BNP on Saturday said the formation of the six-member search committee for the reconstitution of the next Election Commission will be a ''meaningless exercise'' without having a polls-time neutral government in place. “This search committee has no value. It’s only a pointless exercise,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Talking to UNB over phone, the BNP leader said their party has no interest in the search committee. "There’s nothing new to say about this matter. We think this committee has been formed as part of their (govt’s) evil design to deceive people again,” Fakhrul observed. He said people are neither interested in the search committee nor in the Election Commission under the current government. "A polls-time government, not the Election Commission, is important to people. It has been proved repeatedly that a neutral and credible election is not possible under the current government. People think first a polls-time government must be installed to ensure a credible election. So, the Election Commission is not an issue now,” the BNP leader said. Once the polls-time impartial government is formed, Fakhrul said a neutral Election Commission can also be constituted by that administration to hold an acceptable election. Asked whether their party will come up with any formal reaction to the search committee, he replied in the negative, saying, “We don’t have any interest in the matter.” Earlier in the day, a six-member search committee, led by Appellate Division Justice Obaidul Hasan, was formed to suggest the names of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners. Read: BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader A gazette in this regard was issued by the Cabinet division. The tenure of the incumbent commission, led by CEC KM Nurul Huda, will expire on February 14. Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said the search committee is not a subject for their party to talk about. "We’re not interested in it." Talking to reporters at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also said their party’s main focus is on the polls-time neutral government. Replying to a question, the BNP leader said he thinks the search committee is not a neutral one.  “The position of our party is very clear. We think that no election can be fair under this government. We won’t go to the election if the current regime stays in power during the voting. We’re least bothered about the search committee and the Election Commission under the current government,” he observed. Tuku said the next election will be held in a fair and credible manner if it is held under a neutral government. “We want a polls-time administration under which people will be able to exercise their voting rights. An interim government like that of 1991, 1996 and 2001 is necessary to hold a credible election and protect people’s voting rights.” He also said the Election Commission will be able to work neutrally if an impartial government is in place.  

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said bureaucrats are now running the country though Awami League is in power. "If you go to the Dhaka DC office or that of other districts where the meetings of law-and-order committees or on development programmes are held, you'll see the bureaucrats playing the major role of Awami League," he said. Read Having Khaleda freed BNP's main challenge: Fakhrul Speaking at a discussion, he also said the Awami League leaders are now nowhere in governing the country.  "Where’s Awami League? The role of Awami League is not visible now as everything is under a bureaucratic league or military, or police administration. This is the situation in Bangladesh now.” Bangladesh Chhatra Forum and Uttaranchal Chhatra Forum arranged the programme marking the day when BNP's current acting chairman Tarique Rahman was released from jail in 2008. Tarique, arrested on March 7 after the 1/11 political changeover, was released on bail on September 3 the following year. Fakhrul said social crimes have increased in the country as law enforcement agencies are unable to maintain law and order. "We see in newspapers that policemen are taking ransom and extorting money after kidnapping people. We also see police officers are being accused of rape...the IGP (Inspector General of Police) said now police will also do journalism," he said. The BNP leader said police will now do journalism instead of arresting thieves and robbers and maintaining law and order. "It's part of a far-reaching move." He voiced deep concern that the government is going to control social media after the mainstream media only to suppress the truth. "Our Information Minister yesterday (Thursday) said all the TVs that are operated here on social media and from outside the country must take permission (from the government here). That means the government will now control those who speak for democracy and the truth through social media," Fakhrul said. The BNP leader said the government has already ‘destroyed’ the freedom of the press and 'curtailed' freedom of speech through different laws, including the Digital Security Act. "They've already established a one-party rule under a different cover by snatching people's voting rights and the press freedom." Fakhrul alleged that the government has been making unguarded comments against BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, his widow Khaleda Zia and their son Tarique Rahman to misguide people and divert their attention to a different direction from the government's failure to deliver on all fronts. He said the Awami League government is trying to turn Bangladesh into a 'vassal' state, shattering all the dreams of people. “Basically, it is a puppet government.” The BNP leader said the current government will not last long as it has isolated itself from people. "We must unite people and defeat this regime through a united movement."  

Condemning the attack on the residence of Barishal Sadar Upazila UNO reportedly by BCL activists, BNP on Thursday alleged that the government has unleashed its reign of terror in the country. “The incident in Barisal has manifested that they (govt) have unleashed a reign of terror all over the country. Such incidents have been happening everywhere as the government has let loose the ruling party cadres,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. He came up with the allegation while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave along with the leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal, marking its 41st founding anniversary. Read: Corruption amid pandemic making life miserable: BNP Fakhrul said the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists also padlocked the office room of Dhaka University Law Department Professor Asif Nazrul on the campus and threatened him with dire consequences. “Would you call it a civilised democratic country? It (current govt) is worse than Pakistanis.” Police allowed a small number of Sewchchasebak Dal leaders to enter the grave premises of Zia following Tuesday’s clash between the law enforcers and leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka south and north units in the same area over a similar programme. About Tuesday’s clash, Fakhrul said their party leaders and activists gathered in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area to peacefully place a wreath at Zia’s grave and offer fateha there marking the formation of new convening committees of BNP’s Dhaka north and south units. “Our leaders and activists went there with emotion following the formation of the new committees. But they (police) could not tolerate it. They attack with arms whenever they see any public gathering. They admitted to firing 187 rounds of bullets. Can’t we even carry out peaceful programmes in a democratic country? It can’t go on like this,” he said. The BNP leader alleged that the law enforcers and the ruling party ‘cadres’ are also obstructing BNP leaders and activists from distributing relief materials in different parts of the country. He said the government has been trying to suppress the opposition leaders and activists with repressive acts so that they cannot raise their voice in favour of the country’s people.  Read: BNP leader Fakhrul turns 73 Fakhrul said at least 25 leaders and activists of their party were detained as they came to pay homage to Zia today (Thursday) while many others were arrested earlier following Tuesday’s clash. He demanded the government to release all the arrested leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies and withdraw ‘false’ cases filed against them. The BNP leader said the government’s main target is to establish a one-party rule in Baksal style by eliminating all the opposition parties. Fakhrul warned that no fascist and authoritarian regime could hang onto power for a long time in the history of the world. “We must defeat this government together with people through a united movement.”