Staff Correspondent
BNP on Thursday alleged massive irregularities and vote rigging took place during upazila election across the country under the very nose of law enforcers.
“Ruling Awami League’s MPs, leaders and workers in association with the law enforcers influenced people for casting votes in favour of their candidates. Even they issued threat to the people and asked them to cast their vote to Awami League candidates otherwise to quit the polling centers. In some cases, the Awami League MPs and leaders asked their workers to occupy the polling centers and oust the agents of other candidates throughout the country,” BNP Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference told reporters at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan party office on Thursday.
He said when the Awami League leaders and workers were issuing threat or ousting the agents of other candidates from the poling centers, the law enforcers instead of taking legal action against offenders, co-operated with them. “The BNP like-minded voters who protested against the Awami League leaders, were assaulted and manhandled and at one stage they were compelled to leave the poling center,” Rizvi Ahmed said.
“Due to interference and influence by the ruling party leaders, elections to Barura Upazila under Comilla and Belkuchi under Sirajgaonj districts were postponed. Besides, the ruling party men occupied different polling centers of 15 districts and rigged votes,” Rizvi Ahmed said.
Rizvi Ahmed said apart from these, many poll centres of Araihazar Upazila of Narayangaonj district, Chowgacha of Jessore, Companigaonj of Noakhali, Mehendigaonj of Barisal, Gabtali of Bogra and Mirersarai Upazila of Chittagong districts were occupied by influential leaders of ruling party.
“These leaders before and during holding of upazila election, visited BNP activists’ houses and issued them threat to cast their votes in favour of AL candidates. The BNP-like minded people were told if they don’t follow Awami League leaders’ desires, they would be barred from casting votes,” he said.
Rizvi Ahmed said in the face of massive vote rigging and irregularities, the Chairman candidates of Ramganj upazila of Laxmipur and Pangsha upazila under Rajbari districts, boycotted the elections. “Through such activities, Awami League unmasked its real face and character,” Rizvi added.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
