Opposition BNP on Thursday threatened to wage a movement against the Election Commission (EC) if it does not refrain from giving registration to an ‘upstart organisation’, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), as a political party.
“We want to tell the Election Commission that no baseless organisation, which is using BNP’s logo, similar election symbol, programme and portrait of Ziaur Rahman, can be given registration,” said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Addressing a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also threaded that his party will include the resignation of the all election commissioners with their ongoing movement for restoration of the caretaker government if they try to give registration to BNF swallowing the government’s trick.
Rizvi alleged that the Election Commission is getting involved with the government conspiracy to give registration to BNF which has no organisational base across the country.
“The Election Commission is joining government’s foul play to confuse people by giving registration to a fictitious organisation that looks like BNP,” he added.
Sensing the government’s conspiracy against BNP, Rizvi said a party delegation led by standing committee member MK Anwar lodged a complaint with the EC against BNF as it submitted an application seeking registration as a political party using BNP’s logo and the portrait of its founder Ziaur Rahman.
The BNP leader recalled that ship as a symbol was withdrawn from the ballot paper following the objection of Awami League as it looks like their symbol boat. “BNF is trying to get registration with BNP’s logo, Zaiur Rahman’s portrait and election symbol wheat-sheaf, similar to BNP’s. It’s completely illegal.”
BNF has recently applied to the EC for getting registered as a political party using BNP’s logo, Ziaur Rahman’s portrait and his 19-point programme.
A group of former BNP leaders, including Nazmul Huda and Prof Jahanara Begum, floated the party on August 2012.
Late President Ziaur Rahman formed BNP on September 1, 1978 with a 19-point programme to build a self-reliant Bangladesh.
