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Dhaka, August 7 (bdnews24.com)— BNP vice president MK Anwar aired concern on Thursday over the caretaker government's passing of the Representation of the People Ordinance (Amendment) 2008, and demanded a review. A meeting of the interim cabinet, presided over by the chief adviser, approved the amended RPO on Wednesday night.
"The political parties do not subscribe to what the advisory council has endorsed as the RPO amendment," Anwar told reporters Thursday.
"Implementing the new RPO will necessitate changing the constitutions of the political parties, which is not possible at the moment."
"Political parties cannot be controlled by enacting such laws," he added.
The former minister also protested certain inclusions in the new RPO, such as provisions for casting 'no' votes in elections and ban on front organisations of the political parties.
Asked if BNP had 'fallen behind' as a result of boycotting the recent city and municipal polls, Anwar replied: "We have not."
"We boycotted the elections on principle, as we had done in 1986. After winning the 1991 polls, BNP proved that the 1986 decision was a right and opportune one."
Disagreeing with the government, the Election Commission and others that the recent polls were very successful, he said: "Polling cannot be called fair just because voting is accomplished 'peacefully'."
"No one should welcome such peace as prevails in a burial ground. The recent city and municipal polls were 'controlled' elections, not a free chain of events."
Asked why he thought so, Anwar replied: "Because it was quite apparent that people didn't want elections amid a state of emergency."
Demanding the speedy release of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, he said: "As soon as our chairperson is released and we sit with the government at the much-talked about dialogue, we'd like such questions to be discussed and sorted out in the presence of all parties concerned."
The current rift within the party could also be mended "with the chairperson among us," Anwar added.
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