Chief Election Commission (CEC) KM Nurul Huda today said the national election will not be inclusive without participation of the BNP.

“BNP is a major political party. How is it possible to hold an inclusive election without their participation? The election won't be participatory without the party’s participation. I had said it earlier and still I am saying so,” said the CEC.

He came up with the remark while Awami League (AL) collected nomination form for the presidential candidate at Nirbachan Bhaban.

CEC Huda hoped that the BNP and other political parties will participate in the general election likely to be held by end of this year.

The BNP had boycotted the January 5, 2014 election demanding election under a non-partisan interim administration. But ruling AL leaders said election will be held under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.

Recently the BNP started alleging that the government is trying to keep BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her party to away from the next parliamentary elections and also from politics.

Rejecting their claims, AL leaders said it is the responsibility of the BNP to participate in the election as a political party, it is not the responsibility of the ruling party to bring them in the election.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently in the parliament outlined the election-time government.

CEC Huda said the commission always wants the participation of all the political parties in the parliamentary election and they will be able to avail of the same facilities.

The EC will conduct the election in a neutral manner, he promised.

Announcing the possible date of the national elections was not an “appropriate act” of Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda said today.

The CEC said this while addressing a press conference at a hotel in Dhaka, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reports.

While talking to reporters at a meeting with newly elected Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury at the Secretariat, Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said there was a good chance that the next parliamentary election would be held on December 27.

Replying to a query on the finance minister’s remarks, Huda said, “Announcing the elections date was not an appropriate act of the finance minister. There has been no dialogue between the EC and the finance minister. He should not have said this.”

Reflecting on the finance minister’s announcement of the polls date, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader also came down heavily on Muhith saying that the government and its ministers cannot decide the date and none should embarrass the commission.

The BNP has claimed that its allegation of “vote robbery” in the December 30 national election has now been proved to be true with the CEC's comment that the use of EVMs can prevent stuffing of ballot boxes the night before an election.

“The chief election commissioner has said the risk of stuffing ballot boxes the night before the voting will be reduced if EVMs are introduced. The truth about the election has started to emerge,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he said Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda could not hide the truth for long. “The CEC's slip of tongue has revealed the truth regarding the midnight election. His remark has demonstrated that the election was held at midnight as EVMs were not used.”

Addressing a training workshop of election officials at the city's Nirbachan Bhaban on Friday, the CEC had said the Election Commission was planning to use electronic voting machines to make sure that ballot boxes could not be stuffed on the night before an election.

Since the national election, the BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront have been accusing the Awami League of carrying out “vote robbery” by stuffing ballot boxes on December 29 midnight.

Stating that snatching people's voting rights was tantamount to robbery, Rizvi said the CEC “committed a serious offence by holding a midnight election only to keep the current government in power illegally”.

“Your [CEC] remarks will remain as an important document to people about how a chief election commissioner allowed stuffing ballot boxes at midnight in a national election, depriving people of their voting rights.”

The BNP leader questioned whether the CEC allowed the ruling party to stuff ballot boxes on the night of December 29 to justify the use of EVMs that were procured by spending crores of public money.

Rizvi warned the CEC that he would have to be accountable to people some day for the midnight voting.

He said the CEC was trying to use EVMs in the election as spending crores of taka was involved in it. “No machine is required for ensuring a fair election, as only sincerity and commitment to democracy is enough for it.”

Not only the CEC, but also an election commissioner carelessly talked about the midnight voting as the truth cannot be hidden, the BNP leader added.

Rizvi voiced deep concern as ailing BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was yet to be taken to hospital for treatment.

He demanded the government shift her to United Hospital for ensuring her proper treatment.