Awami League will not be able to participate in the upcoming general election: Chief election commissioner of Bangladesh

Dhaka, May 19 (IANS). Bangladesh chief election commissioner Abdur Rahman Masood said on Monday that the Awami league would not be able to participate in the upcoming general election. He held this statement during a workshop ‘review of the voter list for the upcoming general election’ at the Regional Public Administration Training Center (RPATC) in Rajshahi. According to Masood, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus issued an official notice on May 12 to prohibit all activities of the Awami League and its affiliate organizations, whether online or offline. He also said that in the absence of the Awami League it is difficult to say something about accepting elections. The Electoral Commission said it would like to keep the general election election in June 2026. Akhtar Ahmed, the Electoral Commission Electoral Commission, Ahmed, official of the Rajshahi Election Commission and representatives of law enforcement agencies were also present in this workshop. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expressed its concern on Saturday that the election date could leave without preparation in December, as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus had not yet given any concrete plan or indication of the election. Some senior GNP leaders said that there was no serious discussion on the election nine months after the interim government came to power. In addition, questioning controversial decisions such as allowing ‘human gait’ for the Rakhine region and giving the contract of port operations to external enterprises, the government’s intention. BNP leaders also said that there is a constant pressure within the party to put the government under pressure to announce the election way and hold elections this year. According to local media reports, BNP is of the opinion that the ban on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Party Awami League and the registration of the party may be able to be part of a major conspiracy, which aims to extend the power of the interim government. On the condition of anonymity, a member of the BNP’s standing committee said: “Every time a new edition is raised, reforms are postponed and the situation is deliberately kept unstable. It seems all part of a great conspiracy to avoid elections indefinitely.” Another BNP leader said: “Our Yuva Sammelan will be held in Dhaka on May 28. This rally will give a strong message to the government not to postpone the election further.” -Ians DSC/Acade