Khulna-Gazipur styled polls to be held in 3 cities, BNP alleges

The upcoming elections to Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barishal city corporations are going to be held in Khulna-Gazipur style, BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged today.

“The government is prepared for rigging votes and snatching the results with the help of police and the Election Commission in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal in the same way they have done it in the Khulna and Gazipur city corporation elections,” Mosharraf said.

Citing the court’s directive against arresting anyone without warrant in the three cities, Mosharraf alleged that law enforcers have been arresting BNP men ignoring the court’s order as the government wants to hold Khulna and Gazipur-styled polls there.  

While addressing a programme in Dhaka this noon, Mosharraf also said the countrymen and the friendly nations want an inclusive and credible general election to be held in Bangladesh.

But the government and the Election Commission have not yet been able to ensure level playing field ahead of the election, he added.

Claiming that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release is essential for inclusive polls, Mosharraf said the government has kept Khaleda in jail by resorting to various tricks ahead of the upcoming general election.

The government will have to ensure immediate release of Khaleda Zia if it wants to hold an inclusive general election in the country.

“Otherwise, people must take to the streets to free her (Khaleda) from jail for restoring the country’s lost democracy and holding the next general polls in an inclusive manner with the participation of all parties,” he warned.

Terming the current government as fascist, Mosharraf said the ruling Awami League has grabbed the state power by force without people’s mandate and thus it has been given global recognition as an autocratic regime.

National Awami Party (NAP-Bhasani) arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.