It won’t bring any positive change: BNP

The government's attempt to legitimise the ongoing process of forming a loyal and incompetent Election Commission in the interest of the ruling party will produce the same result as in the past. This time it's possibly going to be even worse than in previous elections.

— Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP senior leader

BNP yesterday said the draft law on the Election Commission (EC) formation will not yield any positive outcome as the party thinks it will only protect the interests of the ruling party.

"The government's attempt to legitimise the ongoing process of forming a loyal and incompetent Election Commission in the interest of the ruling party will produce the same result as in the past. This time it's possibly going to be even worse than in previous elections," said BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office, he said what has been happening in the administrative system for so long will now happen in the legal system after the enactment of the law. "That's why we think it won't bring any positive change."

The BNP leader said as per the provision of the draft law no one can be an EC member without having experience in government service. "This means no one from civil society or any educationist and jurist can be its member."

He said the EC is going to be formed with only government officials or those who have a habit of obeying government orders all their lives and such an EC will not yield any positive outcome.

On Monday, the Cabinet approved the draft of the "Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner Appointment Act, 2022" to have a law in this regard as per the Constitution.

As per the proposed law, a search committee will be formed taking approval from the president over the constitution of EC and the search committee will recommend the names of suitable candidates before the president to appoint the CEC and other election commissioners.

Nazrul Islam, a BNP standing committee member, also said their party is not willing to join the general election under the current government and its administration.

He said they will also not participate in the polls under "incompetent" Election Commission formed by the current government.

"What they're going to do this time as per the law ultimately will be the same thing as in the past. In our constitution, it's clearly mentioned that all power is in the hands of the prime minister. So, nothing will happen without her approval, no matter what the law says. There's no reason to believe that she will do anything different this time than what she has been doing for so long," the BNP leader said.