National Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman Bobby Hajjaj on Monday urged the Election Commission (EC) to prevent senior leaders of the Awami League, particularly those holding key positions in district committees or retaining party membership, from contesting the upcoming national election as independents or under the banner of other parties.
He made the demand while speaking to reporters following a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the EC headquarters in the capital on Monday afternoon.
"If the interim government law is passed and gazetted, then its legal definitions must be upheld to the letter. If a party's registration is suspended, it cannot contest elections until the suspension is lifted," said Hajjaj.
He further said, "If the EC announces the election schedule in November and the government simultaneously lifts the suspension, then questions may arise about the Awami League's participation in the polls."
Earlier, around 3:00pm, a five-member NDM delegation met with the CEC and placed four major proposals: redrawing parliamentary constituencies, amending the electoral code of conduct, outlining the grounds for candidate disqualification, and ensuring a conducive electoral environment.
The party also proposed increasing the ceiling on election expenditure from Tk 25 lakh to Tk 40 lakh.
When asked about the potential influence of black money on electoral spending, the NDM chairman said, "When the current ceiling was set, inflation and purchasing power were different. The present context is entirely different."
"In reality, no one limits their campaign expenses to a few lakhs. The actual spending runs into crores. By not setting a realistic cap, candidates are essentially compelled to lie," he added.
Responding to a question on whether campaign costs would rise due to the exclusion of posters and reliance on high-cost items like billboards and banners, Hajjaj said, "If a candidate has to rent a billboard, the election cannot be run with just Tk 40 lakh. That's the reality. We have urged the Election Commission to take responsibility for arranging billboards for the candidates."
