Administration favours BNP, election under them not possible: Nahid

The administration has been working in favour of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in many places. Election under such an administration is not possible, National Citizen Party (NCP) thinks.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam also said elections will not be acceptable without basic reforms to the state.

He told newspersons after a meeting with the visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) Nicole Ann Chulick held at the residence of the US Deputy Head of Mission of the US to Dhaka on Wednesday.

Nahid said, “We are observing that the administration is siding with our main political party, the BNP. In many places extortion has been going on at the field level, the field administration there is keeping mum. We said, holding an election is not possible if such an administration remains. We have to make the administration, bureaucracy and the police neutral for a level playing field.”

BSS adds: Highlighting the party’s three core demands -- justice, reform and constituent assembly elections -- Nahid Islam said, “We have made it explicitly clear that we are not aiming for minimal adjustments; our goal is fundamental reform aimed at qualitative changes in the state. Moving towards elections without any form of structural change would be dangerous for the country and whether or not the National Citizens’ Party will participate in such an election will be considered.”

He also alleged that party leaders and activists of the National Citizens’ Party are being attacked in various parts of the country. The administration is playing a silent role there, he claimed.

Nahid urged the government to create a ‘level playing field’.

He said, “We expect elections within the December to June timeline announced by the Chief Adviser. In the meantime, justice and reforms must be properly done. The July Charter must be implemented.”

NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossain, Senior Joint Convener Samantha Sharmin and Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Zara, among others, were present at the meeting.