EC turns down BNP’s demand for army deployment in 3 city polls

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda today turned down BNP's demand for army deployment in the Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal City Corporation elections scheduled to be held July 30.

A delegation of BNP led by the party's senior leader and standing committee member Abdul Moeen Khan met the CEC this evening and placed the party's demand for holding the three city corporation elections in a free, fair and credible manner, reports Bangla daily Prothom Alo.

"There is a necessity of army deployment. People trust in the military and they will get the scope to exercise their franchise if the army is deployed," Moeen Khan said.

However, the CEC said that the commission did not find any necessity to deploy army in the three city polls.

The BNP leader said he talked to the CEC on six-point issues including intentional harassment of his party men in the electoral areas, their implication with motivated cases and arrest without any specific ground.

"No level playing field will be ensured if the harassment is going on deliberately," Moeen Khan said while handing over a list of his party's leaders and activists who have so far been arrested by the law enforcement agencies ahead of the elections.

He alleged that the government officials in the three city corporations are engaged in carrying out electioneering for the ruling party-backed candidates violating the electoral code of conduct, but the authority is taking no step in this regard.

The BNP leader also requested the commission to install close circuit cameras inside all polling centres to avert the irregularities that have taken place in the recently held Khulna and Gazipur city corporation elections.

"It is the Election Commission's responsibility to hold free and fair elections, and we expect that the commission would discharge its duty accordingly," he said.