Trashing the BNP’s allegation of vote fraud in the third phase of the upazila polls, the ruling Awami League on Saturday claimed the election was largely peaceful though its leaders and activists were attacked by their opponents and law enforcers at different parts of the country.
“Awami League-backed candidates and their supporters faced political and administrative attacks at different parts of the country. The administration and the law enforcers worked neutrally. Even then they didn’t spare our contenders,” said Prime Minister’s adviser HT Imam.
He came up with the remarks while addressing a press conference at Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi office.
Earlier at a press briefing at the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP spokesman Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the ruling party men attacked opposition candidates, their supporters, blocked voters, forced out the agents of the BNP-led 19-party alliance-backed candidates from polling stations, snatched ballot boxes and rigged votes in different upazilas with the help of law enforcers and local administrations.
Dismissing the allegations, HT Imam said the election was held in a free, fair, credible and peaceful manner across the country barring some stray incidents. “The election was fair and neutral. Army members alongside Rab and police forces worked as striking force during the polls to ensure fair balloting. So, no one can raise any question about the polls.”
The AL leader said they directed the police to work independently as per the direction of the Election Commission.
“A magistrate detained one of our candidates, but we didn’t rebuke him. The election was not postponed in any upazila. This has proved that fair and neutral election is not possible under the incumbent government and Election commission,” he observed.
Disapproving the BNP leaders’ claim that upazila polls have demonstrated their growing popularity, Imam said. “They (BNP) won in many upazilas, but Awami League’s popularity has marked an increase in consideration of vote percentage.”
As per his claim, Awami League and its rebel contenders bagged 54.07 percent votes in the first phase of the upazila polls while they got over 55 percent in the second phase.
Asked why AL candidates won upazila polls less than that of BNP, he said they could not fare well due to organisational weakness.
Source: UNBConnect
