BNP sees rigging plot as AL plans to guard polling stations

The Awami League has questioned the role of foreign diplomats in Dhaka city elections while the BNP fears a plot to rig votes “much like the general election” amid spirited campaigns on the final day.

Awami League Secretary General Obaidul Quader on Thursday also revealed a plan to guard the polling stations alleging that the BNP had brought a “huge” number of outsiders, including “marked criminals”, to foil the elections by creating chaos.

“So, we’ve decided to be prepared organisationally. Our leaders and activists will guard the polling centres so that we can protect the people’s votes,” he told a news conference.

But BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir condemned Quader’s comments as “provocative”.

Accusing the Awami League-backed candidates for the mayors and councillors’ posts of breaching code of electoral conduct, he said the “situation is heading towards one much like the 2018 parliamentary polls”.

The BNP had rejected the results of the general election alleging ballot box stuffing on the eve of vote. This time it fears the government will rig votes through the electronic voting machines or EVMs in collusion with the Election Commission.