BNP, Jamaat raise concerns over RPO amendment, call for wider consultation

BNP and Jamaat leaders have voiced concerns over today's approval of the draft Representation of the People Order (RPO) Amendment Ordinance.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, "The party had already submitted a proposal before today's approval that it should not be changed. We believe it should remain the same as before."

He added, "If the small parties in an alliance cannot use the symbol of the big party, then there will be no meaning in being part of that alliance."

Salahuddin added that he would give further comments after reviewing the final version of the RPO.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar criticised the government and the Election Commission for not consulting political parties and the public before amending the RPO.

"Political parties and people's opinion would have been reflected had the government exchanged views with them before amending the RPO," he said, adding that some parties could face problems due to the new amendments.

The interim government today approved the draft of RPO Amendment Ordinance, introducing a series of major reforms aimed at ensuring greater transparency and accountability in elections.

The ordinance was approved at a meeting of the Advisory Council chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.