The Election Commission (EC) does not have the capacity to investigate the allegations against the BNP regarding the hiring of lobbyists in the United States, said EC Secretary Md Humayun Kabir Khandaker.
"The commission does not have the legal framework and capacity to probe if money is spent abroad," he told reporters at the commission's media center in the capital on Thursday.
He said the letter given by the state minister for foreign affairs regarding the appointment of lobbyists by the BNP was discussed at length in the commission meeting.
The audit report submitted by the BNP does not contain any information regarding any amount spent on hiring lobbyists abroad, he said.
Besides, the legal framework of the commission does not cover issues related to money laundering, he added.
Humayun said the commission would review it if the designated government agencies investigate the money-laundering allegations and submit the report to the commission.
Since Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is not a registered political party, the commission has nothing to do with them, he said.
The EC secretary further added that the decision of the commission would be communicated to the state minister for foreign affairs.
