Staff Reporter :
The BNP on Sunday demanded army deployment in the upcoming mayoral polls to Gazipur and Khulna city corporations to hold the election in a free and fair manner.
“We demand deployment of army in the upcoming election to the two cities for ensuring an atmosphere so that voters can exercise their franchise without fear,” BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said this at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the city.
He alleged that the law enforcement agencies are now working as the partisan force of the government.
He also claimed that the voters could not keep trust on the government and the Election Commission.
Rizvi also demanded to ensure level playing field in the city polls areas, stop using EVM and halt arrest of leaders and activists of BNP to create election atmosphere.
He said the ruling Awami League party men are staging rallies, processions and campaigns in the two cities while the BNP men are busy with attending court hearings on the false cases filed the government.
“Our party men even cannot sleep in their own houses due to police harassment but the AL men are everyday staging gatherings and campaigns in the voting areas. It is not level playing field and the authority should ensure it,” Rizvi said. The mayoral polls to Gazipur and Khulna cities are scheduled for May 15.
The BNP leader also asked the Chief Election Commissioner to do everything as per his rights and power to make a level playing field for the next Parliament election.
“The CEC recently made a remark that without participation of every major party, the next polls would not be well. If it is his real understanding, he should take proper steps to create proper atmosphere to hold a free, fair and inclusive poll,” he said.
If the government obstructs the CEC in this regard, he should use his total power to overcome that.
BNP Central Leader Belal Ahmed and Aminul Islam, among others, were present.
