“The Election Commission is handing over its power to the government. That is why an election commissioner has protested it by giving a note of dissent. The power they (EC) have got regarding the registration of political parties through the RPO is now giving it to the government by enacting a separate law,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to National Poet  Kazi Nazrul Islam by placing wreaths at his grave, marking his 44th death anniversary.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission approved the draft of Political Party Registration Act as it thinks a separate law for political party's registration is necessary since local government elections are now being held with party symbols.

Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar on Wednesday gave a note of dissent opposing the EC's move to have a separate law for political parties' registration as he thinks it will only make the RPO, 1972  into a "handicapped law".

Rizvi said the government wants to keep the issue of registration of political parties in its hands by enacting the law as part of a move to make its power absolute.

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He also said the government is trying to enhance its power further to control the entire election system by weakening the EC.

The BNP leader said the government has destroyed democracy and snatched people’s rights through repressive acts. “Election is one of the pre-conditions to democracy. Now that election is not  held at daytime but at night. The works and writings of great poet Nazrul inspire us to speak up against such injustice and unfairness.”