Special Correspondent
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday said his party still harbors doubts about the arrangement of a free and fair election, alleging that “allies of the previous government” are engaged in plots to thwart the polls.
“We still have doubts about a free and fair election. How much of it is actually possible? We have asked the Election Commission whether it has the capacity to ensure that,” Rizvi told reporters after holding separate meetings with Election Commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud and Md Anwarul Islam Sarker at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.
BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member and former secretary Ismail Jabiullah accompanied him at the meetings. The delegation specifically discussed issues of constituency delimitation with Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarker, who is in charge of the process.
In response to BNP’s queries, Rizvi said the EC assured them of its preparations to hold a free, fair, and credible election.
However, the BNP leader expressed concern about what he described as “accomplices” of the Awami League government allegedly working within different levels of the administration, including the EC’s bureaucracy. “These accomplices are engaged in various tactics and far-reaching conspiracies to disrupt or even prevent a free and fair election,” he alleged.
“We wanted to know what role these ‘allies’ are playing and whether they are creating obstacles,” Rizvi said, adding that the EC assured them it is monitoring the situation closely to ensure transparency and fairness.
Despite his concerns, Rizvi acknowledged the sincerity of the current Election Commission. “We hope this Commission will be able to conduct a free, fair, and inclusive election with participation of all parties. So far, I have not found any lack of sincerity on their part,” he said in reply to a question.
On the issue of introducing proportional representation (PR), Rizvi said the BNP believes it is not feasible at this stage. “Our leaders have conveyed this to the EC in detail. The Election Commission is carrying out its constitutional responsibilities,” he noted.
The BNP delegation also sought updates on voting rights for expatriate Bangladeshis. “We wanted to know about the progress of enabling expatriates to cast their votes. The EC informed us that they are working on the possibility of introducing postal ballots,” Rizvi said.
Commenting on Saturday’s attack on former Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice President Nurul Haque Nur, Rizvi strongly condemned the incident. “Nur is a known political figure who played a role in anti-fascist movements. Such an attack on a responsible political leader is condemnable and unacceptable in a democratic country,” he said.