BNP shares concerns about polls with EU officials

BNP senior leaders on Thursday evening shared their various concerns and observations over the 11th parliamentary elections with a delegation of the European Union (EU), reports UNB.

The three-member EU team, led by its ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink, had around a one-hour and 45-minute meeting with the BNP leaders at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office.

The two other members of the EU delegation are election experts David Noel Ward and Eirini-Maria Gounari.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, organising secretary Shama Obaid and executive committee member Tabith Awal were, among others, present at the meeting.

However, there was no briefing from any side about the meeting.

A BNP leader who was present at the meeting said they shared with the EU team about their various concerns and observations over the election.

“We talked about the election commission’s (EC’s) failure to create a level-playing field, filing fictitious cases against our leaders and activists, the arrest and jailing of our leaders, including our candidates, the biased role of the commission, the civil administration and the police force,” UNB quoted the BNP leader as saying.

He said the EU team told them that David Noel Ward and Eirini-Maria Gounari will stay in Bangladesh for 40 days to know the election situation in Bangladesh.

The BNP leader told UNB, “The EU is closely following the election activities of the political parties, the EC and other stakeholders, and will submit a report to the headquarters based on their observations.”

Earlier in the day, the EU delegation also had a meeting with ruling Awami League leaders.