BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said the problem over the date of elections to two Dhaka city corporations was created due to the incompetence of the Election Commission (EC).
“By fixing the election date on a day of a major puja of the Hindu community members, the Election Commission has exposed that it’s dysfunctional, it has no ability to conduct an election,” he said.
Talking to reporters after placing wreaths at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave, Fakhrul further said, “A genuine problem was created over the voting date due to the incompetence of the Election Commission as the election centres are set up where the puja is held.”
BNP leaders and activists, led by Fakhrul, paid homage to Zia by placing wreaths at Zia’s grave marking his 84th founding anniversary.
They also offered fateha at the grave of their founder and joined a munajat seeking eternal peace of his departed soul.
He alleged that the ruling party candidates are getting more scopes to carry out electioneering than the opposition ones as the Commission has failed to take any step for ensuring equal opportunities for all. “It’s a lopsided electioneering.”
Fakhrul said the EC is trying to conduct the voting in the city polls with electronic voting machines (EVMs) “as part of an evil design. It’s only a trick to completely destroy Bangladesh’s election system.”
He also said people’s verdict will not be reflected if the elections are held using EVMs.
“EVM is a faulty voting system and it’s not called a flawless system in any country of the world. Traditional ballot paper is still the suitable system where people’s mandate is reflected through the results, if the votes are not rigged,” the BNP leader observed.
He also said the election results can be manipulated easily due to various flaws in the EVM system.
On their party founder’s birthday, Fakhrul said they have taken a vow to restore democracy, free Khaleda Zia and implement the 19-point of Ziaur Rahman being imbued with his ideals.
BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman, vice chairmen M Shahjahan and AZM Zahid Hossain, among others, were present.
Born on January 19, 1936 at Bagbari in Bogura, Ziaur Rahman founded BNP in 1978 and became the country’s seventh President.
BNP worked out various programmes to mark the day.
Besides, party flag was hosted atop all the BNP offices across the country.
Doctors Association of Bangladesh (Dab) arranged a free health camp at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
The party is also scheduled to hold a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the afternoon.
BNP’s associate bodies and the party’s district, city, upazila and thana units are also celebrating the birth anniversary with various programmes.
source: UNB
