KCC election: BNP candidate Manju says ruling party men force out polling agents

The BNP candidate for the Khulna City Corporation election, Nazrul Islam Manju, has alleged that Awami League supporters have been engaged in foiling the election.

Manju who contends against Awami League mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khalek claimed that his polling agents have been forced out of 30 polling centres.

“The situation is very bad in Khulna as the ruling party men have occupied those 30 centres. They have beaten up our agents and women voters have been barred from casting votes.”

Manju spoke to the reporters after casting his vote at the polling centre of Rahima Khatun Government Primary School in the city.

“If the election is held in a free, fair and impartial manner, I’ll accept my defeat. Neither me, nor the people will accept a rigged election.” 

“We have information that our polling agents have been barred from entering the voting centres.”

No polling agents of BNP have been allowed to enter Ward Nos. 22 and 25 in the city which is dominated by the AL candidate, the BNP candidate alleged.

Manju said the situation improves a bit when executive magistrates visit centres but it reverses when they leave. He said he had called Returning Officer Yunus Ali who has not picked up the call.

“I will tell the Election Commission that people have never wanted this kind of election, rather they want an election exuding festivity and providing equal opportunity to all. I still believe the government and the Election Commission can offer such an election to the nation.”

The KCC went to the polls at 8am and will continue as of Tuesday 4.00 pm at the 289 polling centres. Around half a million voters in the city will apply their franchise in the elections.

BNP has nominated Nazrul Islam Manju as its mayoral candidate over Moniruzzaman Moni, who became mayor in the election of 2013 defeating Talukdar Abdul Khalek of Awami League. Khalek is vying for the mayoral post this year too.  

SM Shafiqur Rahman Mushfique of Jatiya Party, Mizanur Rahman Babu of CPB and Muzammil Haque of Islami Andolon are among others running for the post of mayor in KCC polls.

“I expect my polling agents will be able to re-enter the centres they have been driven away from,” he said.

However, Manju said he will not discard the election and stick to the end of it to show the nation as well as the international community that no fair election is possible under the present government.

“The only way to get a respite is a free, fair and impartial election; otherwise the autocratic rule will drag the country to its worst.”

He urged the voters, polling agents and his activists to go to the polling centres.