Ruling Awami League has said the first phase of Upazila elections has been free and fair and BNP’s allegations about the polls being ‘one-sided is a ‘lie’.
“In some places, our supporters were thrown out of polling centres by people of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami,” the ruling party’s Election Steering Committee Co-Chairman HT Imam said on Wednesday.
“We have also raised many allegations at the Election Commission. But these were sporadic incidents,” he added.
In the morning BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said polling agents of the BNP-backed candidates were being forced out of various voting centres to ensure a ‘one-sided election’.
A press briefing was held at the end of voting at the Awami League president’s office in Dhanmondi.
File photo
“In Shailakupa of Jhenaidah, an Awami League supporter who is a UP chairman has been jailed for three months and fined Tk 50000 on charges of obstructing people to go to voting centres. Many others have been punished,” Imam said.
“The BNP is trying to sell the lie as truth by repeating it so many times,” he added.
He alleged that in Ullaparha, Sirajganj Jamaat-e-Islami men had set fire to a polling centre. “Law enforcers have thrown Awami League supporters out of the centres in many places.”
The Election Commission had acted independently, the Awami League leader said. “The government gave them support as mandated by the Constitution.”
“The election was satisfactory. The situation all over the country is normal. This is what we had aimed for,” he said.
He said the errors made in these polls would be amended in the next phases.
Imam said foreign observers had shown interest in the Upazila elections. “US Ambassador Dan Mozena and a team of 50 observers have observed the polls in Rajshahi. They were satisfied.”
The first phase of Upazila polls in 97 Upazilas of 40 districts was held on Wednesday. Further polls will be held in five more phases.
Source: Bd news24