Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday urged Chief Election Commissioner-designate KM Nurul Huda to step aside before any unwarranted situation is created.

“I want to call upon the person who has been announced as the Chief Election Commissioner to stay aside from his post to evade an unexpected political situation,” he said.

Rizvi made the call while speaking at a discussion titled ‘The New Election Commission and the Future of Neutral Polls’ organised by Swadhinata Forum at National Press club.

He also called upon the government to come to the right path shunning its repressive acts to hold a fair election so that people can exercise their right to franchise.

“The next election must be held under an election-time government. Take steps to arrange such an administration and then quit. No one can stay in power for a long time by resorting to repression and injustice…we hope good sense will prevail upon you,” the BNP leader said.

Mentioning that Huda is loyal to Awami League, he said the President has made him the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) as per the Prime Minister’s wish.

“We’d raised objection to the search committee. Now everything is clear what they did. One person’s desire has been reflected regarding the EC formation as the President, search committee and the government all merged together,” Rizvi said.

He alleged that the government has made Huda the CEC to hold worse elections than those held under the outgoing CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed.

“Fair polls are not possible under such a CEC who is subservient and loyal to the government,” the BNP leader said.

Describing CEC Huda as Prime Ministers’ Sheikh Hasina’s puppet, Rizvi said it will not be possible for him to work independently ignoring her directives.