BNP calls Election Commission law ‘like a Baksal one’

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir

Dhaka, Jan 30 – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the newly enacted law on the formation of the Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) is like a Baksal one.

“Awami League has moved forward gradually with various steps over the last 14 years to do what it could not successfully accomplish in 1975. There’s now a cover of multiparty democracy, but there’s no multiparty democracy in practice,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a virtual discussion, he said the ruling party also arranged the last two elections “under cover” depriving people of their voting rights.

“They’ve now enacted a law just like that Baksal one. The Baksal law was made in 11 minutes while this time they passed a law (on EC) in parliament by seven days,” the BNP leader said.

BNP’s national committee on celebrating Golden Jubilee of the country’s independence organised the virtual event, marking January 25 as ‘Baksal Day’ commemorating what it says introduction of one-party rule in the country on this day in 1975. BNP leaders from both home and abroad joined the programme.

Earlier on January 27, parliament passed the “Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners Bill-2022" by voice vote to ensure a legal framework for selecting the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners

Law Minister Anisul Huq placed the Bill in parliament on January 23 seeking to give a legal shield to the current and previous Election Commissions formed through search committees.

Fakhrul said Bakshl has now become an “abusive” word as through it the county’s economy, politics and the dreams of freedom fighters were destroyed in 1975. “They (AL) had plunged the country and the nation into deep darkness by establishing a one-party rule at that time.”

In the same way, he said Awami League has now politicised everything and created a scope for plundering public money. “The activities of all political parties are being brutally suppressed and the pro-democratic people and free-thinkers are being annihilated by resorting to killing and enforced disappearance.”

The BNP leader also alleged that the government is suppressing the words of protests and people’s voices by making various oppressive laws, including the Digital Security Act.

Stating that the government has been making various blueprints to restore Baksal, he called upon BNP leaders and activists to come up with a strong resistance together with people. 

Fakhrul said they will put in their best efforts to establish a pro-people elected government and parliament ousting the current ‘fascist’ regime.

He said the Awami League must quit and had over power to a non-party neutral government to pave the way for holding a credible nation election to be conducted by an impartial Election Commission.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said Awami League and democracy cannot go together. “This party had established one-party Baksal rule in 1975 by obliterating democracy while it has been on power for the last 14 years by “force” snatching votes at night.”

He alleged that the ruling party has already established a one-party Baksal rule under cover of democracy.

The BNP leader called upon the people of all walks of life and political parties to get united to restore democracy by holding an acceptable election under a non-party neutral government. - UNB