EC to act after police probe into violent clashes with BNP supporters

The Election Commission has said it will take action over violent clashes between police and BNP supporters at Naya Paltan after investigation by the law enforcers.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed spoke to the media on Monday after police submitted a report on Sunday on the clashes as asked by the commission.

The commission checked the report which includes audio and video footages of the clashes and photos, Helal said.

“The Election Commission has concluded that criminal offences took place during the clashes,” he said, declining to reveal more details from the report.

“It’s under investigation. The commission believes there cannot be any legal objection to the investigation by police. Measures can be taken after the investigation,” the secretary said.

He also said police had been asked not to harass someone who was not involved with the clashes.

He called for cooperation by the political parties, their supporters and the voters to avert a repeat.

He hoped police would conduct the investigation impartially.

The BNP submitted to the EC a list of about 2,000 cases it says were started against its leaders and activists on ‘false and flimsy’ charges to harass them.

Secretary Helal said the EC checked the cases which were started after the announcement of the schedule, but could not take any decision as the charges were not specified on the list.

The clashes erupted in front of the BNP’s headquarters in Dhaka on Nov 14, a day after the EC sent a letter to police asking them to ensure proper enforcement of the electoral code of conduct before the Dec 30 general elections.

The EC move followed days of public suffering in traffic jams in Dhaka due to processions of supporters of aspirants, mainly of the ruling Awami League and the BNP, during nomination form collection or submission.

The BNP alleges police attacked its supporters without provocation on orders from the government and ruling Awami League goons posing as opposition activists carried out the arson attacks.

The government and police say the BNP leaders and activists attacked police in a bid to foil the polls after the law enforcers had asked them to refrain from blocking the street while gathering in front of the party offices.

The ruling Awami League has also demanded EC action against the BNP for violation of the electoral code of conduct in the form of unleashing violence.

Police have arrested at least 63 leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliates, including its Central Executive Committee Member Nipun Roy Chowdhury, until Sunday over the clashes.

Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas, his wife and Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal chief Afroza Abbas, BNP Vice-Chairman Akhtaruzzaman, its Jatrabarhi unit chief Nabiullah Nabi and Kafil Uddin, a member of the BNP chief’s Advisory Council, are also among nearly 200 accused in three cases over the violence.

The law enforcers said they have identified most of those involved in the violence and all belong to the BNP.

The clashes left three police vehicles vandalised and torched and scores, including over 20 policemen, injured during the sale of the party’s nomination forms.