Khaleda hails revised schedule, but wants emergency lifting

FE Team | Published: November 24, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia now welcomed the revised schedule for parliamentary elections on December 29 but kept pressure on for lifting the state of emergency to ensure free, fair and credible vote with participation of all parties, reports UNB.
"People and all political parties are demanding full lifting of the emergency as elections cannot be fair under it…All elections in the past were held in festive mood sans emergency," she said accepting the new election date announced by the Election Commission (EC) Sunday evening.
Khaleda said the caretaker government and the election commission are telling that they want free, fair and credible elections. "If they mean it, then the emergency must go as it creates fear and doubt among the voters."
The immediate-past premier, who, along with other top politicians, has passed through ordeals under a clean-up drive under the emergency regime, suggested that the emergency rules should be lifted on the last day of withdrawal of nomination that falls on December 11.
She said the elections for four city corporations and other municipalities were held under the emergency. But, she observed, there were lots of complaints and evidences thereof about the fairness of the elections, which proves that elections cannot be fair and transparent under the emergency.
"So, the emergency must be withdrawn to stop a recurrence of such complaints in parliament elections," she told a crowded press briefing at her Gulshan office.
Khaleda also opposed 91 (e) of the RPO, saying that if the election commission stands for fair and competitive elections, why so many hassles over this point.
"This provision was not in RPO in the past. We think such provision is harassing and evil intention is behind it," she said, adding that this provision must be suspended, without wasting time, if not scrapped.
bdnews24.com adds: Awami League remained tight-lipped over the EC's fresh election schedules on Sunday, with spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam saying his party would talk with its allies before giving an official reaction today (Monday).
Ashraful told newsmen on Sunday after the chief election commissioner's televised announcement.
A Jatiya Party delegation met with AL president Sheikh Hasina at her party office in Dhanmondi in the evening. AL spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam and presidium member Amir Hossain were also present.
"It was a courtesy meeting and talks included seats sharing issue and a few other things," JP presidium member Kazi Zafar Ahmed said to reporters as his delegation was leaving AL office.
AL chief Hasina, less than an hour before the CEC's announcement, voiced concern about efforts to foil the general election. "Efforts are underway to foil the election. But the people want election and therefore, it must take place," she said at a meeting with representatives from Dhaka University at her office.