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EC Formation

BNP to step up campaign

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
Happy with Sunday's dialogue with the president, the BNP now wants to intensify its campaign focusing on the formation of a neutral Election Commission and amendments to the electoral laws.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, a number of party leaders said it wouldn't be possible now for the opposition parties to force the government to restore the polls-time caretaker government system ahead of the next national elections.
Amid such a situation, they believe there is no alternative to a strong EC and reforms in the electoral laws to contain the government's influence on the parliamentary polls.
The party, however, will not move away from its demand for a neutral administration during the elections, they said.
Describing Sunday's talks with the president as their primary success, the party leaders said the head of the State opened the dialogue on EC formation following the proposal of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
"We are happy that the president is sincere in forming a strong election commission. He also said dialogue is the only way to resolve a problem," Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, member of the BNP standing committee, told this correspondent yesterday.
On Sunday, a BNP delegation led by Khaleda met President Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban and held talks on EC formation.
After the talks, the BNP said the president told the delegation that he would examine procedural issues for constituting a search committee by next month.
During the talks, the president assured them of forming an EC, acceptable to all, through talks with other parties.
Today, the president holds dialogue with the main opposition, the Jatiya Party, over EC formation.
Khosru yesterday said the party will hold roundtables, seminars and other programmes on the issue.
“People from all walks of life believe that a strong Election Commission is a must for a credible election... It is our primary success that people are talking about the issue," Khosru said.
He said the party would intensify its campaign to ensure that a neutral and strong EC is formed by February. After that, the party would focus on the issue of polls-time administration.
"A neutral and strong Election Commission and fair polls go hand in hand. Without one, it's impossible to have the other," said the BNP leader.
Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, member of the party’s standing committee, said, "The meeting went well. We are happy but the meeting's success depends on the outcome.
"We are now focusing on the Election Commission. Once a strong and neutral Election Commission is formed, we will talk about the election-time government.”
In a statement on Sunday, the BNP chairperson said, "Only the formation of a neutral Election Commission on the basis of consensus is not enough to hold a free, fair, participatory and credible election...
"Without a neutral election-time government, it is not possible to hold a free, fair and credible election. We shall present the framework of a neutral election-time government before the nation at a convenient time." JP TO MEET PRESIDENT An 18-member delegation led by JP Chairman HM Ershad holds talks with the president today on EC formation.
"The meeting is scheduled to start at 3:00pm at the Bangabhaban," GM Quader, co-chairman of the party, told The Daily Star.
He said the party may propose some names for membership of the search committee and make some recommendations on how a neutral and strong EC could be formed.
A few days ago, Ershad said they would submit a proposal for the formation of an independent and impartial EC.
"We hope that the president would make a bold decision," he added.