The Election Commission (EC) is not taking actions against the persons who are breaching the electoral code of conduct, BNP Chairperson’s advisor Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin has alleged.
Nasir, also convener of Chittagong district municipal polls monitoring cell, came up with the allegation against the EC at the press conference held at Chittagong Press Club on Sunday.
The former minister said the BNP-nominated candidates and campaigners could not conduct electioneering in 10 municipalities in Chittagong in the face of obstruction created by the ruling party men.
“The ruling party men are intimidating BNP men. We have lodged complaints with the EC. However, the EC did not take any action in this regard,” said Mir Nasir, adding that they were taking part in the municipal polls to expedite the on-going democratic movement.
“We took part in the elections in 2008 to restore constitution. The country faced a constitutional crisis again after January5, 2014 elections. We have decided to participate in local body polls as a crisis of public representatives was created. No government can stay in power for long without the participation of the people,” said the BNP leader.
“The BNP campaigners came under attack repeatedly in Chittagong and we readily notified the EC about it. However, the EC did not take any punitive action against the assaulters,” accused Mir Nasir.
The BNP leader said the ruling party Awami League and the EC assured of holding the polls in free, fair and credible manner. However, the EC is now acting as a subservient agency of the government. As a result, the EC has now become a failed institution. The government is out to stage another drama in the name of holding municipal polls slated for December 30.
The press conference was attended by BNP north district convener Aslam Chowdhury, south district general secretary Gazi Shahjahan Jewel, city Juba Dal president Kazi Belal and secretary Mosharraf Hossain Dipti, among others.