Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP) has demanded of the government and the Election Commission(EC) to take appropriate steps for a free, fair and non-partisan City Corporation polls.
“Otherwise it would be proven again before the nation that the present EC is nothing but a toothless Tiger. If the government resorts to banditry in the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation polls with the help of the EC, the nation would never pardon the ruling clique and its obedient EC ”, a strongly worded statement by BNP joint-secretary general Barkatullah Bulu said on Monday.The BNP-led 20-party alliance on Monday claimed that it has once again proved that no fair and credible elections can be held under the current government.
In a statement, BNP joint secretary general Barkatullah Bulu, on behalf of the alliance, also alleged that the harassment of opposition leaders and activists through false and politically motivated cases and intimidation by ministers and top officials of the law enforcers are a threat to their free movement and electioneering in three city corporations making the polls atmosphere appalling and biased one.
“Another instance was found in yesterday’s (Sunday’s) polls in Faridpur and Chandpur municipalities that no election can be free, fair and impartial under the current illegal government,” the statement said.
It continued, “The ruling party cadres have indulged in the grand festival of vote rigging by capturing polling stations, stanching ballot papers and openly stamping ballots in the elections.”
The 20-party said through the two local body polls the nation has once again witnessed how ‘expert Awami League is in rigging vote, snatching people’s voting rights and flexing its muscle by resorting to terror acts’.
“We’ve repeatedly said a fair, neutral and acceptable election can never be expected from this regime that got isolated from people. That’s why, the 20-party has continued its movement together with people to establish their voting rights,” the BNP alliance said justifying their ongoing movement.
Bulu said, the government should be able prove its sincerity to hold credible polls in the three City corporations on April 28 by returning a BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed in good health, freeing all opposition leaders and workers of the 20-party alliance from jail and making arrangement for a national election under a non-partisan, caretaker government. – Staff Reporter
