Published on 07:00 PM, April 29, 2018

Level-playing field yet to be ensured in Gazipur, Khulna: BNP

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed. Star file photo

BNP today blamed the Election Commission for its utter failures in creating level-playing field in Gazipur and Khulna city corporation elections scheduled to be held on May 15.

"The Election Commission has failed to ensure level-playing field in both the cities as the ruling party leaders are roaming in both the electoral areas with legal and illegal arms while BNP men are on the run due to deliberate acts of the law enforcers," BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed said.

Addressing a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka, the BNP leader said the ruling leaders are engaged in violating the electoral code of conducts by using black money intending to influence voters.

"We lodged these complaints with the Election Commission but the constitutional body is playing a role like a blind man," Rizvi said.

Describing Gazipur Police Superintendent M Harun-or-Rashid as a "serious horror," Rizvi demanded immediate withdrawal of the police official for the sake of holding the polls in a free, fair and impartial manner.

Rizvi also said Awami League leaders including Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MP held a meeting in Gazipur's Mouchak area on Saturday and urged people to cast vote for the ruling party mayoral candidate Jahangir Alam.

Besides, the law enforcers “are arresting BNP men visiting them door to door and also threatening them to meet the consequence of crossfire”, he said.

"It's a clear violation of the electoral code of conduct," the BNP leader said.

He also reiterated his party's demand for deployment of army in the two city corporations one-week before holding of the polls.

Rizvi alleged that a 'propaganda cell' has been set up at the Prime Minister's Office to dish out propaganda against the family members of the party founder Ziaur Rahman on social media.