BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Friday alleged that the search committee has been formed as part of a government 'drama' to constitute a subservient Election Commission to hang onto power through ‘vote robbery’ again. "The search committee will be loyal to the government now in power. The names of those to be given by Sheikh Hasina or the government to this committee will be the Election Commissioners," he said. Read: People to turn down search committee’s recommendations: BNP Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said their party thinks it makes no sense to take part in the Election Commission formation process under the current search committee. "So, this search committee is a drama of the government to stay in power by resorting to vote robbery in its old style," he observed. National People's Party (NPP) arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club demanding that the next national  election be held under a non-partisan and neutral government. Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said their party and alliance partners have decided not to join the national election under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the last two elections under her were not fair and credible. He urged the government to quit and take steps for holding the next election under a non-party neutral administration to ensure people’s voting rights. "We would like to say the country's people are observing what you’re doing. Enough is enough. Not only the people of Bangladesh, but also the international community is also also saying enough is enough. The current situation can't be allowed to continue," the BNP leader said. He warned that thier party will be forced to take to the streets together with people if the current 'autocratic' regime dose not step down paving a way for an acceptable election under a neutral polls-time government. Read:Search committee asks political parties to suggest names for CEC, ECs "We're trying to forge a national unity.  Inshallah we'll force this government to quit through a simultaneous movement. Everyone get ready for that movement," Mosharraf said. He regretted that there is no progress in the sensational murder case of journalist couple Sagar-Runi though 10 years have elapsed. "Sagar and Runi must have known some secret news of the government for which they were killed on that day. It's unfortunate that even the investigation report has not been placed in the case over the last 10 years, let alone the trial," the BNP leader said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their party will not accept the upcoming national election unless it is held under a" neutral government". "Our stance is very clear there would be no more game in the name of an election. The election must be held under a neutral government and to be conducted by a neutral election commission,” he said. Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said, “We won’t accept any election if there’s no polls-time neutral government and an impartial election commission." BNP arranged the programme at the Institution of Engineers’, Bangladesh. Read: BNP policymakers in another closed-door meeting Stating that the days of the current government are numbered, Fakhrul urged Awami League to try to read public minds and understand the writings on the walls. “That means quit power after making the provision of the polls-time caretaker government and let people exercise their right to vote.” He called upon BNP leaders and activists to be organised and get ready for a street movement instead of creating chaos for having party posts. “This is the only way left for us. It won’t be possible to remove the current monstrous regime without a mass movement and mass uprising. So, we’ve to unite all our people, unite all the political forces to take place a mass uprising,” the BNP leader said, pointing at the party rank and file. Read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings He said Awami League has become politically bankrupt losing public support for its ”misdeeds and repressive acts. They (AL) know they won’t even get 30 seats if any election is held in a free and fair manner. That’s why they have politicised all the state institutions.” Fakhrul also alleged that the government has established its control over the judiciary, administration, law enforcement agencies and the media. “So, the entire nation is unable to speak up and exercise their freedom of expression.”

BNP’s mid-ranking leaders on Wednesday urged the party policymakers to wage a movement to force the government to hold the next polls under a neutral government. In a closed-door meeting, they also told the party top leaders that it will be pointless for BNP to join the next national election if it is held under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a party joint secretary general, who was present at the meeting, told UNB. He said some leaders wanted to know from the party high command about what BNP gained by joining Jatiya Oilkyafront under the leadership of Dr Kamal Hossain and the talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of the last general election. The BNP leader said they also urged the party top leaders to work out a strategy for the next polls taking lessons from the mistakes the party made during the last two national elections. The BNP top leaders sat in the marathon meeting with the BNP joint secretaries general, secretaries general, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries and secretaries around 4pm at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office. The meeting continued for around seven and a half hours. Also read: BNP plans series of party central leaders’ meetings Party sources said 122 leaders participated in the meeting and gave their opinions about how BNP should get ready for an anti-government movement and the next general election. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku was present at the meeting. Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined it from London. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mirza Fakhrul said they sat with the party’s mid-level leaders after the senior ones as part of their planned series of meetings with BNP rank and file to know their views about the party’s next course of action. “The meeting discussed the current political situation in the country and the organisational situation of the party,” he said. Fakhrul said they will also hold a meeting with the leaders of different associate bodies on Thursday. “We may hold similar meetings with other leaders and the party in the days to come and it will be finalized at our standing committee’s next meeting.” Also read: Now state ‘backs corruption’: BNP The BNP leader said their party will also hold dialogues with different organizations over the political issues. Earlier on Tuesday, the BNP policymakers had a closed-door meeting with the party’s vice-chairmen and advisory council members. BNP formed a 502-member national executive committee, including 35 vice-chairmen, through its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.

BNP leaders at a rally here on Saturday alleged that the government has turned Bangladesh into a ‘police state’ by ‘annihilating people’s voting rights only to continue its ‘fascist rule’.