BNP-backed mayor Mirza Abbas’ campaign flouts polls code

Several loudspeakers and a mike have been used before permitted time to campaign for BNP-endorsed Dhaka South City Corporation Mirza Abbas in violation of the electoral code.

But Afroza Abbas, spearheading the campaign for her husband, who awaits bail hearing, has denied the allegation.

Executive Magistrate Abdul Kuddus, working at Dhaka South, said polls code was violated.

But he said they did not receive any complaints.

Afroza campaigned at Jatrabarhi on Thursday accompanied by hundreds of party supporters.

One of them was using a loudspeaker announcing her arrival while some others were using hand mikes to shout slogans. Another man was seen raising slogans with a mike in Abbas’s name from a rickshaw parked nearby.

They also shouted slogans and sought votes using party chief Khaleda Zia’s name.

Electoral codes state that a candidate cannot use more than two microphones for canvassing and road-rally in an electoral ward.

The mikes and loudspeakers are also to be used between 2pm and 9pm.

Abbas, awaiting bail hearing in several cases, has not made public appearance for the last several months. His wife has been canvassing for him.

Afroza has been accusing Awami League-endorsed Dhaka South candidate Sayeed Khokon of violating election code.

“I don’t know them and I didn’t bring them either. I don’t know where they came from,” Afroza told bdnews24.com when asked about use of loudspeakers and mike flouting polls code during her campaign.