"We came to know the BGB (Border
Guards Bangladesh) has been deployed as strike force. I find it
hilarious," the party's mayor candidate Shakhawat Hossain Khan told the
media on Monday while campaigning.
Narayanganj goes to polls on Dec 22 and the
BGB is scheduled to be deployed on Monday.
"What does a strike force mean? They
will rush to wherever an incident happens without any delay. It will not work
if they reach after everything is over. Our demand was to prevent untoward
incidents," said Khan.
The Narayanganj City Corporation elections
are being held on party lines for the first time.
As many as seven candidates are contesting
for mayor, 156 for councillors and another 38 for reserved councillors.
Speaking to the media, the BNP candidate
claimed that the ruling Awami League was intimidating voters.
"We have been saying from the
beginning that we want a free, fair and credible election, which requires
maintenance of law and order. We do not think that has improved," said
Khan, a lawyer by profession.
Reiterating the BNP's demand for army
deployment, he said "The people would have been relieved if the army was
deployed. I think, it's still possible and needs to be done immediately."
The BNP, which now has no presence in
Parliament after boycotting the 2014 general election, had been demanding army,
but the Election Commission has ruled it out saying the law and order situation
was 'better than normal.'
