BNP, Jamaat attacking AL
Claims HT Imam; 5 ruling party men killed, 350 hurt since Dec 10
Five Awami League men were killed and over 350 AL supporters were injured since the polls campaign began, claimed HT Imam, co-chairman of Awami League Election Steering Committee, yesterday.
“Every moment we are getting information about attacks on our leaders, activists, and supporters by the BNP-Jamaat men. Hundreds of campaign offices have been vandalised,” he said at a press conference at the media centre of the AL central office.
Imam demanded that the Election Commission withdraw permission given to nine local election observer organisations. He said the organisations were set to send around 6,585 observers in 140 constituencies and most of the observers were activists of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The organisations are: Democracy Watch, Khan Foundation, Light House, Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad, Jagoroni Chakra, Nobolok, Coast Trust, Shariatpur Development Society and Noakhali Rural Development Society.
He claimed that Taleya Rehman, wife of journalist Shafik Rehman runs Democracy Watch, wife of BNP leader Moyeen Khan runs Khan Foundation, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman is founder of Light House, and pro-BNP Adilur Rahman is involved with Bangladesh Manobadhikar Somonnoy Parishad.
Talking to The Daily Star, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, executive director, Coast Trust, said, “HT Imam is a gentle man. But he misunderstood us.
“As a pro-Liberation War force, we have been cooperating with the pro-Liberation War government, Awami League.”
He also said BNP-Jamaat in 2008 and recently had complained against them “for favouring the AL”.
“As questions have been raised against us, we are considering not getting involved in election observation activities,” he added.
AL REQUESTS TO EC
A delegation of ruling AL yesterday urged the EC to allow journalists to use motorcycles during the election so that they could cover the polls better.
The delegation, led by AL central leader M Akteruzzaman, met EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed at the Nirbachan Bhaban.
After the meeting, they told reporters that they also urged the commission to stay alert about criminals cloning phone numbers of EC and admin officials to misdirect field-level officers.
The BNP and Jamaat men were attacking AL activists and police and were using black money in their campaigns, the delegation claimed. They said
Jatiya Oikyafront and BNP-Jamaat were using black money to buy votes.
“We’re demanding immediate arrest of all BNP-Jamaat cadres involved in terror attacks and violence … bring them to book … ,” Akteruzzaman added.