BNP tries to make questionable initiative to enact EC law: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader Wednesday said BNP leaders are deliberately making misleading remarks and spreading propaganda to make questionable the great initiative of formulating the long-cherished Election Commission (EC) law.  “An identified quarter, including the BNP, has engaged in their usual ill politics and is deliberately spreading propaganda to make the great initiative of enacting EC law questionable,” he said in a statement. Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the country's eminent citizens and registered political parties have welcomed the initiative of enacting the new law in line with the Constitution, but BNP and its allies are trying to create confusion among the people by making misleading statements. 

“On behalf of AL, I would like to thank all the stakeholders concerned for taking the initiative of enacting the EC law by the present government and approving the draft law in the cabinet responding to the demands of the registered political parties and eminent citizens of the society,” he added. As per the parliamentary procedure, the AL leader said, the draft law will be placed in the House and subsequently sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for scrutiny.

The standing committee will place the law in parliament in the form of recommendation while the law will be finalized through discussion in parliament as per parliamentary procedure, Quader said.  The AL general secretary said the main opposition party and the BNP lawmakers will get floor to take part in the discussion on the law in parliament.  In fact, the political stance of BNP, which was born in the womb of illegitimate seizure of power and dictatorship and run through a cycle of conspiracy, is always against the democratic norms and constitutional process, he said. 

Since the BNP leaders have no clear idea about the law, they are throwing stones in the dark, Quader said, adding noting was hidden during enactment of this law.  Noting that a long discussion was held in this regard in the dialogue under the initiative of the President with political parties, he said BNP did not participate in the dialogue as they are scared of democratic norms and processes. 

The AL leader categorically said during the tenures of governments led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2012 and 2017, the President constituted the Election Commission in the line with Article 118 of the Constitution by forming a search committee through discussions and consultation with all political parties.  All the political parties participating in the dialogue with the President during those two terms and in the recent dialogue demanded the enactment of a law to form the EC, Quader said, adding even BNP itself then demanded that like other political parties. 

In the recent dialogue with the President, political parties, including AL, also proposed for formulating the law, he added.  Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken all sorts of steps to build the institutional form and strong foundation of democracy in the independent Bangladesh, Quader said, adding the democratic system of the country was destroyed by killing Bangabandhu and his family members on August 15 in 1975. 

Although almost 50 years have passed, no government has taken the initiative to enact this (EC) law, he said, adding only the AL government led by Sheikh Hasina has taken the initiative to enact the EC law to build a strong structure of sustainable democracy.  The AL general secretary urged leaders of all the political parties to be respectful to the democratic politics and the constitutional process.  Quader also called upon them (political parties) to hold constructive discussions and act responsibly over the approved draft law on the EC formation with a view to strengthening the democratic system of the country.