Chittagong Bureau :
Leaders of BNP’s Chittagong unit on Sunday called upon the Election Commission (EC) to deploy members of the armed forces a week before of the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) polls.
They made the demand at a press conference held at the residence of Chittagong City unit BNP president Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The press conference was called in protest against the attack on BNP leaders and activists during the polls campaign.
They alleged that some Awami League men allegedly launched an attack on BNP leader Syed Wahidul
Alam and his men in the city’s Sher Shah area when they went to inaugurate an election camp for M Manjur Alam on Saturday afternoon.
“The army should be deployed a week ahead of the elections for maintaining
law and order,” said Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Referring to the attack, he said: “There is no way the election can be held properly and peacefully without the deployment of army.”
Earlier, the opposition BNP wanted deployment of army during April 28 city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong.
Chowdhury, the former Commerce Minister, also called upon the EC to ensure level playing field for all the contestants in the city elections.
Regarding the violation of electoral code of conduct by the government ministers, he said, BNP had informed the matter to EC officially but no action was taken against them.
While speaking at the press conference, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman alleged that police were harassing their leaders and supporters for working in favour of BNP-backed mayoral candidate Manjur Alam. He also alleged that police were also arresting their activists from the poll campaigns.
“Under this circumstance, there is no alternative but to deploy armed forced for holding of the polls free, fair and peaceful manner,” he said. The BNP-backed mayoral candidate Manjur Alam said that he and his supporters could not launch electioneering due to deterioration of law and order situation in the city.
“Our leaders and activists are facing attack by the ruling party men during poll campaigns. They are also in fear of forced disappearance, killing and abduction. Considering the matter, “I demand army deployment a week before Chittagong City Corporation polls.”
Chittagong south district BNP president Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, central member Mahbubur Rahman Shamim, city BNP vice-president Shamsul Alam and BNP backed mayoral candidate Manjur Alam, among others, were present at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Returning Officer Md Abdul Baten asked the aspirants of the upcoming CCC polls not to carry out any kind of electoral showdown during Pahela Boishakh.
