Zia unveils proposals for neutral poll panel

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday unveiled a 13-point proposal for formation of a new stronger and neutral election commission (EC) to hold credible elections.
Zia came up with her party’s proposal to reconstitute the EC as the incumbent commission headed by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad is set to complete its five-year tenure on February 8, 2017.
Speaking at a conference, she said every registered political party or those elected to parliament ever since Bangladesh’s liberation must approve the next commission.  
The 13-point proposal was finalised in a meeting of the National Standing Committee, the party’s highest policymaking body, on Thursday, senior BNP leaders have said.
The BNP has accused the CEC of being a puppet of the Awami League government.
The 11th national election, scheduled for 2019, will be held under the EC that follows.
The president finalises the EC following recommendations from a search committee.
The current EC, set up in 2012, was formed by then president Zillur Rahman through a search committee set up after talks with various political parties.
The BNP boycotted the 2014 election, the run-up to which was marred by its violent campaign for the demand of non-party neutral caretaker
government.
Following the boycott, 153 representatives were elected to a parliament of 300 seats without contest in the election which saw the Awami League returning to power.
The people are angry after not being able to vote in the last election, Zia said. “People want a free and fair election, participated by all parties. Where they’ll be able to vote without disturbances and the results of which cannot be altered.”