BNP slams EC, sees signs of one-sided polls

The BNP on Wednesday alleged that the election commission's (EC's) move not to include the armed forces under the definition of law enforcement agencies in the draft amendment to Representation of the People Order (RPO) is a sign of another lopsided national election.

"As per media reports, the draft of the RPO amendment has been finalised without including the Defence Forces under the definition of law enforcers. It has exposed the sign of holding a unilateral election," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the remarks while speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.

During the dialogue with the EC, the BNP leader said most political parties, including BNP, intellectuals and civil society members recommended deployment of army in the upcoming general election.

"We demanded the deployment of army with magistracy power, but the government has now taken the step to shut down the way for it," he said.

Rizvi also termed politically motivated the EC's move to overlook army in the definition of law enforcers. "It's also an anti-constitutional initiative."

About the ongoing quota-reform movement, he alleged that the government is trying to malign the student's spontaneous demonstration by making various unguarded remarks.

"The movement for reform in quota system is purely by students. But efforts are on to mislead people by raising questions about who are inspiring the agitators and who are not doing it," the BNP leader said.

He came down hard on agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury for describing the agitators as Rajakars' children, saying it is her tactic to confuse people.

Rizvi also accused the Chhatra League activists of 'brutally' repressing the demonstrators at different residential halls of Dhaka Universality over the few last days. "We strongly protest and condemn it."