BNP asks EC to intervene in its party members’ arrests
The party also submitted a list of 472 members arrested in ghost cases
BNP has submitted a letter to the Election Commission urging Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda to interfere, and stop, the arrests and harassment of its party leaders and activists in ghost and fictitious cases.
A three-member team, led by BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, handed the letter – signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir – to the commission at 11am on Friday.
“Ever since the election schedule was announced on November 8, law enforcement has been arresting numerous BNP leaders and activists in ghost cases,” the letter read. “They have been arrested all across the country—especially at the party central office, at Naya Paltan, in Dhaka.”
After the election schedule was announced, law enforcement came under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, hence it is the commission’s responsibility to take action against such acts, the letter said.
BNP also submitted a list of 472 arrested party leaders and activists, all of whom were arrested after the Election Commission announced its schedule on November 8, according to the party.
The letter sought the commission’s help for the unconditional release of the arrested BNP members—and the withdrawal of all cases against them.
On Wednesday, in a meeting between Jatiya Oikya Front – an alliance consisting of BNP and several other political parties – and the Election Commission, Oikya Front informed the commission about ghost cases being filed against their party members.
In response, the Election Commission asked for a list of the names of all those who have been arrested since the announcement of the election schedule—so that they would be able to take the necessary steps against it.
