BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain on Tuesday reiterated his party's stance condemning the bomb attack on Awami League MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, but termed the prime minister's speech in parliament the day before 'unfortunate and frustrating' as she accused the opposition of supporting the bombers.

"As the prime minister and Leader of the House, her speech in parliament should have contained more substance than just blaming the BNP for everything." "This is how investigation is influenced," Delwar told reporters at a press briefing at the party's Naya Paltan office. "Parliament has become a place to attack the opposition. Meanwhile, the opposition are urged to join parliament." He said such urging was "just for show".

Regarding the recent spate of speeches by ruling party MPs and the prime minister, blaming main opposition BNP for 'backing killers and bomb attackers', he said, "We're not surprised. They're masters in imposing their own blame on others." Delwar also called the newly passed second amendment to the Representation of the People Order 'a conspiracy' against the main opposition to scatter the party. "The conspiracy began in the tenure of previous caretaker government and the incumbent government passed the law following their ways," he said.

His comment came a day after the bill was passed be parliament to amend electoral law so that political parties will lose registration if they fail to submit their permanent constitutions to the Election Commission by the Jan 25, 2010 deadline. A previous amendment had extended the deadline for more six months, but the second amendment gives EC the authority to cancel registration if the deadline is not. The main opposition BNP is among the parties yet to submit their ratified constitution. The party raised objection to the proposed second amendment at a standing committee meeting on Oct 12. The committee rejected the objection.

According to the amended RPO, political parties must submit their permanent ratified constitutions within 12 months of the start of parliament. An earlier deadline had allowed six months ending on July 24 this year, as the ninth parliament went into its maiden session on Jan 25, 2009. A total of 39 political parties were registered with draft constitutions ahead of the December 2008 elections. Of them, 33 parties including ruling Awami League completed their registration process by submitting their final constitutions to the EC by July 24.

The rest, including main opposition BNP, appealed to the EC for extension of the deadline citing their inability to hold party councils and ratify their constitutions within the stipulated time. The law minister in reply to an objection motion on Monday said the amendments have been introduced fairly to apply to all political parties. He said the EC's authority was not rigid, but flexible, and there were provisions for show-cause notice and a hearing before cancelling registration in the amended law.

Delwar, a former chief whip, responding to queries by reporters on Tuesday saying there had been no reason to pass the second RPO amendment. "The government enacted the law including the provision, even though they knew that BNP's national council is scheduled on Dec 8." "The caretaker government, the army and other clusters had conspired to break up BNP. Awami League was also involved with that plotting and have now passed this law in the parliament," he added.

"The purpose of all this has been to disband BNP, but they failed," said Delwar. "The political parties will decide or amend their constitution and the EC can't control them. The caretaker government made provisions to the RPO which were direct intervention on political parties," he said. He said "ghosts remain" even after the caretaker government left power as we see the EC is now enabled to cancel registration of parties.

-bdnews