EC not acting on complaints under government pressure: BNP

The BNP claims the Election Commission is not doing anything to address their complaints on alleged harassment of party-endorsed candidates.

Party’s Standing Committee Member ASM Hannan Shah on Friday claimed the executive magistrate deployed to supervise polls code was “nowhere to be found”.

The election campaign coordination committee for the BNP-endorsed Dhaka South City Corporation met at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters.

“One of our councillor candidates was arrested yesterday (Thursday) and posters of our candidates were torn at various places,” Shah said.

Police arrested councillor aspirant ALM Kawsar Ahmed, accused in five sabotage cases, in Mirpur.

This was the first arrest of a city polls candidate after campaigns started.

Police had warned of arresting candidates accused in cases if they did not secure bail.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad directed police not to harass candidates without reason but not to spare anyone violating the law.

The BNP, which boycotted the 2014 national election but endorsed candidates for the Apr 28 election, decried the decision and demanded bail for its candidates.

It urged the EC to create a “level playing field”.

“The EC is seeing everything. We’ve filed several written complaints at the EC but in vain,” BNP leader Shah said.

He reiterated his party’s demand to deploy army to ensure “fair” polling.

“The government does not allow the EC to work impartially,” Shah alleged. 

“We’ll have to assume the government does not want fair polls if army is not deployed seven days before the polls.”

Mirza Abbas is the party’s Dhaka South mayor candidate.