‘CEC speaks highly of Zia’

Chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda yesterday lauded former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman for restoring multiparty democracy in the country. “As a major political party, the BNP has made various contributions to the country. Its founder, Ziaur Rahman, had brought back multiparty democracy in the country,” the CEC said during a dialogue with a BNP delegation at Election Bhaban in Dhaka.

BNP standing committee member Lt Gen. (retd) Mahbubur Rahman confirmed this to The Independent yesterday. In his opening speech, the CEC said the BNP administration in the past had taken many “positive measures”. He read out a written statement, highlighting the BNP’s role in democratic movements.

“The BNP had carried out different movements for nine years after the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on May 30, 1981. Then, the party won the parliamentary polls and formed a government in 1991,” the CEC said.

“BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia became the country’s first woman Prime Minister. The BNP formed a government for the second time after winning the elections in 2001,” he added.

“Many of those who participated in the dialogue today were once ministers or speaker of Parliament. I got the opportunity to work under many of you who were ministers. Many of you have been elected to Parliament several times and played roles in conducting the country,” he said. While in power, the BNP had introduced a new course of governance in the country, he added. Lauding the BNP-led government’s development projects in the past, Nurul Huda said: “It made primary education mandatory, set up a separate division for primary mass education, set up the National University, ensured free education for girls up to Class X, established the Rapid Action Battalion, the expatriate welfare ministry, the Law Commission, and raised the age limit for entering government service to 30 years.”

The CEC also said that the BNP was now out of Parliament because it had boycotted the 10th general election, but expressed hope that the party will participate in the next polls.

He further said that the whole nation was looking at the dialogue, which would be fruitful.

CEC speaks highly of Zia

Chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda yesterday lauded former president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman for restoring multiparty democracy in the country. As a major political party, the BNP has made various contributions to the country. Its founder, Ziaur Rahman, had brought back multiparty democracy in the country, the CEC said during a dialogue with a BNP delegation at Election Bhaban in Dhaka. BNP standing committee member Lt Gen. (retd) Mahbubur Rahman confirmed this to The Independent yesterday. In his opening speech, the CEC said the BNP administration in the past had taken many positive measures. He read out a written statement, highlighting the BNPs role in democratic movements. The BNP had carried out different movements for nine years after the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on May 30, 1981. Then, the party won the parliamentary polls and formed a government in 1991, the CEC said. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia became the countrys first woman Prime Minister. The BNP formed a government for the second time after winning the elections in 2001, he added. Many of those who participated in the dialogue today were once ministers or speaker of Parliament. I got the opportunity to work under many of you who were ministers. Many of you have been elected to Parliament several times and played roles in conducting the country, he said. While in power, the BNP had introduced a new course of governance in the country, he added. Lauding the BNP-led governments development projects in the past, Nurul Huda said: It made primary education mandatory, set up a separate division for primary mass education, set up the National University, ensured free education for girls up to Class X, established the Rapid Action Battalion, the expatriate welfare ministry, the Law Commission, and raised the age limit for entering government service to 30 years. The CEC also said that the BNP was now out of Parliament because it had boycotted the 10th general election, but expressed hope that the party will participate in the next polls. He further said that the whole nation was looking at the dialogue, which would be fruitful.