NCP Convener and Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament Nahid Islam on Sunday demanded the immediate removal of unelected administrators from local government bodies, accusing the BNP government of appointing party loyalists to consolidate political control.
Criticising the appointment of an unelected administrator to Dhaka North City Corporation, he said such individuals should not be allowed to contest the upcoming city corporation elections.
Nahid made the remarks during an NCP public outreach programme in the capital’s Mirpur area on Sunday afternoon.
He said the state minister for local government had initially denied announcing a mayoral candidate but later acknowledged supporting the same individual.
He argued that placing an unelected person in charge of a city corporation and then seeking public support for that person’s mayoral candidacy was inconsistent with democratic principles.
Nahid alleged that while the Awami League government had appointed politically aligned bureaucrats, the BNP government was directly installing party members in city corporations.
He accused the government of allowing such appointees to use public funds for their own political promotion and award work to party associates.
Questioning the government’s legitimacy, Nahid said its alleged disregard for the referendum verdict had raised concerns about its constitutional and democratic standing.
He urged Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to establish a “Constitutional Reform Council” without delay to break away from the state structure and constitutional framework inherited from Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
Nahid also warned that constitutional amendments introduced through a committee representing only one political party could face the risk of being overturned in the future.
