BNP has alleged that ruling Awami League (AL) is “intimidating voters to restrain them from casting ballots" in the Dhaka City polls, scheduled for Feb 1.
“BNP’s Dhaka North mayoral candidate Tabith Awal and Dhaka South mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain came under attack several times. Tension raised with the attacks on campaigners, BNP councillor candidates’ residences, police searches at homes, arrests made and false cases filed,” Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Thursday (Jan 30).
His remarks came at a media call at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in Dhaka on Thursday (Jan 30).
Fakhrul said that AL leaders turning the atmosphere of Dhaka City polls into a situation that resembles the 2018 national polls scenario, which his party repeatedly alleged to be ‘rigged and biased.’
“The provocative statements of the AL leaders including the last one from its general secretary, is pushing Dhaka City polls towards the atmosphere that resembles the national polls in 2018,” he said.
The senior BNP leader accused AL-backed mayoral candidates of “frequently violating” polls code of conduct, saying, “They canvassed colour posters, torn down BNP candidates’ posters and built [campaign] offices on footpaths.”
Fakhrul said BNP reported AL rally at Suhrawardi Udyan a day ahead of the polls to the Election Commission (EC), and quoted EC’s response as saying, “What is the problem with the rally? However, they (AL) can’t solicit votes.”
He came down heavily on the EC’s remarks, saying, “Their response has made it clear that they are following orders from the ruling party.”