Dhaka desk: Bangladesh nationalist Party (BNP) has questioned the impartiality of five members of the search committee for the next Election Commission.
“The search committee members could not be considered impartial in any way,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday in a press conference .
The BNP organised the press conference at the party's Naya Paltan office to give its official reaction over the formation of the search committee.
President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday morning formed the six-member panel with Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain its chief.
bdnews24.com adds : “The inclusion of figures loyal to the Awami League has not only made it controversial but undemocratic too because of their blatant disregard for public opinion,” he said.
“There is no scope of considering the neutrality of this committee formed with members of this nature.”
When asked if he was rejecting the committee, Fakhrul said: “We are just expressing our opinion on the search committee. The issue will come up once the Election Commission is formed.”
President Hamid formed the six-member search panel on Thursday that will propose names for the next Election Commission.
He formed the panel after holding a series of talks with 31 political parties including BNP, one of Bangladesh's major political parties besides the Awami League.
Appellate Division's Justice Syed Mahmud Hassan is heading the panel comprised of Justice Obaidul Hassan, Public Service Commission chairman Muhammed Sadique, Dhaka University Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, Chittagong University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Shireen Akhter, and Comptroller Auditor General Masud Ahmed.
The BNP, which wanted retired officials in the committee, immediately criticised it after it was announced on Wednesday.
The party has slammed the Awami League over the search committee but the ruling party has denied any involvement in the process.
“We condemn this autocratic move by the government which grabbed power through a voter-less election.”
Mirza Fakhrul said the committee's members were not capable of forming a neutral Election Commission.
“It is futile to expect that these people will select unbiased, honest and courageous people for the next Election Commission,” he added
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