Letter sent to Khaleda for ‘violating electoral code’

The returning officer of Dhaka North City Corporation today sent a letter to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia accusing her of violating the electoral code of conduct.

The Election Commission has issued the letter as she is campaigning with motorcade and a huge number of people blocking roads in violation of the electoral code of conduct, an EC official said.

DNCC Returning Officer Mihir Sarwar Morshed forwarded the letter to Khaleda around 12:15pm, he said.

In the letter, Khaleda has been asked to maintain the electoral code of conduct for the sake of free and fair election, he added.

“We are yet to receive any letter from the returning officer,” Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, special assistant to the BNP chairperson, told The Daily Star around 2:30pm today.

Under the law, motorcade showdown is prohibited in the polls campaign. Also, candidates and their supporters cannot create hindrance to public movement during electioneering.

Meanwhile, BNP lambasted the Election Commission for bringing such allegation against Khaleda.

The EC now wants to keep Khaleda away from electioneering, BNP leader ASM Hannah Shah said while talking to reporters at Mirza Abbas’s Shahjahanpur residence today.

“Our party chief has been carrying out electioneering in line with the electoral code of conduct,” He said.

Hannah, also standing committee member of the party, said the EC has already failed to ensure security of the BNP chairperson.  That’s why miscreants launched several attacks on her motorcade during electioneering in Dhaka, he added.