The main opposition BNP thinks that the RPO amendment was aimed at fragmenting the party so the ruling Awami League gets political mileage in the next election, but it believes the change will boomerang.
A number of senior leaders of the party say the change allowing anyone to vie in the election immediately after joining a party was a conspiracy against the BNP, but the relaxation will “hurt” the ruling party that brought the amendment.
Parliament on Monday amended the Representation of the People Order (RPO) 1972, the parent law for conducting general elections, dropping the provision of mandatory three-year party membership for getting nominated for parliamentary polls.
At a rally on October 25, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia warned the Election Commission against holding any unilateral polls and said any amendment to the RPO would not be tolerated.
MK Anwar, a member of the party’s Standing Committee, Wednesday said the commission was only carrying out the order of the government, which was hatching a conspiracy to split the BNP.
“But the government’s dream will not come true as no BNP leader would ride on the government’s leaked boat,” he told the Dhaka Tribune, adding: “The government will be the worst victim of it.”
The former bureaucrat said the election would become a business because of the amendment as candidates would buy nominations and the dedicated ones would be deprived.
Joining an EC talk on December 5 last year, the Awami League had proposed introducing a legal provision to punish political parties’ rebel candidates contesting parliamentary polls independently. A proposal in this regard was also submitted to the commission.
The Awami League passed the law on October 28, but the EC said it had not proposed the law and the ministry concerned had not also consulted it in this regard.
Former election commissioner Brig Gen M Shakhawat Hossain declined to make any comments on the opposition’s hunch but said the amendment would spoil the whole electoral discipline and create an anarchic situation.
“After this amendment huge nomination business will take place the level playing field required will not be created,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Terming the EC loyal to the government, BNP Standing Committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said the commission was doing whatever the government wished to assist the government in hold the next polls unilaterally.
“The government is hatching a conspiracy to bring leaders from different political parties into the polls. That is why it is asking the Election Commission to amend the RPO to meet their own interests. We are not worried about it,” he said.
The EC has also finalised the draft of electoral code of conduct, which will be available on the commission’s website from Sunday for public opinion.
According to the draft, government beneficiaries will not receive facilities after the polls schedule is announced; top government officials, such as the prime minister, opposition leader, ministers and junior ministers, will not be entitled to protocols, but they will be allowed to keep their protection.
