Staff Reporter :
Jatiya Oikyafront leaders staged walkout of the meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday because of disagreement over election environment.
The leaders claimed that Chief Election Commissioner CEC KM Nurul Huda did not treat them with “courtesy.”
“We have walked out of the meeting as the Chief Election Commissioner was not courteous to us,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a press briefing at the Commission’s Agargaron office in Dhaka. The coalition spokesman said also that they went there to inform the commission about the attacks on their activists all over Bangladesh. “But the CEC’s behaviour has made us speechless.”
“Awami League does not want BNP’s participation in the December 30th election, but they will not boycott the polls.”
Earlier, a 10-member delegation led by the alliance Chief Dr Kamal Hossain held talks with Nurul Huda.
Another BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan said, “When we told the CEC about police harassment, he (CEC) took the side of the police instead of showing sympathy. That is why we staged a walkout of the meeting.”
While narrating what occurred at the meeting, alliance leader Dr Zafar Ullah Chowdhury said quoting Dr Kamal Hossain to have told the CEC that “savage and stick-wielding” police were not allowing their candidates to campaign in the upcoming general election.
“Police have asked us to use the loudspeaker after 2pm, whereas AL and AL-led grand alliance candidates escorted by police are campaigning,” Dr Zafar Ullah quoted Dr Kamal as saying.
Dr Kamal accused the police and the Awami League goons of carrying out attacks on their activists.
The CEC got angry at this and said “What do you think of yourself?,” the CEC pointed at Dr Kamal.
BNP leader Abdul Moin Khan then told the CEC to let them know if the commission would be able to create a congenial election atmosphere. “If not, we will hold a press conference today at the National Press Club to announce that we are boycotting the election,” he said.
The other members include BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP Standing Committee Members Mirza Abbas, Abdul Moin Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Founder of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Gono Forum Executive President Shubrata Chowdhury and Secretary General Mostafa Mohsin Montu.
Election Commissioners Mahbub Talukder and Rafiqul Islam and EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed were also present at the meeting.
