UNB, Dhaka: Accusing the ruling party men of resorting to widespread violence and capturing over a thousand polling stations, BNP on Wednesday called the municipal elections as farcical and staged-managed ones. At a post-polls press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir came up with the allegations. “As per the information we’ve so far received, over a thousand polling centres were captured in 157 municipalities. The figure will be much higher and the number of municipalities will be at least 200 where votes were rigged. We still did not receive complete information from all,” he said. Fakhrul, however, asked BNP candidates’ agents and the party men not to leave the polling stations until vote counting ends and receiving copies of election results sheets signed by presiding officers. The BNP leader said their candidates and agents lodged various complaints regarding violence, vote frauds and anomalies with respective returning officers many municipalities. “We’d earlier said the election won’t be free and fair. It was a farcical and staged-managed election. The polls results were pre-set ones as they (AL) did everything necessary to install their people in the municipalities,” he alleged. Fakhrul further said, “The polls atmosphere has turned into a tragedy marred with clashes, gunshots and violence, instead of a festive mood.” Fakhrul said the ‘manipulated’ municipal elections also exposed that the government’s popularity has gone down to zero level. “The polls have once again proved no election can be free and fair under Awami League.” The BNP leader said the government has used all the government machinery to ensure the victories of the ruling party candidates. Asked what will be the party’s next course of action, their chairperson will work out it after analysing the election results and discussions with senior leaders. Fakhrul alleged that the Election Commission’s incompetence and its subservient role have once again destroyed the entire election process. The BNP acting secretary general said they did not get any remedy despite repeatedly lodging complaints with the Election Commission. “We demand re-elections to the centres where ruling party indulged in vote rigging forcing out our agents.”
