Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior leader Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain on Saturday accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of ‘unethically’ using state facilities in electioneering in favour of her party.

Speaking at a discussion, he also urged the government either to amend the constitution or work out a system to install an acceptable election-time administration cutting the Prime Minister’s power for the sake of a fair national election.

“Though you (PM) talk about constitution and law, you’re conducting election campaign as Awami League president spending taxpayers’ money. What kind of morality and honesty it is. Where is it written in the constitution that holding the Prime Minister’s portfolio you can carry out your party’s campaign?” he said.

The BNP leader also said doing party politics spending public money and state facilities is an immoral act.

Bangladesh Youth Forum, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking its 11th founding anniversary.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had recently joined a public rally in Bogra organised by local unit of Awami League where she urged people to vote for Awami League’s electoral symbol, ‘boat’, in the next polls.

Earlier on Friday, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed, also criticised the Prime Minister for starting her party’s election campaign through the Bogra rally.

Mahbub, a BNP vice chairman, suggested Hasina to resign from the Prime Minister’s post if she wants to work for her party and conduct electioneering in favour of it.

“Quit as Prime Minister and work for your party as Awami League President. You’ve taken oath as the Prime Minister to maintain equality and neutrality. Carrying out any campaign for your party is tantamount to breaching your oath,” he observed. 

About the next polls, Mahbub said their party will join the next polls if it is held under a non-party neutral government. “But we won’t go to polls under the current government and Sheikh Hasina. We also won’t allow the government to hold such polls.”

He also came down hard on the government for what he said not allowing BNP to hold rallies and political activities.

“If you want to hold a fair election, let’s either amend the constitution or find out a system of forming an all-party government in light of constitution where Sheikh Hasina won’t have absolute power,” the BNP leader added.

Or lease, he warned, their chairperson Khaleda Zia together with people will take to the streets to restore democracy and people’s voting rights.