Dhaka: Terming ‘ill‐motivated’ the Prime Minister’s suggestion for introducing ‘e‐voting’ in the next national election, BNP on Thursday said it is her another magic to divert people’s attention to a different direction from the ‘controversial’ Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

‘What the Prime Minister has said in parliament to go for e‐voting in the next parliamentary elections is undoubtedly ill‐motivated one. It’s an attempt to manipulate people’s votes to gain their own (AL’s) interest. We think it’s also an exposure of the PM’s another ploy,’ said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with their party’s reaction at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office to Hasina’s remark on ‘e‐voting’.

Responding to a question from an MP in Parliament on Wednesday, Sheikh Hasina said a plan to introduce ‘e‐voting’ in the next national election can be considered to further ensure people’s voting right.

During the party’s talks with President Abdul Hamid on 11 January, Awami League also recommended the introduction of the e‐voting in the next polls.

Strongly opposing the PM’s proposal, Rizvi said people will not bow down to the Prime Minister’s high ambition as they will foil the ruling party’s any plot over the next general election.

‘No one believes that the government which formed the Election Commission making their own party man as the CEC will allow people to reflect their will. A strong doubt has created in public mind
whether the PM’s proposal for e‐voting a digital depiction,’ he observed.

The BNP leader also alleged that Sheikh Hasina’s announcement for e‐voting system introduction is nothing but showing people another farcical bioscope. ‘Sheikh Hasina knows the technique very well how to fool people.’

Justifying their party’s opposition to the e‐voting, Rizvi said, ‘Many people in Bangladesh are still illiterate and it’s difficult for them to understand the technical matters of the system.’

Besides, he said, the government can control e‐voting servers if the election is held under the system. ‘So, it’ll be easier for them to rig votes.’

Rizvi also said some countries that had introduced the e‐voting system annulled it later due to technical faults in it.