Country’s 12th national polls will be held by January 29 in 2024. Election commissioner Md Alamgir disclosed this on Thursday while unveiling the Election Commission’s (EC) roadmap for holding 12th national polls in a free, fair and participatory manner.
The maiden session of the 11th National Parliament was held on January 23, 2019. So, it is the constitutional obligation of the commission to conduct the 12th national polls between November, 2023 and January 29, 2024. The commission would hold polls though Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at the metropolitan cities and district towns.
Immediate after the announcement of poll commission’s roadmap Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a press conference said her government wants participation of all the political parties in the upcoming general election. But Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in his instant reaction categorically on Thursday said they would not accept the upcoming national election unless it is held under a “neutral government”.
We want participation
of all the political parties
in the upcoming general election
We all know that election under caretaker government will not return in the country. As part of the Constitution, the election will be held to continue the democratic process. So, BNP should join the 12th national parliament polls under Sheikh Hasina's government as it does not have any option to boycott it.
It was the BNP, which was responsible for creating the anarchic situation in the country that led to the declaration of emergency in January 11, 2007, popularly known as 1/11 changeover. It has also been criticised widely at home and abroad for its role in the country’s political arena.
Besides, the party’s violent activities during its rule or in opposition between 2001 and 2015 created panic among the people. As a result the party lost peoples’ confidence. Therefore, BNP should refrain from shedding crocodile tears for the elections under the caretaker government.
Country’s people hope that BNP would participate in the next general elections as the existence of the party is on the verge of extinction. So, as the commission will be moving forward in line with this roadmap in order to present a participatory and good election, all political parties should provide their all-out support to it.
We think the commission’s roadmap is realistic and time befitting one. Therefore, if anyone tries to create arson attacks in the country in order to foil the next national elections, they should not be spared.