Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) accused Election Commission (EC) of electoral fraud under "fascist rule" and demanded legal action.
On Sunday, April 20, five-member delegation from NCP headed by Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, met with Chief Election Commissioner.
Joint Conveners Mujahidul Islam Shahin, Taznuva Jabin, Khalid Saifullah, and Anik Roy accompanied him during this consultation.
They proposed stricter candidate verification, in-person nominations, five-year party registration renewals and mandatory public certification of election fairness.
The party also sought an extension for completing its own registration process.
NCP representatives urged EC to take legal action against all parties, including commission itself, allegedly involved in electoral malpractices such as rigging, nighttime voting, and disruption of voting systems during three elections held under previous administration.
During discussions, delegation emphasised implementation of Election Reform Commission's recommendations as key priority. They also advocated for stronger democratic practices within political organisations and proposed strict measures against candidates submitting false information in affidavits, including annulment of nominations and cancellation of parliamentary membership if discovered post-election.
NCP delegates proposed new regulations to limit excessive campaign spending and suggested five-yearly renewal of party registrations based on compliance with Commission guidelines, aiming to establish more effective political entities across country.
"We believe Election Commission must publicly certify fairness and credibility of elections before publishing official gazette," stated one delegate, recommending Commission issue public statements within 48 hours of polls closing.
Other proposals included mandatory in-person submission of nomination papers by all candidates, except those in legal custody within Bangladesh, and measures to maintain Commission's independence from political influence.
When questioned about extending deadline for NCP's registration as political party, Chief Election Commissioner assured delegation that their request would receive proper consideration.
According to Saleh Uddin Sifat, Joint Member Secretary (Office) of NCP, meeting marked significant step towards electoral reform and democratic enhancement in current political landscape.
NRE/SH
