Trackback URL
Download PDF BNP’s pro-Khaleda faction Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday sharply criticised the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) for his remarks over the constitution of BNP, saying that the CEC is trying to exclude the Khaleda Zia-led “mainstream BNP” from the election process.
“His [CEC] neutrality has come under question and I think he should join a [political] party after retirement if he wants to talk about BNP constitution,” he said while talking to reporters at his NAM flat in the capital.
Delwar alleged that the CEC is being talkative rather than performing his constitutional duties.
“It’s not his duty to decide what the constitution of the party would be like,” said Delwar adding that the Election Commission has no authority to talk over any party’s constitution.
Expressing his doubt over free and fair election under the present commission, he said, “His remark gives one the impression that they are looking for ways to keep the mainstream BNP led by Khaleda Zia out of the election process.”
Excluding the largest political party from the process however would not be acceptable to the countrymen or to the international community, Delwar said.
CEC ATM Shamsul Huda on Tuesday told reporters that the Election Commission (EC) would not register BNP unless the party amends its constitution to ensure practice of democracy within itself.
Khaleda-loyalist Delwar said although the party chairperson has absolute power, decisions of the party have been made after discussions. The party respects and practises democracy and it has worked to restore democracy in the country, he added.
Delwar said the BNP constitution does not allow any council with the chairperson detained and the council of the party would be held as per its constitution. Reforms in the party cannot be imposed from “above”, he also said.
Rizvi Ahmed, Sohrab Uddin and Shaheena Khan were present among others.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:08 am
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]