Hours before the four city corporation going into polls, opposition BNP on Friday night alleged that the government is conspiring to influence the elections and demanded army deployment in the cities for ensuring free and fair balloting.
“The government is hatching various plots and machinations, including intimidating the voters, to have the results in favour of the ruling party-supported contenders,” BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said.
He came up with the allegations at an emergency press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 10pm.
The BNP leader also alleged that ruling party cadres are buying votes with black money and intimidating the voters with arms sensing their sure defeat in the four city corporations — Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal — polls.
He said a special assistant to the Prime Minister is in Rajshahi to influence the administration.
Accusing the Election Commission of playing a one-eyed role, the BNP joint secretary general demanded that the army be deployed there in the four cities from the start of blotting and they must be there until the vote counting is over.
Mentioning that 22 centres in Sylhet city are very vulnerable, Rizvi said supporters of the ruling party-backed candidate are resorting to various tricks and frightening voters there.
He alleged that Finance Minister AMA Muhith is also now in Sylhet in the name of visiting a development project and directing the local administration in violation of the election code of conduct.
A former AIG is also trying to persuade the local police administration in favour of the ruling party-backed mayoral runner, the BNP leader said.
Without naming the channel, Rizivi said a private television is predicting results saying which candidate will be leading in the polls. “We think it’s contrary to sensible journalism.”
He urged the TV channel authorities to refrain from such illegal campaign.
The BNP leader said they will closely monitor the voting from their Nayapaltan central office from Saturday 8am.
Source: UNBConnect
