They said the government has appointed him without any discussion with the opposition political parties.

JSD President ASM Abdur Rob said since the independence many important issues, which required national unity, were neglected due to constitutional rights of the majority party.

He urged all to take initiative to change the constitution to ensure national unity on matters of vital interests.

The left 11-party alliance in a meeting yesterday said appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is not acceptable as the government made the decision unilaterally ignoring demand of consultation with opposition parties.

"The way the appointment has been made is not acceptable to us as the government did not pay heed to opposition parties' demand of discussion," general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) Mujahidul Islam Selim said after the meeting.

Selim said the left coalition has been agitating on a 12-point proposal to free election from black money, muscle power and administrative interference.

"Free and fair election can not be ensured without overhauling the election system including the introduction of proportional representation and stopping use of black money," Selim told The Daily Star referring to a resolution of the meeting.

Presided over by Siddiqur Rahman, acting general secretary of Sramik Krishak Samajbadi Dal and a central leader of 11-party, the meeting was also addressed by 11-party Coordinator Bimal Biswas, Azizul Islam Khan and Harun Chowdhury.