The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced a protest in front of the Election Commission (EC) Bhaban at 11am on Wednesday saying it can no longer place trust in the current EC due to various reasons.
It also demanded immediate reconstitution of the EC in line with the recommendations of the Election System Reform Commission and called for the initiation of local government elections.
The announcement was made at a press conference on Tuesday night at the NCP’s temporary central office in Bangla Motor in the capital.
Party’s member secretary, Akhtar Hossain, read out a written statement in the briefing.
In the statement, the NCP said: “A complex political situation has arisen due to the illegal 2020 Dhaka South City Corporation election. We believe the Election Commission’s biased role is primarily responsible for the current state of affairs.”
The NCP further pointed out that despite being a respondent in the ‘Ishraq Hossain vs Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh & others’ case, the Election Commission failed to present a defense, leading to a one-sided verdict.
Even after the ruling, it said, the commission did not seek redress from the higher court, which suggests preferential treatment toward the petitioner.
NCP leader Akhtar Hossain also alleged that the Election Commission, instead of remaining neutral, has made statements aligned with the positions of a major political party. He added that the current Commission was formed under the ‘Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Appointment Act 2022’, enacted by the illegitimate and fascist Awami League government—a law that was rejected by all anti-fascist political forces at the time.
Akhtar Hossain stated warned that candidates from other illegal elections across the country may also turn to the courts citing the ‘Ishraq vs Taposh’ case as precedent—further deepening the crisis. In this situation, he said, holding local government elections is the only viable solution to end the deadlock and reduce public sufferings.
“However, the current biased Commission, formed under a fascist law, is evidently incapable of conducting such elections,” he said.
Following the written statement, NCP convener Nahid Islam and chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari responded to various questions from journalists.
Among others present at the press conference were the party’s chief southern organiser Hasnat Abdullah, senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adib, and senior joint member secretary Tasnim Zara.