JP terms UP polls ‘farcical’

Jatiya Party, the main opposition in parliament, today termed the ongoing Union Parishad election as "farcical" and urged the Election Commission to hold a re-election in the "controversial" UPs.

"The first and second phase of the Union Parishad elections were not free, fair and impartial as the hope and desire of the voters were not reflected in the poll result," JP Co-Chairman GM Quader said at a press conference at the party chief's Banani office in Dhaka.   

Asked whether JP will contest in the rest of the UP polls, Quader said his party will take the decision after the third phase of UP polls scheduled to be held on April 23.

JP could not nominate its candidate in all the UPs as the party men in different unions expressed their unwillingness to contest in the polls fearing reprisal by the Awami League men, Quader said, adding that their hopefuls could not win in many UPs due to the ruling party men's intimidation and muscle power.

He said leaders and activists of his party have come under attack in the post-polls violence in many places. 

"People have lost their interest in the election after witnessing such farcical polls," he added.

He claimed that massive irregularities, violence and rigging was the reason behind only 10 JP-backed candidates won in the chairman post in the first two phases of the elections.

JP Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader informed the media that the party's national council will be held on May 14 instead of its earlier declared date on April 14 as councils in all districts will not be completed within the date.

Hawlader said around 50,000 people including the council delegates, invited guests and JP men are likely to attend the council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh and a portion of Suhrawardy Udyan.