Main opposition BNP today claimed that over 9,200 of its activists were arrested since the declaration of election schedule on November 8.

“Our activists were sued in 806 ghost cases since then,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary of the party, said at a press conference at Nayapaltan.

He claimed, 12,588 activists of BNP and its alliance Jatiya Oikyafront were injured in 2,716 incidents of attacks throughout the country in the last 22 days.

So far, eight opposition activists have been killed in election violence, he added.

“The government is applying all its power to oust BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront from the election,” Rizvi claimed. “Our activists are targeted from rally footages.”

Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain today said no development is meaningful if people's right is not established in the country.

Dr Kamal, also president of Gonoforum, a component of Oikyafront, said this at a press briefing held at the alliance’s Purana Paltan office in Dhaka this afternoon.

However, he in a press statement expressed hope that if the government and the Election Commission hatch any blueprint for the national election, then people of the country will foil it.

Calling upon the countrymen to go to the polling stations and cast votes, Dr Kamal said, “Through casting votes to your desired candidates, ensure your (people) ownership of the country and restore its democracy”.

“The EC has to take full responsibility if it fails to hold a free, fair and credible election on December 30 and the countrymen will compel it to answer for its failure,” he said in the statement.

“The EC must ensure a peaceful atmosphere for holding a free and fair election,” the Oikyafront key leader said.

About the role of law enforcers ahead of the election, he said, “Their behaviour is not acceptable”.

He alleged that police along with the ruling party men have been putting bar on the opposition candidates during their electioneering.

Bangladesh Bank has suspended all kind of mobile-based financial services (MFS) for temporary basis ahead of the December 30 national election.

All MFS providers have been asked to keep mobile-based financial services suspended from 5:00pm on December 28 to 5:00pm on December 30, the central bank said in a circular today.

However, MFS can allow the individual transaction through mobile account at limited scale up to Tk 5,000 from 5:00pm on December 29 to 5:00pm on December 30, according to the circular.

The decision was taken following the instruction given by the Election Commission, said the circular.