Terming the Election Commission a spineless institution, BNP on Tuesday alleged it turned down their party leader Abdul Awal Mintoo’s nomination showing a minor mistake in the interest of Annisul Huq, a candidate of the Prime Minister’s choice for the DNCC polls.
In a statement, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan warned that if the government does not shun its evil efforts, including harassing opposition-backed candidates in ‘false’ cases, their party together with people will resist any attempt to stage an ‘election drama’ as they did during January-5 election in 2014.
As per the law, he said, no party can nominate any one to contest the local body, including city corporation mayoral, polls and people holding important government posts cannot take part in electioneering in favour of any contestant.
“But, people observed to their surprise that the Prime Minister at a cabinet meeting extended her support to DNCC mayoral candidate Annisul Huq and subsequently announced him a mayoral contender at party meeting at her official residence,” the BNP leader stated.
Though the media discussed and criticised the Prime Minister’s move, Nazrul said it seems that the Election Commission which is the authority to observe and check irregularities did not feel shame for its widespread criticisms for its inactive role to this end.
Criticising the Commission for what he said cancelling Mintoo’s nomination for minor mistake, he said though an independent institution by name, the EC has again started playing a puppet role as they did during the January-5 polls.
The BNP leader claimed that the day Mintoo’s nomination was cancelled, the same day Chittagong City Corporation election returning officer allowed the candidate a few hours to correct their minor mistakes. “Had the DNCC returning officer given Mintoo the same chance, he could have shown a seconder from lakhs of his supporters from his electoral area.”
He alleged that the members of different government agencies and ruling party ‘cadres’ obstructed many opposition candidates to buy nomination papers and harassed them for filing the nomination.
Nazrul alleged that a husband of a female councillor candidate was inhumanly tortured and arrested in Mirpur having failed to find her at her residence for collecting nomination paper. “The motive behind such activities is to ensure the victory of the ruling party candidates in any way.”
He also alleged that the government is trying to create a new crisis and disorder by harassing opposition candidates with ‘false cases, and cancelling Mintoo’s nomination. “We strongly demand the government immediately refrain from such evil efforts.”
Source: UNB
