Fakhrul believes EC capable of conducting polls with competence
However, yesterday, just a day after Tarique Rahman brought allegations against the EC over "controversial" roles and positions, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said it has been "behaving questionably" in several areas of activities.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today (19 January) expressed confidence in the current Election Commission (EC), stating that the party believes the EC is capable of conducting the upcoming national polls with competence.
Speaking to reporters after placing wreaths at the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman in the capital's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Fakhrul addressed concerns regarding the EC's recent activities.
"There are always some issues during the scrutiny of nomination papers by the Election Commission. This is nothing new," he said. "So far, we have observed that they are working with relative competence. We raised some concerns before the EC yesterday (18 January), and we believe they will be able to manage the election effectively."
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However, yesterday, just a day after Tarique Rahman brought allegations against the EC over "controversial" roles and positions, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said it has been "behaving questionably" in several areas of activities.
Meanwhile, the senior BNP leader, accompanied by thousands of party activists, visited the mausoleum to mark the 90th birth anniversary of Ziaur Rahman. Senior leaders including Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, and Salahuddin Ahmed were also present.
Reflecting on the legacy of Ziaur Rahman, Fakhrul described him as the proclaimer of Bangladesh's independence and the pioneer of multi-party democracy in the country.
He credited Ziaur Rahman with ensuring the freedom of the press and the judiciary while strengthening the national economy.
So far, we have observed that they are working with relative competence... We believe they will be able to manage the election effectively
"We have taken an oath here to rebuild our destroyed economy and give democracy an institutional shape," Fakhrul said, referring to the aftermath of the July Uprising.
He reiterated that BNP remains committed to implementing Ziaur Rahman's ideals following the fall of the "fascist" regime.
When asked about Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's recent demand for state security for their party chief, similar to the security provided to BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul distanced BNP from the issue.
"That is their [Jamaat's] matter. It is not our concern," the BNP secretary general remarked briefly.
Fakhrul, yesterday, also accused a party of violating the election code of conduct by collecting National ID numbers, mobile numbers, and bKash details of voters, claiming that the party has been campaigning continuously despite complaints.
Speaking to reporters yesterday after meeting Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, Fakhrul said the issue of postal ballots is yet to be fully resolved and alleged that special privileges have been given to a certain party.
He suggested postal ballots should only be issued after the electoral symbols are distributed.
