Dhaka, Aug 6 (UNB) – The main opposition BNP on Monday welcomed the Election Commission’s decision not to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next parliamentary polls.

“We’ve been opposing the EVM use from the very beginning as the machine won’t help properly reflect people’s mandate…We think the EC has taken the right decision on EVM use,” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

The BNP spokesman was talking to reporters after placing wreaths at the grave of party founder late president Ziaur Rahman with leaders of Doctors Association of Bangladesh (Dab) and Netrakona district unit BNP.

Talking to the reporters at the EC Secretariat on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed said electronic voting machines (EVMs) will not be used in the next national election.

Administering a note of warning, Fakhrul said people will not accept the election if it is hold under a party government. “They (EC) will make a blunder if they hold the polls under any partisan government.”

The government will have to place the proposal of the non-party government as the opposition has no opportunity to do so. “If the government accepts the mass demand of non-party government, then a dialogue could be held with the government over its framework,” he added.

He warned that the movement against the government will become stronger after Eid-ul-Fitr to force it to restore non-party caretaker government system.

Regarding Grameen Bank, Fakhrul said the Grameen Bank Ordinance should not be changed as it is an internationally-recognised organisation and it is the only organisation that won Nobel Prize for changing the lot of the poor people, especially the women, through microcredit.

Replying to a question over the US concern over Grameen Bank, he said it is logical as Grameen Bank is a Nobel-winning organisation.