, Sept. 15 -- The National Citizen Party (NCP) has strongly protested and condemned what it called the Election Commission's "independence-less and spineless" role, pointing to contradictory statements from the EC and a state minister over the schedule and process for upcoming local government elections.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday evening, NCP Convener Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Akhter Hossen said Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah announced possible dates for the seven phases of local government elections, only for State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam to immediately claim the government has no knowledge of the matter and that no discussions have taken place ...