BNP will change its charter for EC registration: Hafiz

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BNP will soon convene a party council to amend its constitution, and apply to the Election Commission (EC) for registration well before the deadline, BNP Acting Secretary General Hafizuddin Ahmed said Thursday, reports bdnews24.com.
"It's not because the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) said so or for the satisfaction of any quarter, we'd like to amend and reform the party constitution as we realise the need to do so," Hafiz told the reporters.
"Our Chairperson Khaleda Zia also holds the same opinion. We'll change the undemocratic elements of the constitution, and make necessary reforms through the forthcoming council," said the Acting Secretary General.
Khandakar Delwar Hossain, the Khaleda-appointed Secretary General of the opposing BNP faction, had Wednesday described the CEC's statement that many parties needed to change their constitutions as "unnecessary interference."
"It's not the CEC's responsibility to define or point at changes to be effected by parties in their constitutions. It will now be a difficult task for the EC to convince people about their good intentions of holding a free and fair election," Delwar said.
CEC ATM Shamsul Huda in the EC dialogue with the Bangladesh Workers' Party Tuesday had said, "Political parties not promoting democratic practices in their constitutions will not be registered with the EC."