Afroza Abbas promises to accept results if ‘people confirm fair’ voting

BNP-endorsed Dhaka South mayor candidate Mirza Abbas’ wife says she is confident about her husband’s victory in the city polls.

But she says she will accept the result if the ‘people and media’ accept the elections have been “free and fair”.

She urged the media and the security forces to play their part “impartially”.

“We’ll see a silent revolution if the people can go to the polling stations and vote,” she told reporters on Sunday. “We’re confident of winning.”

BNP leader Abbas, accused in several cases, has been staying away from public view. His wife Afroza has been campaigning for him.

On the last day of canvassing for the Apr 28 polls on Sunday, Afroza met senior lawyer Rafiq-Ul Haque.

She accused the government of not letting her husband take part in campaigning. “But it didn’t have any impact because the people want a change.”

“Everywhere I go, the voters asked one thing, ‘will we be able to cast votes’?” said Afroza.

The BNP boycotted the 2014 parliamentary polls but endorsed candidates for the city polls.

It has been demanding army deployment to “ensure free and fair polls”.

“Calling out the army is the people’s demand,” she said. “The general people want army to ensure their voting rights are protected.”

Afroza claimed ruling Awami League henchmen were trying to hinder their campaigning as the government “was afraid” of an “imminent defeat” in the polls.

“They don’t let us put up banners and posters, they set fire to our [campaign] camps or put them under lock and key, disconnected power connections. One of our local vice presidents was shot yesterday,” she alleged putting the blame on the government.

“The people and the media are our hope,” Afroza said. “We’ll accept the result if they say the election had been fair.”