BNP questions AL complaint about Tarique picking candidates

After the Awami League formally complained to the Election Commission about Tarique Rahman interviewing possible BNP nominees, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has questioned the ruling party move.

The BNP secretary general believes the Awami League has no jurisdiction over the nomination process of his party.

“I don’t think they have the jurisdiction to question how we interview our candidates,” he told a media conference on Sunday evening.

Tarique, who is a fugitive after being convicted in three cases, interviewed potential BNP nominees for the parliamentary polls at party chief's Gulshan office via video call from London on Sunday.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader questioned Tarique’s participation in the nomination process and drew the EC’s attention to the issue.

Asked about it later in the day, Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said the commission did not have the capacity to monitor such incidents.

He said they would ask the relevant authorities to move if they get a written complaint.

He could not clear what the action will be.

There will be no problem if any convict freed on bail takes part in a party’s nomination process, according to the commissioner.

“But this (Tarique’s participation) is a different issue. We will take steps after seeing if we have anyppthing to do within the purview of the law,” he said.

Later, the Awami League lodged a written complaint about Tarique’s participation in the BNP’s nomination process.

Awami League leader Faruk Khan said they mentioned in the complaint that the High Court has banned circulation of Tarique’s statement since he is a fugitive.

He said Tarique’s participation in the interviews of the BNP aspirants was a “clear violation” of the electoral code of conduct and contempt of court.

Faruk said they also noted that the High Court had recently directed the EC not to accept a proposed amendment to the BNP’s constitution.

The amendment would allow people convicted of corruption like BNP chief Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique in getting membership of or leading the party.

EC Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said they had received the Awami League’s complaint and forwarded it to Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda.

The complaint would be discussed at the commission’s meeting on Monday, the secretary said.

Mirza Fakhrul said the EC “was violating the electoral code of conduct itself”.

“They have failed to create a level playing field for fair polls. BTV is continuously broadcasting news of development by the Awami League government. Bangladesh Betar is doing the same,” he said.

The government has also kept the private TV and radio stations under pressure so that they do not broadcast the opposition parties’ news, the BNP leader alleged.

“We will inform the EC about it,” he said.

The BNP Parliamentary Board interviewed 525 aspirants for its tickets for 72 constituencies on Sunday.