The Election Commission is overlooking calls made by the nation as it’s “acting like a stooge of the government”, says senior BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
“With weeks left to the election, hundreds of our activists, including prospective candidates, are being arrested and thrown in the jail. Arrests are rampant; even supporters, travelling to Dhaka for the nomination process, are being detained,” he said on Thursday (Nov 22).
The BNP secretary general’s remarks came while addressing a seminar on electronic voting machines (EVMs) organised by the Jatiya Oikya Front.
Blaming the government of skulduggery to cling on power, Mirza Fakhrul said, “The nation is going to election and together with the people we will fight the battle of ballots on Election Day.”
The seminar, held at the Lakeshore Hotel in the capital’s Gulshan and presided over by Mirza Fakhrul, was addressed by Oikya Front allies’ leaders Krishak Sramik Janata League chief Kader Siddique, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rab, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gano Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury.
The coalition, launched in mid-October, warned of suing the government and the Election Commission if EVMs are used in the national election without amending the Constitution.
“We would like to clearly say it’ll be the violation of Constitution. Using EVMs will be tantamount to treason, and we, Jatiya Oikya Front, will file a lawsuit if they try to introduce it,” said JSD chief Rab.