The Election Commission (EC) directed Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Tuesday, not to arrest any Dhaka city corporation election candidates or party supporters without a court warrant before the January 30 elections.
A phone call was made to DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam in this regard, said Election Commission Senior Secretary Md Alamgir at a press conference, on Tuesdaynoon.
He said: “I have talked with the DMP chief about the commission's decision,” adding that the DMP can carry out an arrest in case the election candidates or campaigners commit a fresh criminal offence or there is a court order.
The commission will hold another meeting with law enforcement agencies on January 22, to provide further directions regarding the upcoming Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) elections, the senior secretary added.
On Monday, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda assured BNP leaders that no activists or party leaders will be arrested before the mayoral elections of the two Dhaka city corporations.
Huda gave the assurance after a delegation from the party, led by its Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, met with election commission officials and their chief at the Election Commission Secretariat in Dhaka’s Agargaon.
BNP's DNCC candidate Tabith Awal and DSCC candidate Ishraque Ahmed also accompanied the delegation.
Assurances have been made to BNP that no intimidation, arrests, or raids will be made at the homes of opposition leaders and activists ahead of Dhaka city polls, said Nurul Huda to reporters after the meeting.
Stopping intimidation was one of the main demands of BNP to the Election Commission.
“We told the BNP delegates we will hold a meeting with police and tell them strictly to not harass any candidates or supporters unnecessarily,” said Huda.
But it does not mean that no action will be taken due to elections, if anyone commits criminal offences, he added.
KM Nurul Huda said all preparations have been made for voting using EVMs and there is no scope to come back from that decision.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury talked about the assurances made by the CEC.
Also, if there is no visible conflict, no arrest will be made before election day on January 30, he said, quoting the CEC.
BNP also urged the Election Commission not to use EVMs in the upcoming Dhaka city elections.