Dhaka: Terming the Election Commission’s (EC’s) ongoing dialogue just eyewash, BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Saturday said it will not produce any positive outcome for holding the next general election in a credible manner.

‘The current Election Commission is a government puppet. It has no acceptability as we’ve got its political identity. The dialogue it has initiated is nothing, but eyewash. It won’t yield anything good,’ he said.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the comment while speaking at a discussion organised by Bangladesh Democratic Council at the Jatiya Press Club.

He said neither the EC will be able to work neutrally nor a fair and acceptable election will be possible to be held in the country if the current government remains there.

The BNP leader also said the EC’s roadmap for the next election has also no value as it was announced without creating any road for neutral polls. ‘They (EC) themselves are saying they’ve nothing to do for ensuring a level-playing field before the announcement of an election schedule.’

He said the ruling party is carrying out election campaign across the country while BNP is not even allowed to hold any rally and meeting. ‘This means the government wants to hold the polls unilaterally staying in power. They don’t want opposition parties to be there in polls as they don’t want the restoration of democracy.’

Moudud said there is no alternative to creating a level-playing field for all political parties from right now to hold a credible and impartial election.

He also said political cases filed against BNP leaders and activists must be withdrawn to create a congenial election environment.

The BNP leader said the next election will be free and fair if it is held under a non-party election-time government with the deployment of army at every polling station.

Speaking at another discussion at the Jatiya Press Club arranged by Gonotantrik Sangskritik Jote, party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain warned that ex-Chief Justice ABM Khairul Hague will must face trial someday for changing the 13^th amendment verdict 16 months after his retirement.

Hailing the Supreme Court’s verdict that annulled the 16^th amendment, he said there is no unnecessary thing in the observation of the verdict. ‘The country’s people will implement every line of the verdict.’

The BNP leader said Awami League should have resigned after the Supreme Court’s 16^th amendment verdict. ‘Instead, the party is plotting again to cling to power as it doesn’t believe in democracy.’

He urged the country’s people to wake up for restoration of democracy by ousting the current regime.