Staff Reporter :Bangladesh Sommilito Peshajibi Parishad (BSPP), a pro-BNP forum, on Friday demanded exemplary punishment to the attackers on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia during her City Corporation election campaigns for the BNP-backed candidates.The Parishad also castigated the Election Commission (EC) for overturning its decision of army deployment during the City Corporation elections, to be held on April 28. In a press conference at Jatiya Press Club, the Acting Convener of BSPP Ruhul Amin Gazi said Khaleda Zia and BNP-backed candidates are facing troubles at every stage of their election campaigns. “Khaleda Zia started taking part in the election campaigns on April 18. She got unprecedented response from the people during her campaigns. Scared of BNP’s success, the cadres of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League carried out attacks on the motorcade of Khaleda Zia and her companions at Karwan Bazar on April 20. They injured several people including two security guards of BNP Chairperson,” he said. The leaders of Awami League and its front organizations Al Amin, Jahirul Haque, Tuhin Mahmud, Ali Hossain Sijan and Roni Khandker led the attack, Gazi said.In a written statement, he said Awami League cadres also continued their onslaughts next day when Khaleda Zia was campaigning for Mirza Abbas (the BNP-backed Mayor candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation) at Fakirerpool area. “They vandalized cars and beat off other campaigners, chanting slogans ‘Joy Bangla’. They continued the rampage on April 22 also. We demand exemplary punishment to those who were involved in the attacks on the leaders and activists of 20-party alliance,” he said. With the violent activities, the ruling party cadres destroying the electoral atmosphere ahead of the polls, Gazi said, the government is lodging false cases against the opposition candidates to restrain them from electioneering. “In such a scenario, we cannot expect any fair election. So, it is necessary to deploy army to hold a peaceful and credible election. It is the demand of all except the government-backed candidates,” he said.Criticizing the EC, Gazi said it overturned its decision to deploy army only to please the government. President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain asked the EC to step down if it is scared of the ruling party cadres, who, he said, are involved in intimidating the opposition candidates.The Member Secretary of Adorsho Dhaka Andolon Shawkat Mahmud said the ruling party proved the fact that no election can take place in a free and fair manner under the rule of present government.He said the EC could hold a meeting with Sahasra Nagorik Committee, which is an organization of mere supporters, but the Adorsho Dhaka Andolon was not allowed to meet the EC. He said it had proved that the EC was playing a partial role.
