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BNP feels polls dates too close

Zillur too wants upazila polls to be deferred; EC says it is capable of maintaining the timeframe

Staff Correspondent
Asking the Election Commission (EC) to defer the dates for upazila elections, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said the sequence of dates for the parliamentary and upazila elections fixed by the commission might give rise to questions in the public mind.
"It will be tough for the government to hold upazila elections within five days of the national election, which might hamper holding of the national election," BNP Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed quoted Khaleda as saying.
She, however, welcomed the date for the parliamentary election and thanked the chief adviser To the military backed caretaker government for declaring it, according to Rizvi.
Rizvi was talking to reporters after the BNP chairperson met the party's front organisation leaders, former lawmakers, and leaders of
the four-party alliance in the Eskaton residence of Shafik Rehman, editor of the vernacular weekly Mouchake Dhil also former editor of the daily Jai Jai Din.
Meanwhile, Awami League (AL) acting President Zillur Rahman yesterday suggested deferring the upazila polls by one or two months.
"It will be wise if the Election Commission revises the dates for upazila polls," Zillur told reporters at his Gulshan residence.
Saying that it is his personal opinion, Zillur said he thinks the environment of national elections will be harmed if upazila elections are held on the announced dates.
Zillur said the next government could hold the upazila polls if the present government announces a revised date for it.
Rizvi also said the BNP chairperson has asked the leaders and activists of the party to remain united and to take preparations for the upcoming parliamentary election as the party will start its election activities after the Eid.
Party insiders said Khaleda hinted to her party colleagues that only honest and competent persons will get party nominations in the upcoming election, and urged them to work for the party candidates.
"There is no alternative to a democratic’government for solving any sort of crisis in the country," she said and demanded curbing of prices of essential commodities.
Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said the commission fixed the election dates, as they know they are capable of holding them.
"There were confusions about the voter list and the constituency re-demarcation, but we did those successfully, and this time around we will also prove thatwe can doit."
"We've taken it as a challenge and we've given the dates as we know we will be able to do it," he told reporters adding that political parties should cooperate instead of opposing the move.
In the meantime BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said it is not possible to hold the party's national council amid the state of emergency, and party reform is impossible without die council.
"They [EC] should hold the election after bringing changes to the amended RPO and other election related laws, which were promulgated during this government's regime, or they can hold the election under the previous laws."
Earlier in the morning, a secretary general level meeting of BNP-led four-party alliance also made similar demands.
After the meeting which was held in Delwar's Nam flat in the capital, the BNP secretary general also said the EC's interest in holding upazila elections is unnecessary, as it is not the commission's constitutional obligation.
"They should arrange the parliamentary election ensuring participation of all parties, and the upazila elections can be held after
formation of the new government."
About political parties' registration with the EC, he said it is tough to fulfil the criteria for registration set by the commission in such a short time.
Although, Delwar thanked the chief adviser for announcing the polling date for the national election, he however said, "What he said regarding the state of emergency is not acceptable as elections cannot be free and fair under an emergency."
He also said, "BNP is an election oriented party._We want to participate in elections. There is no alternative to it."
"The Election Commission should remove all apparent oddities, so we can participate in the election," Delwar said stressing on equal opportunity for all parties.
Referring to the talk between the EC and BNP, he said they brought the issues to the commission's attention, and hope it will respond positively to their proposals.
"Many parties will not be able to participate if the elections are held under the new electoral law," he warned.
"The government and the Election Commission should not create a situation which will make it impossible for BNP to participate in the upcoming election," Delwar said.
BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan, Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed, Jamaat-e-Islami Acting Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, former lawmaker Abdus Sobhan, Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho and Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, Islami Oikyo Jote Secretary General Abdul Latif Nezami, and Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Ahmed Abdul Quader were present in the meeting four-party alliance meeting with the BNP secretary general in the chair.
Meanwhile, a 15-member delegation of former army officials led by Lt Col (retd) Mohammad Abdul Khaleq met the BNP chairperson in Shafik Rehman's house.