Opposition BNP on Saturday night asked the party leaders and activists to have patience instead of celebrating the partial results of the four city corporations’ polls. “The BNP chairperson has asked the leaders and activists of BNP and 18-party alliance not to pay heed to any provocation. She asked all to have patience,” said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.Rizvi came up with the chairperson’s direction at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Mentioning that the opposition-backed mayoral candidates are leading in the polls as per the unofficial count, the BNP leader said there is no reason to be overenthusiastic with the partial results.
Rizvi said Khaleda ordered the opposition leaders and activists not to leave the local election office until the unofficial results are declared.
Replying to a question, the BNP office secretary said people have evoked a silent revolution despite various obstacles and hurdles.
“People gave their verdict against the government’s misdeeds, unjust, repression and corruption through the polls.” He said the party will come up with its reaction to the polls after the announcement of the unofficial results of the four city corporations -Sylhet, Barisal, Rajshahi and Khulna — polls.
Our Staff Reporter adds: Earlier on Saturday Opposition BNP brought allegations of vote rigging and ballot papers snatching against the ruling party activists and said the city corp poll results have already been pre-determined by the government in favour of the Awami League-backed mayoral candidates.
“The incident like vote rigging and ballot paper stanching took place across the country during the elections of the four city corporations. The government’s position indicates that the poll results have already been fixed in its own favour,” Mirza Abbas, a party standing committee member complained while addressing a press briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan central office.
Citing several incidents during the elections in the four cities, Abbas said ballot papers have been snatched away by the ruling party men during the election in Rajshahi and Sylhet. Besides, in Barisal, agents of BNP-backed mayoral candidate were forced out of the polling centres and compelled to sign blank result sheets long before the ending of the poll, he alleged.
He assailed the Election Commission (EC) for its partisan role and said the ruling party men were engaged in unlawful activities during the polls. The EC and the local administration failed to take any preventive measures despite allegations from the opposition party.
He also criticised the government for deploying a large number of law enforcers around his party’s Naya Paltan headquarters and said police have created panic in and around the area without any justification.
-With The Independent input
