The BNP has accused the government of rigging the Kishoreganj-4 by-poll, held on Wednesday, saying it might be repeated in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) poll scheduled for Saturday.
“The government has rigged the Kishoreganj-4 by-poll and this proves that the next general election cannot be held in a free and fair manner under the ruling party management,” opposition spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
Citing several irregularities taking place ahead of the GCC poll, the acting secretary general of the BNP renewed his party’s demand for army deployment before the Election Commission (EC).
Though the BNP boycotted the by-poll, Alamgir made the accusation at a press conference at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in the capital on Thursday.
Alamgir asked how the returning officer could collect poll results from all centres by the evening when it was supposed to take three to four hours to get the results from remote areas.
“It is clear how the by-poll was held on Wednesday. Everything was done in accordance with the government’s directives,” he alleged.
Alamgir also alleged that the ruling Awami League cadres rigged votes at different centres forcing agents of the rival candidate out of the polling centres.
He criticised the EC for its failure to ensure a fair poll and termed the commission as a subservient institution of the government. The constitutional body could not act independently due to government interference, he alleged.
“We urge the EC to take steps against those responsible for violating the electoral code of conduct,” he added.
The Awami League-nominated candidate Rejwan Ahmed Toufiq, the eldest son of President Abdul Hamid, was unofficially declared winner in the by-poll on Wednesday.
Toufiq bagged 100,053 votes, while ruling party rebel candidate Syed Mahitul Islam Asim managed to get 58,785.
The parliamentary seat fell vacant as its MP, former Speaker Abdul Hamid, was elected President on April 22.
About the GCC poll, Alamgir said a monitoring cell in the PM’s office controlled by the PM’s adviser, HT Emam, communication minister Obaidul Quader and state minister for LGED Jahangir Kabir Nanok had been formed to control the civic body poll.
A pro-Awami League government official had been appointed returning officer to run the GCC poll, while government officials had been asked to support the ruling party-backed mayoral candidate, he alleged.
Voters of the GCC area were being warned against casting their ballots in favour of the 18-party nominated mayoral candidate, he alleged.
“We lodged several complaints before the EC on Thursday, but it did not pay any attention to them. A blueprint has been drawn up to rig the GCC poll,” Alamgir said.
BNP leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Kishoreganj district BNP president Advocate Fazlur Rahman were present at the press conference.
At a separate programme, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed blamed the government for seizing the bank account of the 18-party nominated mayoral candidate, MA Mannan, ahead of the GCC poll.
“The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has seized the bank account of Mannan only two days before the GCC election, which is a clear violation of the electoral code of conduct,” he claimed.
“Our EC is submissive to the government and so it does not take measures against the chairman of the NBR,” he added.
He criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her firm stand against holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government (CG). The ruling Awami League had lost in the four city corporation polls due to its shameless lies over the CG provision, he said.
It may be pointed out that Mannan has been identified as a tax dodger. He evaded at least Tk. 24,56,801 in tax. He became a mayoral candidate in the GCC poll concealing the tax information.
Moudud Ahmed was addressing a meeting on the restoration of the non-party caretaker government provision to the Constitution at the National Press Club on Thursday.
-with The Independent input
