The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has alleged the ruling Awami League has snatched away its victory in the Upazila Council polls by gross misuses of state machinery.
“The ruling party has done it in an effort to show that the people are with them,” said BNP Standing Committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah at a rally on Tuesday.
The staggered polls, which began on Feb 19, took place in five phases for 459 out of 487 Upazilas. The fifth phase was held on Monday.
Results of 454 Upazilas have so far been announced.
The Awami League now has 231 Upazila chairmen while the BNP has 161 after five rounds of polls.
The ruling party finally took lead over the BNP, although it trailed in the earlier phases.
BNP joined the Upazila polls after boycotting the disputed Jan 5 national elections.
The massive rigging in Upazilla polls with the use of the whole state machinery proved it was not possible to hold a fair election under a ‘servile’ Election Commission, Rafiqul said.
He demanded that the entire Commission should step down immediately.
Source: Bd news24
