BNP today demanded the Election Commission take steps to stop the arrest and harassment of its leaders and activists by police in Khulna to hold Tuesday's city election in a credible manner.

A three-member BNP team, led by its standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, placed the demand at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda at Nirbachan Bhaban.

The two other BNP delegation members are party vice chairman Mohammad Shahjahan and joint secretary general Mahbubuddin Khokon.

"Some activities of police are creating an obstacle towards holding a free and peaceful election there. They're arresting our leaders and activists and harassing them by raiding their houses," Nazrul told reporters after the meeting.

He said police have arrested their 42 party men, including 21 leaders, without any arrest warrant since Saturday.

Under the circumstances, the BNP leader said, they urged the Commission to stop the arrest and harassment of their party men by police since the police administration is now under its jurisdiction.

In reply, he said the CEC and other commissioners assured them of making their best efforts to avoid such incidents.

Nazrul said through their party lodged the same complaint before the Commission on May 10 last, the police drive against their party leaders and activists is going on.

He said they are being forced to frequently change the list of their mayoral candidate's polling agents due to police action. "Many of our possible polling agents are unwilling to do such job in the face of pressure from police."