AL confident in new EC as BNP, JP express doubt over free, fair elections
Although the names proposed by Awami League before the search committee were not considered for the formation of the Election Commission, the ruling party today welcomed the new EC.
In a statement, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said they were satisfied that the EC has been formed as per the constitution and in line with the new law.
"We have confidence in the new EC. We hope that the next election under this EC will be free, fair and acceptable to all," said Quader.
BNP, on the other hand, said it will not join the 12th general election under the AL government.
"As we said before, we're least bothered about the new Election Commission. Our main worry is about the election-time government," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
Speaking at a discussion, he said, "It is certain that there will be no election in the country if AL is there in the government. Because they'll try to snatch the election results in their own style again and we'll have to just watch it sitting at home. So, we won't join that type of election".
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party, the main opposition in parliament, today at a press conference said, "The newly appointed EC is an Awami League-backed bureaucratic Election Commission".
At the time, JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu said, there is considerable doubt that the EC will be able to conduct fair, impartial and credible elections.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, also known as a pro-BNP intellectual, thanked the government for choosing the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) from the list provided by him to the search committee.
"I will ask all opposition parties including BNP to accept the CEC. The new CEC will not do anything bad. He is a very brave man," he told the media.
He also said the government would not be able to exert too much influence on the new CEC because there is honesty in him.
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