Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
BNP leaders and activists, mayor candidates and their supporters came under attack on Thursday also in several places of the country during the December 30 municipal polls campaign. The BNP blamed the ruling party men for the attacks.
Jatiya Party (Ershad) also at length accused the ruling party men of attacking JP’s candidates and their supporters on Thursday.
The ruling party men attacked BNP’s mayor candidate for Laksam Municipality in Comilla. Former BNP MP Anwarul Azim and former Upazila Chairman Mazir Ahmed were campaigning at Gazimura of the municipality.
Anwarul Azim’s motorcade came under attack by the activists of Chhatra League and Swechchhasebak League, while the ruling party men physically assaulted Mazir Ahmed. Four other persons, including Anwarul Azim’s driver Khorshed, received injuries.
Anwarul Azim said that a group of activists led by Laksam upazila unit BCL President Shihab Khan and Swechchhasebak League Secretary Jahangir Ahmed swooped on his motorcade.
On information, police rushed to the spot and chased the attackers. Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) of Laksam Police Station Monwar Hossain said that additional policemen had been deployed to avert further troubles.
BNP-nominated mayor candidate in Jessore Municipality and his supporters also came under attack during the election campaign. At least six persons were injured in it. Mayor candidate Maruful Islam alleged that a group of 20-30 men attacked them with sharp weapons while they were campaigning at Mission Para of the town at noon. As they took shelter in a nearby house, the attackers vandalised the house, leaving six persons injured, he said.
He claimed that the supporters of Nouka (boat) symbol launched the attack for killing him. Officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station Shikder Akkas Ali confirmed the incident saying that police rescued the BNP men from a house where they took shelter for security reason.
Accusing the ruling party of unleashing terrorism across the country, the central BNP sought security for its candidates and agents.
BNP Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed demanded it in a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office. He alleged that Awami League and the administration were working together in the municipal polls. “The ruling party men are violating the election code of conduct in a desperate manner.”
The BNP leader also alleged that the BNP candidates and their supporters are subjected to harassment, obstruction and intimidation in different areas, including Dinajpur, Jessore, Satkhira, Faridpur, Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Rajbari, Mymensingh, Bogra, Savar and Khagrachhari.
He also accused the ruling party men of damaging BNP candidates’ posters, attacking their campaigns and snatching their loudspeakers. Criticising the EC for its inaction, he said that polls violence marked a sharp rise, as the Commission ‘is a doll.’
Meanwhile, a delegation of Jatiya Party led by the party’s Presidium Member SM Foysal on Tuesday met Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad in his office and lodged the complaint of harassing and attacking their candidates and supporters.
SM Foysal alleged that ruling party men were carrying out attacks and harassing Jatiya Party’s candidates and activists ahead of the polls. He said that they had raised some specific complaints at the meeting and the CEC assured them of taking steps regarding their allegations.
BNP leaders and activists, mayor candidates and their supporters came under attack on Thursday also in several places of the country during the December 30 municipal polls campaign. The BNP blamed the ruling party men for the attacks.
Jatiya Party (Ershad) also at length accused the ruling party men of attacking JP’s candidates and their supporters on Thursday.
The ruling party men attacked BNP’s mayor candidate for Laksam Municipality in Comilla. Former BNP MP Anwarul Azim and former Upazila Chairman Mazir Ahmed were campaigning at Gazimura of the municipality.
Anwarul Azim’s motorcade came under attack by the activists of Chhatra League and Swechchhasebak League, while the ruling party men physically assaulted Mazir Ahmed. Four other persons, including Anwarul Azim’s driver Khorshed, received injuries.
Anwarul Azim said that a group of activists led by Laksam upazila unit BCL President Shihab Khan and Swechchhasebak League Secretary Jahangir Ahmed swooped on his motorcade.
On information, police rushed to the spot and chased the attackers. Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) of Laksam Police Station Monwar Hossain said that additional policemen had been deployed to avert further troubles.
BNP-nominated mayor candidate in Jessore Municipality and his supporters also came under attack during the election campaign. At least six persons were injured in it. Mayor candidate Maruful Islam alleged that a group of 20-30 men attacked them with sharp weapons while they were campaigning at Mission Para of the town at noon. As they took shelter in a nearby house, the attackers vandalised the house, leaving six persons injured, he said.
He claimed that the supporters of Nouka (boat) symbol launched the attack for killing him. Officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station Shikder Akkas Ali confirmed the incident saying that police rescued the BNP men from a house where they took shelter for security reason.
Accusing the ruling party of unleashing terrorism across the country, the central BNP sought security for its candidates and agents.
BNP Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed demanded it in a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office. He alleged that Awami League and the administration were working together in the municipal polls. “The ruling party men are violating the election code of conduct in a desperate manner.”
The BNP leader also alleged that the BNP candidates and their supporters are subjected to harassment, obstruction and intimidation in different areas, including Dinajpur, Jessore, Satkhira, Faridpur, Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Rajbari, Mymensingh, Bogra, Savar and Khagrachhari.
He also accused the ruling party men of damaging BNP candidates’ posters, attacking their campaigns and snatching their loudspeakers. Criticising the EC for its inaction, he said that polls violence marked a sharp rise, as the Commission ‘is a doll.’
Meanwhile, a delegation of Jatiya Party led by the party’s Presidium Member SM Foysal on Tuesday met Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad in his office and lodged the complaint of harassing and attacking their candidates and supporters.
SM Foysal alleged that ruling party men were carrying out attacks and harassing Jatiya Party’s candidates and activists ahead of the polls. He said that they had raised some specific complaints at the meeting and the CEC assured them of taking steps regarding their allegations.
