100 centres captured

The BNP yesterday alleged that ruling party men captured over 100 polling centres of the Gazipur city elections and stuffed ballot boxes, while the Awami League trashed the allegation and asked the party to come up with evidence.

"As per the information we've received so far, over 100 polling stations have been captured ... a grand festival of fake voting is going on," said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference at the party's headquarters yesterday noon, reports UNB.

He also alleged that polling agents of their party's mayoral candidate were driven out of many centres by ruling party men with the help of police.

After a post-election press conference at the AL president's Dhanmondi office, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader said, “The BNP alleged that its agents were driven out of 100 centres but they did not show any evidence. I can challenge that they will never be able to prove the allegation.”

He said presiding officers did not allow BNP agents in as they failed to show valid documents.

Referring to the arrest of BNP National Executive Committee member Maj (retd) Mizanur Rahman for his alleged plot over Gazipur election, Quader said BNP was involved in hatching a plot to thwart the polls and the election atmosphere.

"Awami League has committed to accepting the polls result … and our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given an instruction so that no one can tarnish her government's image over the issue," Quader said.

Immediately after Rizvi's briefing, AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak at a press conference refuted the BNP's allegation of vote rigging. He claimed that the Gazipur city polls was being held in a peaceful manner.

He said the BNP brought the allegations to cover up their intra-party rift and their own weakness.

Replying to a query over the absence of BNP agents in many polling centres, Nanak said, “It is because of the weakness of the BNP candidate, they have failed to appoint agents. Now they are trying to shift the blame.”

The AL leader said, “The BNP is trying to incite undemocratic forces by putting question marks on the Election Commission.”