Fair election without army impossible in Chittagong, insists BNP leader Noman

The BNP’s Chittagong City unit fears the ensuing Apr 28 polls will be rigged if the army is not deployed.

At a views-exchange meeting on Thursday, party’s Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman alleged police were harassing their activists.

The BNP, which boycotted the 2014 parliamentary elections, has endorsed former mayor M Manjur Alam in the polls.

Noman claimed pro-government Juba League and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists were impeding their campaign in the city.

“The Election Commission must put an end to these acts and create equal opportunities for all,” he said.

“Fair polls are not possible in Chittagong without army deployment,” Noman added.

The BNP has been demanding army deployment in the crucial city polls but the EC is yet to decide on it.

Noman said their candidate Alam was an “honest man” and asked their supporters to elect him.

“The 20-Party alliance has to win in this election. It will be our preliminary victory. Our final victory will come in the national polls,” he added.

Alam defeated his mentor and Awami League-backed ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury by 95,000 votes in the 2010 city polls.

His main rival, Awami League-endorsed AJM Nasir Uddin claimed Alam had failed in fulfilling his electoral pledges.

But Alam brushed off the allegations. “Don’t be misguided by propaganda,” he said at Thursday’s meeting.

“The people will foil any attempt to rig the vote,” he added.