The BNP will take its 13-point proposal on Election Commission (EC) constitution to Bangababhan even if President Abdul Hamid does not give the party an appointment, according to party sources. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is likely to hold a press conference today to make the party's stance public on this issue, the sources added. The party is yet to get an appointment to meet the president in this regard.
When contacted, the BNP secretary general confirmed that they were yet to get an appointment from Bangabhaban to meet the president. "If we're not given an appointment, we will soon submit our proposal to the president by sending a team to Bangabhaban gate," he said.
Mirza Fakhrul said they would talk to the media on Wednesday (today) to make the party stance clear on the matter. Earlier on Monday, he told reporters that they sought an appointment with the president to meet him and handover the party proposal for reconstituting the EC.
The BNP chairperson's media wing officer Shairul Kabir Khan said Mirza Alamgir would hold a press conference at party headquarters at Naya Paltan at 1:30pm today.
Khaleda Zia on Friday announced her party proposal to reconstitute the EC based on consensus of all political parties having representation in parliaments since the independence. The former premier also placed some proposals to make the EC stronger and acceptable to all. Following the announcement, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, however, termed Khaleda's proposal ‘without substance’ while Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad said political parties outside the present parliament have no right to talk about the formation of the EC. The tenure of the present EC led by Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed will expire in February next year. According to the constitution, the president will form the EC for five years and it will conduct the next general polls. The BNP had boycotted the last parliamentary polls held on January 5 in 2014.