Local government election: BNP blames clashes, vote rigging on Awami League

On reports of clashes following alleged vote rigging in ongoing elections to local government bodies, the BNP has blamed the Awami League for “repeating its violent tactics”.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the comment at a press conference on Thursday.

“Voting has been stopped at a polling centre in Tangail. Jubo Dal leader Abdul Malek has been shot to death.”

The incidents of murders, clashes, theft of ballot papers and vote rigging are nothing but a repeat of the ruling party’s actions, he claimed.

Coming down hard on the Election Commission, the senior leader said: “The commission knows everything but seems unmoved. I strongly condemn their behaviour.”

A fair election is never possible under such a commission, he said. “They keep waiting for signals from the Prime Minister’s Office.”

Voting to elect representatives of 133 local government bodies is being held across the country.

A man died and two others were injured after clashes erupted at a Tangail polling centre on Thursday over allegations of snatching ballot papers and vote rigging.

Supporters of BNP and Awami League candidates clashed at the Guptabrindaban Das Government Primary School polling centre in Ghatail Upazila, hours before the start of the local elections, according to police.

Abdul Malek who took the bullet was the vice-president of local Jubo Dal, BNP’s youth wing, said his family.

Rizvi said Malek was shot because he tried to prevent some goons, backed by the ruling party, from vote rigging.

The BNP stalwart condemned the cancellations of bails for leaders and activists of Jubo Dal, BNP and its student wing Chhatra Dal in Feni, Jessore and Kishoreganj.

BNP Vice-Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury and Showkat Mahmud were also present at the media briefing.