No, thanks: BNP to CEC invitation for dialogue

The BNP has thanked Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal for his invitation to exchange views ahead of upcoming national polls but decided not to sit for such dialogues as the party believes such meetings can produce nothing fruitful in resolving ongoing political crises.

"The decision was made at our standing committee meeting on Tuesday. Although we are reluctant to sit for the talk with the CEC, we thank him for the invitation," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam said in a press conference in the capital yesterday.

"Our policy-making committee feels that discussions with the Election Commission are meaningless until the main political crisis is addressed, which we saw before the 2014 and 2018 elections. The Election commission is not independent and does not have the power to arrange a free and fair election."

On price hikes, the opposition leader said corruption of officials and syndication of government-backed unscrupulous traders are the main reasons behind the commodity price hikes in the holy month of Ramadan.

"The government, isolated from people, has completely failed to control markets. Hence, the BNP has taken nationwide programmes between 1 and 16 April to protest the abnormal price hikes," Fakhrul said and urged all their units at the metropolitan city to union levels to make their protest programmes successful.

The BNP also condemned and protested over the death of Sultana Jasmine, a government employee, who was allegedly picked and tortured by the Rapid Action Battalion.

"It is proved beyond doubt that Sultana Jasmine died in RAB custody which is a gross violation of fundamental human rights. The death once again showed that the law and order forces under this government continue to violate human rights," he stated and called for justice for Sultana Jasmine.

Earlier on 23 March, CEC Habibul Awal invited BNP to a view-exchange meeting with the Election Commission, which Fakhrul called a new scheme by the government.