The Election Commission has turned into a government organization instead of a constitutional one, said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
“The EC is once more going for one-sided polls. The government party is getting undue advantage while the opposition is not even getting what they are entitled to by law,” he told the media on Friday (Nov 16) at the party headquarters in Naya Paltan.
“The EC office in Agargaon has unequivocally become an AL office. Some EC officials are only following the government’s instructions. Moreover, the party’s election sub-committee member Mostafizur Rahman Babla is often in and out of their office,” he added.
“In September of 2017, Babla was a member of the AL delegation that held dialogues with the EC. After that on Nov 7 and 14 made an appearance there as a member of the AL election sub-committee,” alleged Rizvi.
He added that officials at the EC offices fear Babla and he forces out useful information out of them by threatening them with transfer and the EC has been looking the other way, refusing to take any steps.
The senior BNP leader claimed that they have proof that Babla passes classified information from the EC office to AL due to his privilege of being able to come and go as he wishes.
He also accused the election management unit’s Joint Secretary Farhad Ahmed Khan of enjoying special privileges from the government.
“Farhad Ahmed instructed the Inspector General of police to stop the BNP rallies the day before the Naya Paltan clash,” he said adding, “Babla and Farhad are involved in executing various joint agendas of the government and EC.”
“The entire polls system is in a complete hotchpotch at the moment. Instead of maintaining the electoral code of conduct, any anti-government party is being subdued,” he said.
Citing the clash with police in Naya Paltan on Wednesday, Rivi said that Advocate Nipun Rai and Chatradal Central Committee Assistant General Secretary Arifa Sultana Ruma were arrested to cover up the fact that the police and AL cadres led an unprovoked attack on the BNP leaders and activists.
“I strongly condemn the arrest of Nipun Rai and Arifa Sultana Ruma,” Rizvi said, adding, “Last night the police raided the residence of Jatiyatabadi Jubodol president Rafiqul Alam Manzur and behaved offensively with his family after not being able to find him.”
“The police are acting like they have taken it upon themselves to help AL win the polls,” he added.