Ishraque expects positive change in EC, Tabith frets over fairness of polls

The BNP’s mayor candidates Ishraque Hossain and Tabith Awal have submitted their nomination forms for Dhaka South and North city corporations.

Ishraque said he expected a positive change in the Election Commission while Tabith spoke of his concerns over fairness of the ballot.

Other aspirants running for the posts of mayor and councillor in Dhaka city elections also submitted their nomination forms on Tuesday, the last day for submission.

Tabith, accompanied by BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, submitted his nomination form at the Election Training Institute in Agargaon around 2pm.

Son of late Sadeque Hossain Khoka, the last mayor of the undivided Dhaka City Corporation, Ishraque submitted his form around 2:45pm, accompanied by BNP leader Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas, former deputy mayor of Dhaka Abdus Salam and Ishraque’s brother.

The BNP leaders spoke to reporters after submitting the nomination forms.

Tabith, a member of the party’s National Executive Committee, expressed his fears over fair polls, but said he will stay in the race until the end.

“A controversial election was held in the past. There are so many controversies over the (impending) use of EVMs [electronic voting machines] in this year’s election. Many things are not yet clear to us,” he said.

Ishraque hoped for a positive change in the strategies of the Election Commission for fair polls.

“The residents of Dhaka have united behind the elections. But a crisis is under way as democracy and voting rights are absent in the country.”

Ishraque also urged the EC to regain the people’s trust by learning its lessons from past mistakes.