Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) have welcomed, while Islami Andolon Bangladesh has criticised, the roadmap for the 13th national election.
Highlighting 24 priority tasks, including finalisation of constituency boundaries, voter lists, political party registration and accreditation of domestic observers, the Election Commission on Thursday announced the roadmap for the next parliamentary election.
In an instant reaction, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told The Daily Star that the announcement of the roadmap has fulfilled people's expectations.
"Everything has been done according to public expectations. I hope, now there will be no more irrelevant questions about the election," he said.
CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said the announced election roadmap can only be made credible through specific and practical steps.
"Simply declaring a plan is not enough; it must be implemented effectively to gain people's trust," he told The Daily Star this evening. "We want to take the Election Commission's announcement positively. But the main task now is to make it credible to the people."
Islami Andolon Bangladesh Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman told The Daily Star that last July, students and people sacrificed their blood and lives, seeking permanent freedom from autocracy in the country.
"Without giving any roadmap on that, announcing an electoral roadmap of the old arrangement is nothing but a denial of the July mass uprising," he said.
"Not even the slightest of fundamental reforms has been implemented. Therefore, before any other roadmap, a roadmap for implementing the July Charter must be given."
Gazi Ataur Rahman said there has been no solution yet as to whether the election will be held under the existing system or under the PR system. "Before a settlement of this, the Election Commission has no moral right to announce such an action plan," he added.
