Political parties have largely criticised the Representation of People Ordinance (RPO) 2008 and some even called for scrapping the ordinance saying it was aimed at controllingpolitical parties.

The Council of Advisers Wednesday approved the RPO.

Awami League (AL) acting President Zillur Rahman said a number of the conditions in the RPO were very tough and the novote option was absurd. The RPO bans political parties from having front organisations and it is objectionable, he said.

He also opposed the provision that elected mayors and councillors would have to quit their respective party posts.

"I think the RPO is heading

towards depoliticisation as planned," said AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam. He told The Daily Star that they would come up with their formal statement Saturday as they are yet to have a copy of the RPO.

Jatiya Party acting Chairman Anisul Islam Mafimud termed a number of the sections of the RPO anti-democratic including the novote option and the compulsory three-year membership in a party before a person is allowed to take partinelections.

BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman termed the ordinance good for the politics in the country and said it would help bring a sound atmosphere in politics, establish a sustainable democracy FROM PAGE 16

and make a parliament effective and accountable.

He, however, said the no-vote and one-third party posts reserved for women were not practical provisions.

Criticising the RPO, Democratic Left Alliance (DLA) yesterday said, "This ordinance is a heinous conspiracy to control political parties." It said the government is trying to survive by paralysing people's power and political consciousness. It claimed that the government was trying to take away the political power from the people.

LDA demanded the government scraps the ordinance.

Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party in a press statement said the RPO is undemocratic and contradictory to the spirit of the constitution.

In a joint statement the party's president Khandker Ali Abbas and Genera] Secretary Saiful Haq said neither the government nor the political parties have the right to decide on front organisation of political parties.