BNP demands immediate election roadmap

“Establishing an elected political government as soon as possible in accordance with the people's aspirations is now the top priority. Otherwise, it will be difficult for BNP, as a party of the people, to continue cooperating with this government," BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told a media briefing at party chairperson’s Gulshan office.

He said: “If the demand is ignored like our previous proposals and suggestions, it will be unfortunate and in that case, BNP will inevitably be forced to reconsider whether to continue supporting the interim government.”

Hossain said there is no alternative to building a strong democratic united Bangladesh.

Mosharraf Hossain said the interim government must maintain maximum neutrality. However, some recent activities of the interim government have raised doubts in the public mind about their impartiality.

“Only mandate of the interim provisional government is to hold a fair, free and impartial national parliamentary election. But, the press secretary of the chief adviser, as the government spokesperson, argued that this government has a mandate to do everything, which is unfortunate,” he said.

Hossain said question has come up whether the interim government has the authority to take any nationally important and long-term policy-making decisions.

Considering the sensitive and nationally important issues related to the country’s security, he said no unstable situation should be created in the country.

The BNP leader described the election commission siege programme of NCP as “embarrassing” saying "Despite the ongoing discussions within the process of making a 'reform charter' based on the consensus of the political parties, the siege programme and the demand for local government elections before the national polls has embarrassed us as well as the government," he noted.

He said, although the election commission was formed according to the law through a search committee, a group of people wants the election commission to be reconstituted.
 
The government has formed the Election Commission on the basis of the opinions of all political parties, but, now the election commission is being made controversial unfairly and irrationally after issuance of the gazette notification as per the court's verdict regarding the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, he added.

"The people of the country have waged a mass uprising with their blood to establish the rule of law, so we must be determined to establish the rule of law,” he said.

Hossain hoped the government will soon take steps to swear in Ishraque Hossain as the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, respecting the decision of the High Court and the Election Commission.

BNP standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Salauddin Ahmed were present, reports BSS.