Accusing the ruling party of capturing the polling stations across the country like ‘char grabbing’ in the second phase of the upazila polls, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday demanded reelections to the grabbed voting centres.
“Awami League has again exposed its original face by capturing the polling stations. They captured most voting centres in the second phase of the upazila polls across the country like grabbing chars. We demand reelections to the captured polling stations,” he said.The BNP spokesman made the demand while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at the grave of BNP founder late president Ziaur Rahman, marking the recent release of BNP vice chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed from jail.
He said the upazila election has once again proved that no fair election can be held under the current ‘illegal’ regime.
Fakhrul was critical of the ‘inactive and silent’ role of Election Commission and said the incidents of vote fraud and polling station grabbing occurred in the local body elections due to the puppet commission. “We’ve come to know that the most polling centres have been occupied even before the end of the elections.”
He alleged that the commission did not take any action and effective measures to check manipulation despite repeated complaints by the BNP-backed candidates and their agents.
The BNP leader also accused the law enforcers of playing a silent role amid the ruling party’s polling station capturing spree.
He said Awami League cadres attacked the 19-party leaders and activists and forced out the polling agents of the opposition candidates.
Reiterating their demand for restoration of the non-party caretaker government, Fakhrul said, “We think no election, let alone the national one, can be held in a free and fair manner under this illegal government formed without people’s mandate.”
He urged the government to quit immediately and hold a fresh national election under a non-party administration. “We’re taking a vow at the mazar of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman that we’ll oust this regime through a vigorous movement.” – unb
