Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday demanded immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda and urged the President to replace him with a neutral person. "This shameless, incompetent, and dysfunctional Election Commission has to be accountable to people for its failure to create an election atmosphere in the country. We demand the Chief Election Commissioner to quit immediately. Or else, no minimum level of election atmosphere will be created," said Oikyafront spokesman Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of the alliance leaders at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office, he said their alliance thinks the EC has to be freed from the leadership of a 'spineless and biased' person like Nurul Huda to ensure a free, fair and neutral election. "We demand the President to appoint a non-partisan and impartial person as the Chief Election Commissioner instantly."

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday (Tuesday) walked out of a meeting with the chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda, following a heated argument over the role of the police in poll campaigning.

Oikyafront leaders alleged that they walked out of the

meeting because of the CEC’s "inappropriate behaviour", when Dr Kamal Hossain compared the role of the police to that of "lathial (goons) and brute" while dealing with their candidates across the country.

Oikyafront leaders claimed that the CEC sided with the police and commented: "What do you think of yourself that you are calling the police lathial and brute?"

Oikyafront spokesperson and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, said: “We walked out of the meeting as the CEC’s behaviour was inappropriate. He sided with the police role in campaigning.”

Fakrul came up with the remarks at a press conference at Nirbachan Bhaban after boycotting the meeting with the CEC.

Soon after walking out of the meeting, Dr Kamal Hossain left Nirbachan Bhaban.

The press conference was attended by, among others, BNP senior leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Mirza Abbas, Goyeswar Chandra Roy and founder of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Zafrullah Chowdhury, were present.

Fakhrul said: “The opposition candidates are facing attacks and killings. The police are desperate to suppress the opposition's campaigning.  We complained to the CEC, but he did not give importance to it. It seems we are making false complaints.”

“Both the government and the Election Commission (EC) are jointly trying to foil the election and have made the electoral process a farce. The EC has become a part of the government. The CEC’s behaviour was not appropriate. So we left the meeting,” he added.

“The government and EC want that we do not contest the elections. But we will not allow them to score a goal in an empty field. Now people have to decide what they will do in the election,” he asserted.

In reply to a query, Fakhrul once again demanded resignation of the CEC.

“If this situation continues, how will the elections be acceptable? If the attacks do not stop, how will voters go to polling centres? How will the election be legitimate? Now the nation has to think, will they give legitimacy to the election if this situation continues?” he posed questions.

BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said: “When we complained to the CEC about police repression on opposition candidates, he did not show any sympathy. Rather, he sided with the police. He did not behave well.”

Zafrullah Chowdhury said: “Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain told the CEC that he can play a stronger role than that of the Chief Justice as far as the election is considered. If you wish you can control the police who are acting like brutes and goons (lathial) with opposition candidates. The police are not allowing us to hold meetings or bring out processions. But the ruling party is doing everything without caring for the electoral code.”

“At this point, the CEC became excited and asked Dr Kamal how he could call the police brute and lathials,” he added.

Jafrullah said the other election commissioners, Mahbub Talukder and Rafiqul Islam, and EC secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed did not say anything during the heated argument.

The BNP standing committee member at the press conference said: “If you (CEC) cannot create a proper environment for the election, tell us. We will announce boycott of the election at the Jatiya Press Club.”