The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on
Saturday demanded lifting of the state of emergency immediately to create an
atmosphere conducive to holding free, fair and participatory national
elections.
The
party asked the Election Commission to hold the stalled parliamentary elections
before any other polls according to laws and constituencies that existed before
the recent amendments and delimitation.
It also
called on the commission not to announce a schedule for upazila elections
before holding of parliamentary polls.
The
party at a dialogue with the commission demanded withdrawal or suspension of
the latest amendments to electoral laws, including the Representation of People
Order (amendment) Ordinance [2008] and provisions for compulsory registration
of political parties for contesting the upcoming polls.
Jamaat's Nayeb-e-Amir Maqbul Ahmed led the delegation that included Muhammad Abdus Subhan, Abdul Quader Mollah, Mujibur Rahman, Rafiqul Islam Khan and Jasimuddin Sarkar. Islami Oikya Jote vice-chairman Muhiuddin Khan led the IOJ team.
