversial,” added Tofail, also the commerce minister.

On Wednesday, President Abdul Hamid formed the six-member search committee, led by Appellate Division Judge Syed Mahmud Hossain, for constituting the EC.

Mahmud also headed the committee that proposed the names of those comprising the incumbent EC led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.

Soon after the publication of the gazette notification on the new committee, the AL welcomed it while the BNP said they were “frustrated and aggrieved.”

Seeking anonymity, a BNP standing committee member said they would not outright reject the committee because taking a hardline would not benefit them.

Another member of the standing committee, Amir Khoshru Mahmud Chowdhury, said, “We will give formal reaction to every important event.”

He also said they would make sure that all the stakeholders are informed about the search committee's activities.

Replying to a question, he said, “The president has executed the party [AL] decision on the formation of the committee.”

In 2012, the BNP held talks with the then president on the caretaker government issue. Later, the party took a hardline and boycotted the January 5 elections. As a consequence, it was left out of parliament for the first time since 1979.

Last year, President Hamid initiated talks with political parties on the EC formation after Khaleda placed a proposal in this regard.

The BNP proposed forming a search committee for constituting the EC, while the AL and most other parties suggested enacting a law on the EC formation. But the president formed the search committee following the footsteps of his predecessor Zillur Rahman.

A number of BNP leaders yesterday said the president did just the opposite of what they had suggested about formation of the search committee.

On condition of anonymity, a senior BNP leader said the party chief had suggested that the committee should be comprised of five members. But the newly formed committee has six members.

The BNP chairperson also proposed that the convener and members of the search committee would be retired persons but all members of the new committee are serving professionals.

Seeking anonymity, another BNP senior leader said, “It's clear what is going to happen. The chairman of the new search committee was also the chairman of the previous committee that constituted the Rakib-led election commission. Everybody knows about Rakib commission's performance.”

“We hoped the government would be accommodative but we saw it is reluctant to give us even minimum space. We have got just the opposite of what we suggested.”

Contacted, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the party would brief the media on the matter today at the party's Nayapaltan central office.

At a programme in the capital, AL Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim said the BNP should show a positive attitude towards the search committee.

“Instead of making comments, political parties should wait until the formation of the Election Commission,” he said.

Wishing anonymity, a member of the search committee told The Daily Star that the committee's first meeting is likely to be held tomorrow at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge.