Shah Moazzem suggests BNP to sit out city polls if party men are not freed

A senior BNP leader has suggested the party policymakers to boycott the city corporation elections if the arrested leaders and activists are not freed.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 March 2015, 08:08 PM
Updated : 24 March 2015, 08:08 PM

“If you want to talk about the elections today, you will have to free our leaders first,” Vice Chairman Shah Moazzem Hossain said to the government at a discussion on Tuesday.
 
“You won’t let us speak, launch agitation, take out procession, you will even lock our offices. This is not politics, not democracy,” he added.
 
The senior leader told Standing Committee Member Mahbubur Rahman, who was in the programme at the National Press Club, he hoped that his suggestion would be conveyed to Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
 
“I hope the leader and the members of the Standing Committee will give it a thought,” Shah Moazzem said.
 
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founding trustee Zafrullah Chowdhury and Kalyan Party chief Syed Muhammad Ibrahim were also present at the discussion ahead of the Independence Day.
 
Shah Moazzem said, “Some are thinking about taking part in the city elections while we cannot go to the office. I am not thinking this way.”
 
He also spoke about the ‘disappearances’ of BNP leaders Salahuddin Ahmed, M Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam.
 
The BNP is yet to decide whether to take part in the city corporation elections in Dhaka and Chittagong on Apr 28.
 
But BNP leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, serving life term in prison for his role in Peelkhana massacre, has collected nomination papers through his lawyer.
 
Ruling Awami League has announced to back three candidates for mayor posts in the city corporation polls.
 
The AL-backed candidates have already collected nomination papers. Some other Awami League leaders also collected nomination papers.