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Talking polls and beyond

Call to scrap RPO to create uncertainty

Says Hafizuddin Khan

Shamim Ashraf
Former adviser of caretaker government Hafizuddin Khan fears the country might 'plunge into uncertainty' if BNP sticks to its demands for scrap-
ping of the RPO amendments, withdrawal of graft cases against its leaders and resignation of the election commissioners.
“However, if these are mere political rhetoric, I don’t see any reason to panic," he said in an interview with The Daily Star.
Referring to the call for allowing those convicted under the Emergency Power Rules to contest the polls, he said meeting the demand would amount to undoing the reforms done over the last two years.
It would prove harmful for the nation.
No action could be taken against corruption and Bangladesh could be rendered a failed state.
If the politicians are truly patriotic and if they really place country above party, Hafizuddin continued, they would not do anything that might get in the way of the December 18 election.
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He pointed out that no party except J1NP hasuj^manded scrapping of t h* e amendments to Representation of the People Order (RPO).
When the government and the Election Commission (EC) were in a dominant position, they did not amend laws and rules to ensure a qualitative change in politics and electoral behaviours. Instead, they kept distancing themselves from the political parties, he noted.
“Now advisers are rushing to leaders' houses and meeting them in secret to bring them to the election. Since their subjects and outcomes are not being disclosed, such meetings have created doubt in the public mind over the government's role.”
He said this government has made no effort to address its inefficiency in dealing with the political crises. Neither has it showed sensitivity to the suggestions that came from public discussions, he said.
Expressing disappointment at the pace of reforms, he said a big question mark hangs over the EC's ability to implement the electoral rules during the parliamentary election. It failed to do so during the local polls in August.
Hafizuddin said withdrawal of the emergency rules would allow convicts to contest the election.
He said the culture of political violence might return. “Signs are already there. Remember how violence spread at the news of Tarique Rahman's slipping on the floor in prison cell.”