AL and BNP both allege ‘partisan role’ of EC, CG continues communication with Hasina, Khaleda
Staff Correspondent
Amid great enthusiasm contesters along with their activists and supporters from all political parties including Awami League-led grand alliance and BNP-led-four-party alliance passed busy schedule till Saturday late night for electoral trail as the stage is now set to hold the much-awaited national parliament election tomorrow (Monday) amid unprecedented security measures.
The candidates, including Awami League-led grand alliance and BNP-led-four-party alliance, continued their last minute electioneering before the ban on the campaign came into force yesterday midnight, 35 hours before the voting.
On the last day of the campaign on Saturday, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia addressed a big electoral meeting at Paltan Maidan in the capital and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at Laldighi Maidan in Chittagong seeking votes for their respective alliances’ candidates.
Apart from these, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia addressed the nation yesterday. State-run-television BTV and Bangladesh Radio and different private television channels aired and broad cast their addresses.
Meanwhile, two delegations from Awami League and BNP yesterday went to the Election Commission and lodged complaints against the commission officials and administrative high ups for playing partisan role in favour of a “certain political party.”
The Awami League and BNP Leaders held meetings with the Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda separately and discussed the issue widely and sought solution from him. Emerging from the meeting, Awami League Co-Chairman of the Election Steering Committee HT Imam alleged Election Commission and administration were not neutral in the past.
“As the Election Commission and administration did not play neutral role in the past, it should be careful about their activities in publishing December 29 election result. On the basis of presiding officers’ report, the result will have to prepared and published by the Election Commission. The Election Commission will have to keep strict vigilance when election result will be sent to the commission from the polling centres across the country,” he said.
He said the Election Officials and administrative high ups involved in election engineering in the past election, were promoted and awarded. “These officials are still active for election engineering,” HT Imam said.
After the meeting BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan alleged the officials of Election Commission have been working in favour of Awami League-led grand alliance candidates for ensuring their victory in December 29 national parliament election.
“The officials of Election Commission from central to thana level across the country have been assigned to work in favour of Awami League-lead grand alliance. Arranging dinner parties, the officials of the Election Commission are inviting the candidates of grand alliance. Apart from this, the officials are also trying their best to convince the Union Council Chairmen for campaigning in favour of grand alliance candidates,” Nazrul Islam Khan said.
Meanwhile, after attending a function caretaker government Spokesman and Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters the government would hold talk with Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia a suitable time before or after holding of the national parliament election for smooth transition of power to an elected democratic government.
“We are maintaining time to time communications with Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia. We will sit with them at a convenient time. The meeting between government and Hasina and Khaleda may take place before or after the election,” Hossain Zillur said.
According to the Election Commission sources the commission has completed its tasks to ensure a free, fair and credible election. “A total of 1555 candidates from 39 political parties are contesting the the polls for 299 constituencies. Some 13 lakh people including 5,66,537 polling officers, around 6.25 lakh members of different law enforcing agencies have been engaged for holding the national parliament election. Apart from these, 286 judicial magistrates have been assigned for election duty to deal with electoral offences and conduct summary trial in the 299 parliamentary constituencies,” the sources said.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
