“We know this Election Commission doesn't pay heed to our any statement as their responsibility is to implement the government agenda. They proposed formulating Local Government Institutions Election Act-2020 with an ulterior motive,” he said.

The BNP leader said “The only purpose of the act is to give the ruling party absolute power, and turn the Election Commission into a more subservient institution.”

Fakhrul made the remarks at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.

He said the current EC is formulating various laws to strengthen the hands of the government which ‘lacks’ public mandate.

Speaking at the press conference, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the EC has changed many basic rules in the proposed law. “A large part of the proposed law--from section 66 to 84--doesn’t match the existing laws of local government.”

He also said if a single law is enacted by unifying different laws, it will be complicated and difficult to understand the relevant rules and regulations for separate local government bodies from that unified law. So, we think the Commission’s this move is inconsistent and not acceptable.”

The BNP leader said it is unnecessary to enact the act amid a pandemic situation without taking the opinions of relevant stakeholders, including voters and candidates.

He said the EC should now concentrate on working out effective measures to check vote rigging, ballot stuffing, ensuring election atmosphere, preventing terrorism and violence instead of making such an act for which no party has so far made any demand.

"We urge the Commission to refrain from this unnecessary and unjustified initiative of enacting the proposed Local Government Institutions Election Act-2020 amid the ongoing corona crisis,” the BNP leader said.

He also warned that the country’s people will not accept if the EC unilaterally enacts the act ignoring BNP’s demands and proposals. 

About the by-polls to Dhaka-18 and Sirajganj-1, Fakhrul said the ruling party candidates and their supporters are indulging in serious irregularities since the media is not giving attention to the by-elections.

“Elections have now turned into a farce as the Election Commission has become a subservient institution. I urge the media to cover the by-polls,” he added.

Also read: Country needs role of patriots to overcome crisis: Fakhrul