City Corporation Polls: Hasina accuses BNP of playing 'blame game'

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged that the BNP has started playing a “blame game” after being rejected by people in city corporation elections.

Hasina, also the president of the Awami League, said this while delivering her introductory speech at a meeting of AL Central Working Committee at the Gono Bhaban.

Her comments come after police arrested Rajshahi BNP General Secretary Matiur Rahman Montu over a bomb explosion at a meeting organised for Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, the BNP's mayoral candidate for the July 30 city corporation election in Rajshahi.

Rajshahi police officials said “BNP leaders themselves planned” the attack in an effort to call into question the election environment.

Montu was arrested from his home in the city's Ramchandrapur area on Saturday after police found audio clip of an alleged phone conversation between him and BNP Assistant Office Secretary Saiful Islam Tipu, said Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesman Iftekhayar Alam.

Referring to killings and arson attacks allegedly by the BNP in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the prime minister said the party has a habit of “hurling bombs and torching vehicles”.

“They will create an incident and later put blame on the Awami League. They are expert in staging drama … they want to draw international attention through it,” she said.

“No one can beat the BNP in falsehood,” added the PM.