Staff Reporter :
As the two city corporation elections are getting closer, BNP on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is yet to create the level-playing field in Gazipur and Khulna cities where elections are scheduled for May 15.
The party has also demanded immediate withdrawal of Gazipur Police Superintendent M Harun-or-Rashid to ensure a proper election atmosphere in the city.
“The Election Commission (EC) has failed to create the level-playing field in Gazipur and Khulna city corporations elections. The present situation is under total control of the ruling party,” BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said yesterday.
He came up with the allegation at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the city. He said though the election campaign has begun, the ruling party men are roaming the locality in both cities with huge legal and illegal arms.
He said BNP leaders have filed complaints with the EC about the violation of the election code of conduct by the ruling party candidates in both cities but the Commission is not paying heed to the complaints and taking corrective actions.
Rizvi said violating the election code of conduct Awami League leader and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq, Jahangair Kabir Nanak, MP, Bahauddin Nasim, MP, Ahmed Hossain, MP, Gazipur Zila Parishad chairman Aktaruzzaman had held a meeting at Gazipur’s Mouchak on Saturday.
Thery urged people to elect ruling party mayoral candidate Jahangir Alam. ‘It’s a clear violation of the election code of conduct,” he said.
He said law enforcers are also arresting BNP leaders, workers and 20-party alliance people. They are arresting them and killing them in crossfire. Ruling party men are intimidating them in the two cities rendering them totally unsafe.
He said around 45 leaders and activists of the 20-praty, including Gazipur district Jamaat Amir Prof SM Sanaullah were arrested over the last two days while carrying out electioneering campaign for BNP’s Gazipur mayoral candidate Hasanuddin Sarkar.
“Gazipur police is creating horror. We’ve been demanding the withdrawal of Gazipur SP but the Home Minister is not taking any action. We again demand his withdrawal,” the Rizvi said.
He also renewed the party’s demand for deployment of army in the two cities one-week before the polls.
Rizvi alleged a ‘propaganda cell’ set up at Prime Minister’s Office is spreading ‘false campaign’ against Zia family on social media. “Various Such propaganda through Facebook ID of a staff must stop, he said.
