He fears upazila polls could be rigged
Staff correspondent
Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday alleged that a section of ministers were harbouring criminals who were attacking leaders and activists of BNP.
The BNP and its ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will work from their respective platforms in present political context, according to BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain. He feared widespread rigging in the upazila elections, scheduled for January 22.
He also said the BNP had started a process to democratically revitalise the party by holding its national council session.
‘On the one hand criminals of the ruling party are unleashing attacks on leaders and activists of BNP and on the other hand the ministers of the government are patronising the criminals,’ Delwar said in a statement Saturday. ‘As a result, people fear that the country will be turned into a safe haven for crminals.’
When he was asked about the BNP’s relations with Jamaat at present, Delwar told reporters on another occasion in the evening, ‘The alliance was formed for electoral purposes. Jamaat is another political party. Now all [components of the four-party alliance] will work from their respective platforms…’ He, however, did not elaborate.
The BNP leader said he apprehended ‘widespread rigging’ in the January 22 upazila elections. ‘It is apparent that the “criminals” of the ruling Awami League will be engaged in rigging as they are attacking leaders and activists of BNP across the country,’ he said at his Sher-e-Bangla Nagar home.
He said deployment of the military as a ‘striking force’ was ‘not a good sign’.
‘The party chairperson [Khaleda Zia] has already said that the present committees [of BNP] at all levels will be dissolved and new committees will be formed through elections’, he said. ‘She has already started exchanging opinion with leaders of all levels.’
Delwar reiterated that the BNP would play a constructive role in parliament. ‘None of the political parties had joined the first session of parliament in the past. This time, BNP MPs will join the first session and play a constructive role.’
When he was asked if the treasury bench takes any move to restore the 1972 constitution, he said, ‘We will oppose if there is any move against the constitution, the country and the people.’
In the statement, Delwar alleged the Awami League activists had attacked BNP leaders and activists who were returning home after attending rallies addressed by Khaleda Zia at Chatkhil on Friday. Ten BNP men were injured in the attack, he said.
The AL activists attacked and injured BNP leaders Afzal Uddin, Islam Uddin and Raihan at Harinagar at Kendua upazila in Netrakona district, he said.
The ruling party men also attacked the house of Golam Hossain, councillor for Ward 27 of the Dhaka city corporation, he said.
He condemned the ‘inaction’ of the government in this regard.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
