Dhaka – BNP on Wednesday stressed appointing neural presiding and polling officers in Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election billed for December 22.
“We’re getting information about the engaging ruling party cadres as presiding and polling officers and Anasr members at voting centres in NCC polls,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he further said, “We demand the Election Commission appoint neutral presiding and poling officers so that they can perform their duties impartially.”
The BNP leader also called upon the Commission to take proper steps so that no one can rig vote and exert undue influence.
He also renewed their party’s demand for deployment of army for the sake of a fair balloting.
Rizvi accused the ruling party of continuously violating the election code of conduct.
He alleged that from the Prime Minister to ruling party mayoral candidate, local MP and leaders are breaching the election code of conduct one after another. “We repeatedly complained to the returning officer, but they are ignoring the allegations.”
Rizvi claimed that a mass wave has been created in favour of BNP mayoral candidate Shakhawat Hossain Khan. “The people of Narayanganj are united to cast their ballots for ‘sheaf of paddy’. Our central and local leaders and the 20-party leaders are continuously carrying out electioneering, and getting huge response from voters.”
He also said voters are eagerly waiting to vote in December 22 polls as they have long been deprived of exercising their right to franchise. “People’s mandate in favour of sheaf of paddy will surely be reflected if the government doesn’t resort to any kind of vote rigging and election engineering.”
The BNP leader strongly condemned the attack by police on a reception programme of newly formed Kishoreganj district unit BNP presidentShariful Alam at Kuliarchar. -UNB
