Dissolve current EC in 24 hours, BNP leader Hafizuddin to govt

BNP standing committee member Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed today demanded that the interim government should dissolve the existing Election Commission (EC) headed by Kazi Habibul Awal within 24 hours.
“Abolish this EC within 24 hours if you [interim government] want to restore democracy, as they [Kazi Habibul Awal-led commission] are not the people’s Election Commission. This Election Commission conducted the voting at night, a day before the balloting time,” he said.
The BNP placed the demands while addressing a meeting at the Jatiya Press Club in the city.
Jatiyatabadi Matsyajibi Dal arranged the memorial meeting of Freedom Fighter Rafiqul Islam Mahatab, who passed away in Dhaka on August 12.
Hafizuddin said, “We want democracy. We don’t want to be ruled by a neighbouring country. We don’t want to be ruled by any other power. We want people’s rule.”
The BNP standing committee member said his party will assist Chief Advise Muhammad Yunus, the head of the interim government.
Take the country on the path of democracy,” he said.
He also called upon Yunus to be tough and resist the counter-revolution by the fallen dictatorship against the student-led mass revolution.
“We want the revolution not to lose its way,” he said, adding that those who are in the advisory council should bear the essence of the revolution and thwart the counter-revolution.
Hafizuddin said Sheikh Hasina’s successors are still in the country and the country’s every force, especially the police and the administration. They helped the illegitimate government cling to power for 16 years, he said.
“We want this revolution to come to a successful conclusion. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, you are our glory … Be tough, and don’t think yourself weak. The people of Bangladesh are with you,” said the BNP leader.
He asked all to stay vigilant to resist the counter-revolution against the students-led mass revolution.
“Our request to the chief adviser and the advisory council is that the political parties are the stakeholders of the people of this country. If you want democracy, talk to the political parties.”
He asked the government to hold talks quickly with those political parties that had representation in parliament in the past on how to restore democracy and receive recommendations from them.
The BNP leader asked the government to announce a roadmap soon for restoration of democracy in the country.
“Allow people’s representatives to take charge by holding an election in a reasonable time. The interim government should have no objection to announcing a roadmap,” he said.
“Citizen army to be made”
Hafizuddin said if the people give the mandate to the BNP through a fair election, the BNP government will turn the entire nation into soldiers with military training. “We will build a citizen’s army so that no neighbouring country can look at us aggressively and we are not the victims of any aggression,” he said.