Staff Reporter :
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticised the Election Commission (EC) for its ‘biased role’ in the forthcoming municipal polls and said, “Yet, we are joining the polls as part of movement to restore democracy.”
“Though there is no congenial atmosphere of a fair election, we are joining the race as part of our constitutional efforts to restore democracy in the country,” Mirza Fakhrul said while talking to reporters at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the city on Sunday.
He went to the party office for the first time after release from the jail on bail on December 1 and talked with the journalists. The BNP Leaders and activists welcomed their leader with flowers and expressed their determination to stay with him.
Justifying his party’s position on joining the country’s first-ever party-basis local body polls, Mirza Fakhrul said, the BNP is a liberal democratic party and believes in the constitutional movement. “We are taking part in the December 30 municipal polls, because we think that the decision is correct. Though there will be no change of the government, whichever party wins
the local body polls, but it is part of effort to restore democracy,” he said.
He alleged that their party’s leaders and activists, even the mayor candidates, are being arrested and implicated in false cases every day. Besides, many leaders and activists of the opposition alliance are being arrested. “Still we are in the election race. We want to restore people’s voting rights. Restoring democracy and getting back people’s rights will be our key slogans during the election campaign,” he said.
The BNP acting secretary general expressed the hope that his party would definitely do well in the polls if the voters can exercise their franchise.
He said, the EC’s overall role has become questionable. It is working in favour of the ruling party from the very beginning of the polls’ date. The constitutional institution has failed to act neutrally and, therefore, the polls will not be free, fair and impartial.
The BNP leader said, “People will get back their confidence in the election system if the municipal election is held fairly. The EC can hold a fair election if it tries to do it.”
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that the EC hurriedly formulated the election rules and the electoral code of conduct, which are not conducive to holding a fair and inclusive election.
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticised the Election Commission (EC) for its ‘biased role’ in the forthcoming municipal polls and said, “Yet, we are joining the polls as part of movement to restore democracy.”
“Though there is no congenial atmosphere of a fair election, we are joining the race as part of our constitutional efforts to restore democracy in the country,” Mirza Fakhrul said while talking to reporters at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the city on Sunday.
He went to the party office for the first time after release from the jail on bail on December 1 and talked with the journalists. The BNP Leaders and activists welcomed their leader with flowers and expressed their determination to stay with him.
Justifying his party’s position on joining the country’s first-ever party-basis local body polls, Mirza Fakhrul said, the BNP is a liberal democratic party and believes in the constitutional movement. “We are taking part in the December 30 municipal polls, because we think that the decision is correct. Though there will be no change of the government, whichever party wins
the local body polls, but it is part of effort to restore democracy,” he said.
He alleged that their party’s leaders and activists, even the mayor candidates, are being arrested and implicated in false cases every day. Besides, many leaders and activists of the opposition alliance are being arrested. “Still we are in the election race. We want to restore people’s voting rights. Restoring democracy and getting back people’s rights will be our key slogans during the election campaign,” he said.
The BNP acting secretary general expressed the hope that his party would definitely do well in the polls if the voters can exercise their franchise.
He said, the EC’s overall role has become questionable. It is working in favour of the ruling party from the very beginning of the polls’ date. The constitutional institution has failed to act neutrally and, therefore, the polls will not be free, fair and impartial.
The BNP leader said, “People will get back their confidence in the election system if the municipal election is held fairly. The EC can hold a fair election if it tries to do it.”
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that the EC hurriedly formulated the election rules and the electoral code of conduct, which are not conducive to holding a fair and inclusive election.
