Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
The BNP leaders fear that the smooth campaign is not possible in the country’s first ever party based December 30 municipal polls. Yet after this, the party’s senior leaders will tour the country to seek popular support.
Party insiders said, the party leaders would take part in the election campaign as part of BNP’s strategy for a fresh general election under a non-party government system. “It is a chance for the BNP to mobilise the public support. Senior leaders will take part in the election campaign and summon public support against the government’s misrule and
in favour of party’s demand for general election under non-party government,” said a BNP leader.
The party’s acting Secretary Seneral Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that although they are in doubt about fair elections, they are joining the polls as part of restoring democracy in the country. “Restoring democracy and people’s rights will be our key slogans during the election campaign,” he said.
Sources said, the BNP wants victory of their candidates despite all the obstacles with a view to project their strong position at the grassroots level. The party is optimistic about getting the majority seats even after ‘unfavorable situation’.
Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is thinking to join the campaign alongside the party’s senior leaders. She held a meeting with the senior leaders on Tuesday night to discuss the issue. Held at her Gulshan office in the city, the meeting began after at 8:00 pm and it was continuing till filing of the report.
Sources said, Khaleda Zia at the meeting asked the party’s senior leaders to take part in the election campaign seriously. She also asked them to depict the misrule and misdeeds of the government during the campaign. The BNP chief also took opinions of the leaders whether she will join the campaign or not. She discussed different aspects of her campaign and the security issue.
Ruling Awami League’s senior leader have already voiced against Khaleda Zia’s probable campaigning in favour of the party’s candidates. AL leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim said that the country’s people would dislike the BNP chief’s campaigns in favour of her party’s candidates in the municipality polls.
On the other hand, the Election Commission warned the BNP and other parties outside Parliament against any breach of the municipal polls code of conduct while campaigning by their chiefs.
Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz said that action would be taken against those who violate the code of conduct. Regardless of gender identity, we will take steps if rules are violated and that will not be pleasant,” he said.
The Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Ministers, MPs and city corporation mayors cannot take part in the campaign for the municipal polls. There is no such bar for the chiefs of political parties. So BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia faces no restrictions, as she does not enjoy any facilities from the government or protocol.
Nawaz said Khaleda would be able to take part in street rallies. But a street rally cannot turn into a procession or mass rally.
Before beginning of the countrywide tour, a delegation of the BNP’s senior leaders met the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday to press home their different demands, including ensuring a level playing field.
Led by BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, the BNP leaders in the meeting lodged some complaints to the CEC saying their party-nominated candidates faced various obstacles while submitting nomination papers.
After the meeting, Dr Moyeen Khan told reporters that more than 3,000 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested in the recent times while others cannot move comfortably, which have made it difficult for the party men to participate in the election campaigns.
The BNP leader urged the CEC to take note of the issues and take all necessary steps to ensure a level-playing field for all the parties.
The BNP leaders fear that the smooth campaign is not possible in the country’s first ever party based December 30 municipal polls. Yet after this, the party’s senior leaders will tour the country to seek popular support.
Party insiders said, the party leaders would take part in the election campaign as part of BNP’s strategy for a fresh general election under a non-party government system. “It is a chance for the BNP to mobilise the public support. Senior leaders will take part in the election campaign and summon public support against the government’s misrule and
in favour of party’s demand for general election under non-party government,” said a BNP leader.
The party’s acting Secretary Seneral Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that although they are in doubt about fair elections, they are joining the polls as part of restoring democracy in the country. “Restoring democracy and people’s rights will be our key slogans during the election campaign,” he said.
Sources said, the BNP wants victory of their candidates despite all the obstacles with a view to project their strong position at the grassroots level. The party is optimistic about getting the majority seats even after ‘unfavorable situation’.
Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is thinking to join the campaign alongside the party’s senior leaders. She held a meeting with the senior leaders on Tuesday night to discuss the issue. Held at her Gulshan office in the city, the meeting began after at 8:00 pm and it was continuing till filing of the report.
Sources said, Khaleda Zia at the meeting asked the party’s senior leaders to take part in the election campaign seriously. She also asked them to depict the misrule and misdeeds of the government during the campaign. The BNP chief also took opinions of the leaders whether she will join the campaign or not. She discussed different aspects of her campaign and the security issue.
Ruling Awami League’s senior leader have already voiced against Khaleda Zia’s probable campaigning in favour of the party’s candidates. AL leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim said that the country’s people would dislike the BNP chief’s campaigns in favour of her party’s candidates in the municipality polls.
On the other hand, the Election Commission warned the BNP and other parties outside Parliament against any breach of the municipal polls code of conduct while campaigning by their chiefs.
Election Commissioner Md Shah Nawaz said that action would be taken against those who violate the code of conduct. Regardless of gender identity, we will take steps if rules are violated and that will not be pleasant,” he said.
The Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Ministers, MPs and city corporation mayors cannot take part in the campaign for the municipal polls. There is no such bar for the chiefs of political parties. So BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia faces no restrictions, as she does not enjoy any facilities from the government or protocol.
Nawaz said Khaleda would be able to take part in street rallies. But a street rally cannot turn into a procession or mass rally.
Before beginning of the countrywide tour, a delegation of the BNP’s senior leaders met the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday to press home their different demands, including ensuring a level playing field.
Led by BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, the BNP leaders in the meeting lodged some complaints to the CEC saying their party-nominated candidates faced various obstacles while submitting nomination papers.
After the meeting, Dr Moyeen Khan told reporters that more than 3,000 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested in the recent times while others cannot move comfortably, which have made it difficult for the party men to participate in the election campaigns.
The BNP leader urged the CEC to take note of the issues and take all necessary steps to ensure a level-playing field for all the parties.
