No fair election possible under current EC: BNP

Senior Correspondent: BNP has alleged that most of the elections to 126 local bodies held on Thursday at different parts of the country were 'marred by widespread violence and various irregularities'.

"There were irregularities at most places in Thursday’s elections.  The ruling party cadres carried out terror acts at most places, " said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the allegation while speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on Friday.

Rizvi said their party candidates won at a few places as the ruling party men could not resist BNP’s victory despite their various evil efforts.

“We’ve once again witnessed a grand festival of vote rigging yesterday (Thursday). They (AL men) stuffed ballots the night before voting, attacked BNP candidates and their agents and supporters, drove them out of polling stations, and rigged votes capturing polling stations. Even presiding officers and election officials openly stuffed ballots,” he alleged.

The BNP leader said Thursday’s elections have once again proved that no fair and credible election is possible under the current KM Nurul Huda-led Election Commission. “His (Huda’s) assertion that the election was fair is nothing but a deception with people.”

He alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner is holding the polls following the path of Awami League to appease his masters.

Elections to 126 union parishads, municipalities, and zilla parishads were held on Thursday.

Replying to a question, Rizvi said their party still did not finalise its candidate for the by-polls to mayoral post of Dhaka North City Corporation.

“Our party will decide whom it will give nomination. Our candidate who (Tabith) contested the last polls has already said whoever the party will nominate will contest the by-election. Our party is yet to nominate its candidate as the schedule for the by-polls is yet to be announced.”

risingbd/Dhaka/December 29, 2017/Reza/A K Azad