Accusing the ruling party-backed mayoral candidate of crafting a plan to capture polling stations, pro-BNP Sammilita Nagorik Jote-supported mayoral runner Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Thursday reiterated his demand for army deployment during Saturday’s Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) elections. “Ruling party cadres are hatching conspiracies to snatch people’s victory. We have information that they’ve set a target of capturing at least 20 polling centres for several hours,” Ariful Haque said.
He went on: “So, we strongly demand the Election Commission deploy army to ensure security at all polling centres to hold the election in a fair and neutral manner…”
The 18-party opposition alliance-backed candidate placed the demand during his election campaigns in different areas of the city.
Justifying his demand, Ariful Haque said the police force is not enough to ensure safety at all polling centres. “Chhatra League cadres earlier snatched an armed terrorist from police at Sylhet MC College. They (police) couldn’t do anything,” he said.
The BNP central committee member alleged that ruling alliance-backed candidate Badar Uddin Kamran and his campaigners are intimidating general and rival voters in many ways.
“They (Kamran supporters) are threatening voters so that they do not cast their votes for Television, the election symbol of Arif,” said the opposition-supported candidate.
Earlier in the day, Arif and his supporters conducted campaigns in different areas of ward No 2 and 5 of the city.
Besides, a roadside meeting was also held in Eidgah and Khoaghat area of ward No 10 in support of Television.
BNP leaders Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan and the party’s Sylhet city unit leaders were present. (Source: UNB)
