The ruling Awami League on Wednesday demanded that the Election Commission disallow four election monitoring organisations from being observers at the upcoming general election slated for December 30.
The organizations in question - Democracy Watch, Light House, Khan Foundation, and Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad - were branded as “partisan” by the ruling party.
“Among the 118 registered observers, we have serious information on four of them. These four are completely partisan organizations,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Political Adviser HT Imam claimed.
He made the comment after a meeting with the Election Commission at its headquarters in Dhaka.
According to HT Imam, Democracy Watch is chaired by Taleya Rehman, wife of BNP leader Shafik Rehman.
Furthermore, Khan Foundation is registered under the name of BNP Standing Committee member Moeen Khan's wife, and Bogra-based Light House was founded and is operated by BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman, the PM’s political adviser said.
He added that Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad is a new form of Odhikar, which had lost its registration for various activities.
“We are concerned. If they (the four organisations) act as election observers, there is risk of a major disaster,” HT Imam said.
