Present EC must go: Khaleda***

Opposition leader Khaleda Zia has called for the formation of a neutral Election Commission to ensure fair election in the future, terming the incumbent commission a "puppet" of the party in power, reports UNB. "This election commission was a key to destroying BNP in the past. They are the stooges of the present ruling party. This commission must go," she told a May Day rally at Konabari College ground in Gazipur Sunday afternoon. Calling for all-out movement to remove the current government for restoration of democracy, peace and security, Khaleda said the incumbent ruling party is seeking out ways to retain power. Khaleda, chair of BNP, rejected the government plan to introduce electronic voting machines for future elections, alleging that this is another ploy to retain power through rigging. Referring to the ruling party's new proposition about the caretaker government, she said although the caretaker government was the demand of Awami League, now they want to scrap this system to hang on to power. She opposed scrapping the system of caretaker government. Khaleda squarely blamed the present coalition for failure on all fronts, saying that the government is scared of mid-term elections. "This government has no point to stay in power," she told the rally. Without naming India, the BNP chair alleged that the government is busy in pleasing its foreign bosses by giving them transit corridors and businesses. On the contrary, she said the government has failed to realise the sharing of waters of the common rivers, and keeps mum over the killing of Felani.