BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has expressed hope that the new Election Commission would ensure a fair and transparent environment for voters. Speaking at a press briefing at the Natore district BNP office on Sunday, Rizvi said that his party expects a marked difference from the previous commission. Dr Moyeen hails interim govt for forming new Election Commission “There should be no repetition of past instances where elections were held with low voter turnout and under questionable circumstances,” he said. The BNP leader criticised the previous Election Commission alleging that it operated under the influence of the ruling party. Pointing to the role of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in selecting commissioners who he claimed acted as her "slaves." Gayeshwar calls for restoration of voting rights, demands immediate elections Rizvi said the Election Commission is an independent constitutional body and it has the power to act without interference from the executive body. He expected from the new commission that it must ensure that voters can freely access polling stations and cast their votes without any obstacles. Among others, BNP central economic affairs deputy secretary Mahmudul Islam, national executive committee member Mahbubul Islam, and other district-level BNP leaders were also present.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their party has no interest in the new Election Commission (EC). "We’ve no interest in the new Commission. We also don’t have any curiosity about who the new CEC or commissioners are. We don't want to talk about it," he said. In their immediate response to the new EC, the BNP leader also said no EC will be able to hold a neutral and credible election if Awami League remains in power during the election period. "It has been proved through the elections in 2014 and 2018 and local government ones that polls can’t be fair and acceptable under a partisan government. He said the EC under the Awami League government becomes obedient to the ruling party and works at their behest.  “So, elections won’t be neutral in any way if Awami League stays in power. This is the undeniable truth.” Read: Pension scheme a ploy to plunder public money: BNP Fakhrul said the general election must be held under a non-party neutral government. "BNP won’t go to polls under a partisan government." Earlier in the day, President Abdul Hamid appointed former defence secretary Kazi Habibul Awal as the new Chief Election Commissioner. He also appointed Brigadier General Ahsan Habib Khan (retd), former district and sessional judge Begum Rashida Sultana, former senior secretaries Mohammad Alamgir and Anisur Rahman as the four other commissioners of the new EC. The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification in this regard. Read: AL 'helping big power' make Bangladesh a subservient country: BNP On Thursday, President Abdul Hamid received the names of 10 individuals recommended by the search committee to be appointed in the next five-member Election Commission at Bangabhaban. This is the first time an election commission was formed under a law mandated by the constitution. The tenure of the immediate past EC, led by KM Nurul Huda, expired on February 14.