UNB, Dhaka :BNP on Thursday alleged that the government is now out on an indiscriminate arrest drive of BNP leaders and activists across the country as part of its plot to hold lopsided municipality polls.”We fear the government wants to hold unilateral municipality elections as it launched a fresh drive to arrest our leaders and activists and harass them. The main motive behind the arrest is to create an obstacle so that BNP can’t join the polls,” said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.Speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he further said, “What’s the necessity of making a farce in the name of elections if the government’s intention is to ensure victory of its candidates by using force and law enforcers as they did in Dhaka and Chittagong city polls?”Coming down hard on the government for what he said the arrest of their leaders and activists ahead of local body polls, Ripon said it will be difficult for their party to join the election and carry out electioneering as many of their prospective candidates and polling agents have already been arrested.”We would like to ask the government is it the right environment for free and fair elections?” he said.The BNP leader demanded the government stop arresting opposition leaders and activists and release their detained leaders and activists to create a level-playing field for the upcoming municipality elections.He warned the government that if the municipality polls become questionable like that of January-5 one, the country’s image will be badly dented again.The BNP leader claimed that at least 3,000 BNP men were arrested in the last one week across the country while law enforcers are indulging in ‘arrest trade’. “If the government wants to hold free, fair and inclusive polls, it must shun its repressive acts and bad politics.”Ripon said, their party hoped that the government will chose the path of political understanding for the greater interests of the country, its people and democracy.
