Ganatantra Mancha on Saturday alleged that the government has amended the Representation of the People Order (RPO) to hold the next national election unilaterally.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Saiful Haque, the coordinator of the alliance and general secretary of Bangladesh-er Biplobi Workers Party, demanded the government immediately revoke the recent amendments to the RPO for the sake of holding an acceptable and inclusive parliamentary election.
“When the government is preparing for holding yet another rigged and lopsided election, it can be clearly understood curbing the power of the Election Commission to postpone voting is completely an ill-motivated move,” he said.
He said the RPO amendment was not acceptable to the country's people in any way. “We call for the immediate withdrawal of the amendment.”
Otherwise, Haque warned that they will force the government to annul the RPO amendment and all the measures contrary to a free, fair and democratic election and establish the voting rights of people through a movement.
The “Representation of the People Order (RPO) (Amendment) Bill, 2023” was passed in parliament on Tuesday last with the key amendment authorizing the Election Commission to postpone or cancel the results or voting of one or more than one polling stations in any number of constituencies on polling day, but not the entire election to a constituency.
Haque claimed that the RPO amendment is contrary to the responsibility given to the Election Commission (EC) by the Constitution to conduct free and fair elections.
“Through this amendment, the government tied the hands and feet of the Election Commission. This move of the government will further enhance the arbitrariness, hegemony and authority of the ruling party over the election processes,” he observed.
"We think the Election Commission has been turned into a powerless organization by passing the RPO amendment bill,” Haque observed.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President ASM Abdur Rob said the government has taken the move to steal votes.
He thinks the government snatched the EC's right to cancel the election of any constituency in the wake of the commission's step regarding the Gaibandha by-polls.
"They (Awami League) have realized that if they lose somewhere, the Election Commission will accept it. So, they have brought this amendment so that the commission cannot do that in the future and so that they can indulge in vote rigging, vote fraud, and vote robbery. In fact, they want to hold controlled elections,” Rob said.
He said even a crazy person does not believe that there can be any fair election under this government.
Ganosamhati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said the EC will now be able to cancel the voting in some polling stations, but not the entire polls following the RPO amendment.
He said this is a beautiful arrangement made by the government to ensure their victory by stealing votes during the day time.
