The BNP has accused the government of rigging the municipal elections and demanded that voting be re-held in municipalities that had been occupied by the ruling party men.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the party, claimed that municipal elections had turned farcical as per the blueprint of the government.
“We were apprehensive that a farcical election would be held and our premonition just came true,” he told reporters at a press conference at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office on Wednesday.
Fakhrul claimed that fair elections were not possible to be held as long as the incumbent government was in office as it would not allow any such election to be held.
“Since morning, there was no spontaneity among voters. Rather, violence and occupation of polling centres turned the polls into a tragedy.
“Till 4pm, we have learned that BNP agents were ejected from 157 polling stations. In many places, voters were also ousted and most of the polling centres were occupied,” he alleged.
The BNP leader said: “One thing we have noticed is that the government used all the state organs to manipulate elections.”
Demanding re-polling in polling stations where violence was perpetrated, Fakhrul said: “Ruling party men took control of these stations to rig elections. This municipal election has once again proved that the Election Commission is unable to hold a fair election.”
Earlier in the day, Osman Farruk, adviser to the BNP chairperson, claimed that municipal elections across the country had been massively rigged.
He told reporters at the Election Commission that voting in the municipal polls resembled that in the 10th parliamentary elections held in 2014.
“The ruling party used a set of techniques to manipulate the elections. We did not expect this type of election.
“The government is claiming that the election is being held in a peaceful manner but we see no peace,” Farruk said.
He said the people were aware of what was going on during the polls and they would judge whether or not it was a fair election.
Meanwhile, addressing another press briefing, BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that ruling party men had taken control of 157 polling stations in different parts of the country.
“In some municipalities, all the polling stations were occupied. The nation will remember the bloodshed and violence during the polls.”
Slamming the Election Commission, Rizvi said: “The municipal elections proved that election commissioners were very busy to please the prime minister instead of holding free, fair and impartial polls.”