Win-win situation for BNP?

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will be contesting the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation elections for ‘strategic reasons’ with top leaders seeing this as a ‘win-win situation’.

They believe their demand for elections under a non-partisan government will get a boost should the city corporation polls are unfair. On the contrary, a win will let them brag that mass people are on their side.

A number of top BNP leaders opined that their movement did not have much impact in Dhaka as many leaders and activists have been detained. The poll campaigns might open the door for the BNP activists to start afresh.

However, if the party in power goes on an arrest spree, that would be a tool for BNP to question the credibility of the election.

A standing committee member of BNP told Prothom Alo that the government wants to win the city polls at any cost. If that happens, BNP would use it as a tool to prove that fair polls could not be held under this government and this Election Commission.

Sources in BNP told this correspondent that if ‘repression’ crosses the limit, BNP might back out from the city polls.

However, apart from Dhaka and Chittagong, BNP’s movement will not be relaxed throughout the country, they said.

BNP leaders think the government is using the city corporation polls as a mean to trap BNP. However, BNP, too, will adopt some strategies to thwart the government’s plans.

Another source said although BNP has decided to participate in the polls, there might be a U-turn. The party might withdraw their candidatures if they find the atmosphere unfavourable for BNP.

Sources in BNP London told this correspondent the leading activists of the party want to prove that a fair ballot is not possible under this government.

BNP has announced to back Manzur Alam in the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) mayoral race.

BNP chairperson’s adviser, Abdul Awal Mintoo, has collected the nomination papers for DCC (North) and pro-BNP leaders — MA Salam, Salim Bhuiyan, and Nasiruddin — collected the nomination papers for DCC (South).

Sources said BNP will back Abdul Awal Mintoo for DCC (North).

Source: Prothom Alo