Bangladesh Nationalist Party seems to go by ‘wait and see’ strategy as to if it will take part in the next parliamentary elections under the party in power or forge street agitation for an inclusive and credible election under a neutral government.
The ruling Awami League senior leaders are reiterating that the next general elections, scheduled for early 2019, would be held under the party in power as per the constitution.
BNP also seems inclined more to going for the elections than for street agitations, which has been reflected in its recent stance.
The party leaders, however, have claimed that they are taking preparations both for elections and movements.
BNP was vocal against the search committee formed by president Abdul Hamid on January 25 but it had finally given names of people of their choice to the committee for reconstitution of the Election Commission.
The party came up with severe criticism of the newly appointed chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda branding him an ‘identified Awami Leaguer’.
But, BNP decided to contest the upcoming local government elections to some upazila parishads under the new EC saying that the party had also participated in the local government polls in the past.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in mid-February said that whether they would take part in the next general election or not would depend on what type of government would be there during the election and what role the Election Commission would play.
There are diverse opinions inside BNP centring the next parliament polls, with some senior leaders in favour of taking part in election even at the cost of its key demand for election-time neutral government and mid-level leaders and the party grassroots for sticking to its main demand, as per the party leaders.
The party also fears cancellation of its registration with the Election Commission if it boycotts the next election as, according to the Representation of the People Order, the registration of a political party may be cancelled for a number of reasons including if the political party does not participate in the parliamentary elections for two consecutive terms.
The party had boycotted the last parliament election of January 5, 2014.
The BNP leaders also do not brush aside the possibility of intervention by external powers, particularly by certain neighbouring country, for a fair and inclusive election acceptable to all and would leave no stone unturned for reaching a political negotiation with the ruling party over a fair election, the party leaders said.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told New Age that they urged the party grassroots to take preparation both for election and movement.
He said they must go for movement if the government would not accept their demand for a fair election under a neutral government.
BNP vice-chairman Mohammad Shahjahan, who has been tasked with reorganising the party’s grassroots, told New Age that they were going ahead with parallel way for election and movement.
He said BNP was an election-oriented democratic party and wanted to join election, the key condition being that the election would be inclusive, neutral and credible.
He said BNP took part in the process for reconstituting the Election Commission to make it clear that BNP wanted change of government through a fair election.
The government wanted to show that BNP as a party was uninterested in election, he said.
Replying to a question, he said launching movement would not be needed against the chief election commissioner if he would discharge his responsibility with conscience, respecting public opinion.
Otherwise, situation and time would say what to do, he warned.
The ruling Awami League senior leaders are reiterating that the next general elections, scheduled for early 2019, would be held under the party in power as per the constitution.
BNP also seems inclined more to going for the elections than for street agitations, which has been reflected in its recent stance.
The party leaders, however, have claimed that they are taking preparations both for elections and movements.
BNP was vocal against the search committee formed by president Abdul Hamid on January 25 but it had finally given names of people of their choice to the committee for reconstitution of the Election Commission.
The party came up with severe criticism of the newly appointed chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda branding him an ‘identified Awami Leaguer’.
But, BNP decided to contest the upcoming local government elections to some upazila parishads under the new EC saying that the party had also participated in the local government polls in the past.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in mid-February said that whether they would take part in the next general election or not would depend on what type of government would be there during the election and what role the Election Commission would play.
There are diverse opinions inside BNP centring the next parliament polls, with some senior leaders in favour of taking part in election even at the cost of its key demand for election-time neutral government and mid-level leaders and the party grassroots for sticking to its main demand, as per the party leaders.
The party also fears cancellation of its registration with the Election Commission if it boycotts the next election as, according to the Representation of the People Order, the registration of a political party may be cancelled for a number of reasons including if the political party does not participate in the parliamentary elections for two consecutive terms.
The party had boycotted the last parliament election of January 5, 2014.
The BNP leaders also do not brush aside the possibility of intervention by external powers, particularly by certain neighbouring country, for a fair and inclusive election acceptable to all and would leave no stone unturned for reaching a political negotiation with the ruling party over a fair election, the party leaders said.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told New Age that they urged the party grassroots to take preparation both for election and movement.
He said they must go for movement if the government would not accept their demand for a fair election under a neutral government.
BNP vice-chairman Mohammad Shahjahan, who has been tasked with reorganising the party’s grassroots, told New Age that they were going ahead with parallel way for election and movement.
He said BNP was an election-oriented democratic party and wanted to join election, the key condition being that the election would be inclusive, neutral and credible.
He said BNP took part in the process for reconstituting the Election Commission to make it clear that BNP wanted change of government through a fair election.
The government wanted to show that BNP as a party was uninterested in election, he said.
Replying to a question, he said launching movement would not be needed against the chief election commissioner if he would discharge his responsibility with conscience, respecting public opinion.
Otherwise, situation and time would say what to do, he warned.
Source: New Age
BNP goes by ‘wait and see’ policy & strategy
Mother has to wait to hand over the dynasty to her son Tarique in the hope that he will mature in the art of Politics.She wanted a quick shot through hefazat, it bounced,tried street agitation, advantage went to Awami League. Pary in power never gives in neither she did.She will be fotunate if Hasina favors her with a chance for negotiation in her life time.The prince may be salvaged from garbage.Criticism of the newly appointed chief election commissioner will be futile, no hope for a neutral Govt.,not contesting will erase them out from politics, army or external powers will not support a weak and stupid party. People are not very happy with GDP growth and development which are making them poorer and suffering. BNP is no use to them and hece they will be quite election observers.BNP leaders have no identity of their own,they are subservient to Khaleda and Tarique otherwise they will be dumped.
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BNP goes by ‘wait and see’ policy & strategy
Mother has to wait to hand over the dynasty to her son Tarique in the hope that he will mature in the art of Politics.She wanted a quick shot through hefazat, it bounced,tried street agitation, advantage went to Awami League. Pary in power never gives in neither she did.She will be fotunate if Hasina favors her with a chance for negotiation in her life time.The prince may be salvaged from garbage.Criticism of the newly appointed chief election commissioner will be futile, no hope for a neutral Govt.,not contesting will erase them out from politics, army or external powers will not support a weak and stupid party. People are not very happy with GDP growth and development which are making them poorer and suffering. BNP is no use to them and hece they will be quite election observers.BNP leaders have no identity of their own,they are subservient to Khaleda and Tarique otherwise they will be dumped.
Mr. Siddique: You must be an Awami surrogate. Use a LOTA and clean your butt first before criticizing others. Your leader and her son run Bangladesh like their own property. Surrogates like you enjoy the booty in the form of bank looting (Like what Sheikh Kamal used to do), stock market and quick rental thefts. If I write everything it will require much more space. AL and people like you have destroyed democracy and the electoral system. Now no one can run a fair election. Same thing happened in 1974 what BAKSAL tried to do. You should look into the mirror and you will find people like you and your leader are minority and you will lose out in a landslide; provided that spineless President formed a good election commissioner to head a fair election. He chose an AL surrogate like you to run the next election. Rokibuddin destroyed the election system that was built up in 2008. Off course this was done under to tutelage of your favorite PM and her son.
Your party will easily steal the next election like the last one. You will fight each other and kill yourselves for sheer greed like what happened to MP Litton. You belong to a terrorist party of thugs and killers. You are even crafty enough to blame others when you were torching the busses in 2015. Blamed BNP for them. People are not stupid. Unfortunately the nation will pay for your party’s greed and maladministration. I feel sorry for Bangladeshis.