BNP declares to participate in UP polls

Staff Correspondent: Bangladesh Nationalsit Party (BNP) has formally announced to participate in the upcoming Union Parishad Polls to be held with party symbols for the first time in the country.

The party spokesperson, also Joint-General Secretary of BNP, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi declared this in a press briefing at the party`s central office in the capital`s Naya Paltan on Friday afternoon.

Rizvi said though there is a lot of possibilities and misgivings of fatal repression and torture and snatching away the franchise of voters, BNP has decided to participate in the upcoming UP polls to return voting rights to the people.

Meanwhile, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Noman demanded ensuring fair and neutral atmosphere and change in Election Commision (EC) to participate in the polls.

Noman raised the demands while addressing Civic Conference in in the capital`s National Press Club on Friday.

Jatiyatabadi Nagoric Dal (Nationalist Civic Party) organised the programme demanding to withdraw conspiratorial cases filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Senior Vice-Chairman Tareque Rahman.

The BNP stalwart said BNP want to participate in the upcoming UP polls, but the government is not ensuring a neutral field to contest in the polls.

Terming EC as very much obsequious to the government, he also alleged that it has failed to conduct a neutral role with all parties.

He said BNP do not fear the polls. We believe ballots are stronger than the bullets. Now-a-days, there has been occurring farce again and again in the country in name of polls.

risingbd/Dhaka/Feb 12, 2016/Reza/A K Azad