Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
Although only nine days left for the campaign of the three city corporation polls, the BNP-backed candidates are yet to start electioneering in full-swing. For this, the party leaders blamed the government of creating obstacles on the way to electioneering.
Polls to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) will be held on April 28. As per the electoral code of conduct, the election campaign will end on April 26 midnight, 32 hours before the balloting.
BNP standing committee member Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah on Friday alleged that the 20-party alliance-backed candidates and their supporters are facing obstacles at every step in carrying out the electioneering.
BNP-blessed mayor candidate for the DSCC Mirza Abbas and many other councillor candidates in the three cities are yet to start election campaign due to the fear of arrest. They are still in hiding as many of them are accused in several cases. Families and the party men are conducting electioneering on behalf of the candidates.
“The Election Commission is not doing anything to address their complaints on alleged harassment of party-backed candidates. The executive magistrate deployed to supervise polls code was ‘nowhere to be found’, he claimed after a meeting of the election campaign coordination committee formed for the DSCC polls. The meeting was held the party’s Nayapaltan central office.
Hannan Shah alleged that posters of their candidates were torn at various places. “We have filed several written complaints with the EC but in vain.”
He reiterated the party’s demand for deployment of army to ensure fair elections.
Party’s another standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed said that the city poll is an acid test both for the government and the EC.
“EC is not creating a level-playing field for all the candidates, he alleged after a meeting of the election coordination committee formed for DNCC polls at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Referring to media reports that cases of Awami League-backed 16 candidates were withdrawn, Moudud said while the BNP-backed contestants are arrested, the AL candidates are being let off the hook.
He hoped that their candidates would win the polls with a big margin as people will express their non-confidence against the government through the ballot.
Meanwhile, two councillor candidates have been arrested. Police on Thursday arrested a DNCC’s No 11 Ward councillor aspirant Kawsar Ahmed (accused in five cases) when he was conducting an election campaign in Mirpur area. Earlier on the day, Kawsar filed a complaint with the Returning Officer accusing the ruling party-backed candidates of intimidating hissupporters.
Police had also arrested another councilor aspirant Saidur Rahman for Ward No 28 in the DNCC, from the premises of the Returning Officer’s office. Police warned of arresting candidates accused in cases if they did not secure bail.
Afroza Abbas, wife of Mirza Abbas, has been conducting campaign for her husband. She repeatedly alleged that law enforcers were picking up her workers from the campaign trails. Tabith Awal, the BNP-backed mayor candidate for the DSCC polls, also alleged that his workers were facing threats and intimidation.
Some councilor candidates alleged that police were snatching away leaflets from their workers. They alleged that supporters and activists of the ruling party-backed candidates were threatening and assaulting their campaigners.
“There are no cases filed against me. But I can’t stay at home fearing arrest,” said Mostafizur Rahman Segun, a councillor candidate.
Most of the candidates during views exchange meetings with the Chief Election Commissioner have alleged that they were continuously facing threats, intimidation and police harassment. In response, CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad directed the law enforcers not to harass the candidates.
Although only nine days left for the campaign of the three city corporation polls, the BNP-backed candidates are yet to start electioneering in full-swing. For this, the party leaders blamed the government of creating obstacles on the way to electioneering.
Polls to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) will be held on April 28. As per the electoral code of conduct, the election campaign will end on April 26 midnight, 32 hours before the balloting.
BNP standing committee member Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah on Friday alleged that the 20-party alliance-backed candidates and their supporters are facing obstacles at every step in carrying out the electioneering.
BNP-blessed mayor candidate for the DSCC Mirza Abbas and many other councillor candidates in the three cities are yet to start election campaign due to the fear of arrest. They are still in hiding as many of them are accused in several cases. Families and the party men are conducting electioneering on behalf of the candidates.
“The Election Commission is not doing anything to address their complaints on alleged harassment of party-backed candidates. The executive magistrate deployed to supervise polls code was ‘nowhere to be found’, he claimed after a meeting of the election campaign coordination committee formed for the DSCC polls. The meeting was held the party’s Nayapaltan central office.
Hannan Shah alleged that posters of their candidates were torn at various places. “We have filed several written complaints with the EC but in vain.”
He reiterated the party’s demand for deployment of army to ensure fair elections.
Party’s another standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed said that the city poll is an acid test both for the government and the EC.
“EC is not creating a level-playing field for all the candidates, he alleged after a meeting of the election coordination committee formed for DNCC polls at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Referring to media reports that cases of Awami League-backed 16 candidates were withdrawn, Moudud said while the BNP-backed contestants are arrested, the AL candidates are being let off the hook.
He hoped that their candidates would win the polls with a big margin as people will express their non-confidence against the government through the ballot.
Meanwhile, two councillor candidates have been arrested. Police on Thursday arrested a DNCC’s No 11 Ward councillor aspirant Kawsar Ahmed (accused in five cases) when he was conducting an election campaign in Mirpur area. Earlier on the day, Kawsar filed a complaint with the Returning Officer accusing the ruling party-backed candidates of intimidating hissupporters.
Police had also arrested another councilor aspirant Saidur Rahman for Ward No 28 in the DNCC, from the premises of the Returning Officer’s office. Police warned of arresting candidates accused in cases if they did not secure bail.
Afroza Abbas, wife of Mirza Abbas, has been conducting campaign for her husband. She repeatedly alleged that law enforcers were picking up her workers from the campaign trails. Tabith Awal, the BNP-backed mayor candidate for the DSCC polls, also alleged that his workers were facing threats and intimidation.
Some councilor candidates alleged that police were snatching away leaflets from their workers. They alleged that supporters and activists of the ruling party-backed candidates were threatening and assaulting their campaigners.
“There are no cases filed against me. But I can’t stay at home fearing arrest,” said Mostafizur Rahman Segun, a councillor candidate.
Most of the candidates during views exchange meetings with the Chief Election Commissioner have alleged that they were continuously facing threats, intimidation and police harassment. In response, CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad directed the law enforcers not to harass the candidates.
