AL, BNP take jibe at each other over city polls

The Awami League and the BNP have accused each other of falling into the trap laid for the other.

Awami League Presidium Member Obaidul Quader on Friday said BNP had fallen into the trap of its movement it had laid for the government.   

On the other hand, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Adviser Khandaker Mahbub Hossain said the government got itself in a fix by deciding to hold the city corporation polls. 

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Quader was speaking to reporters in Madaripur, where he went to inspect the construction of a bridge. 

He slated the BNP for enforcing blockade for around three months,

“The BNP tried to lay a trap for the government by announcing the movement but now the party itself got stuck into it.” 

He said the BNP termed every election ‘joke’ but later took part and won many of them. 

The minister pointed out that the BNP won seven of the nine city corporation elections held under the Awami League-led government. Independent candidates won in the other two. 

“Now their candidates are collecting nomination forms for the polls to the city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong,” he said. 

Quader tried to allay BNP’s suspicion about the intention behind conducting corporation polls in Dhaka and Chittagong at this time. He said the decision was taken to provide services to the people. 

BNP leader Khandaker Mahbub, while speaking at a discussion in Dhaka, said, “You (government) have got yourself in a fix by announcing to hold the election.” 

“The government started this new game of holding the polls to distract people’s attention from the anti-government movement. They thought the BNP would not take part in the elections as it is enforcing the movement,” he said. 

“Whenever the BNP will direct them to take part in the elections, people will take to the streets of Dhaka and Chittagong. Terrorising people with the threat of arrest, torture and imprisonment will not help,” he added. 

Khandaker Mahbub also criticised Dhaka City police’s spokesman Monirul Islam for his remark that no accused would be allowed to take part in the elections.

“No accused can be barred until he or she is convicted,” he said. 

He also said people would dump the Election Commission if it did not act in an impartial manner.