Ensure polling agents’ safety on election day: BNP urges EC

Bangladesh National Party (BNP) today urged the Election Commission to take visible and effective measures to ensure security of their party agents and voters on February 1, the day of the Dhaka City elections.   

A delegation of BNP’s Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) elections conducting committee made the demand during a meeting with returning officer Abdul Baten at his office at the Sadeque Hossain Khoka Community Centre in Gopibagh this afternoon.

After the meeting, delegation leader Abdus Salam, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser, told journalists that they had recommended that the EC ensure a level-playing field so that the ruling party cannot influence the elections.

“We expressed deep concerns to the EC over the arrests of our leaders and activists and unnecessary search of their houses by police to intimidate them, as well as code of conduct violations by AL leaders and activists,” he said.

Salam alleged that the EC is yet to take any action against those ruling party men who have been involved in numerous irregularities since the start of the campaign, despite the BNP elections conducting committee submitting a written complaint to the EC.

“Such role of the EC has created a negative impression in the minds of city dwellers,” he added.

Salam also claimed that BNP men had not been staying at home because they feared being arrested. “So, the EC should ensure security of BNP men on the election day at least,” he further said. 

Among others, BNP organising secretaries Fazlul Haque Milon and Imran Saleh Prince were also present at the meeting, Salam told journalists.