The ruling Awami League (AL) has urged the Election Commission (EC) to keep a close watch on the activities of foreign observers at the upcoming Dhaka city elections scheduled for February 1.
A delegation of the Awami League, led by its National Election Conducting Committee Co-chairman HT Imam, also urged the commission to exercise its authority so that the foreign observers along with the local ones adhered to the electoral code of conduct on the day of voting.
The ruling party made its views known at a meeting between the delegation and the chief election commissioner at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka on Thursday.
After the meeting, HT Imam, who is also the prime minister's political affairs adviser, told journalists that the Awami League would not accept the domineering attitude of foreign observers and their violation of the electoral code of conduct as they observe polling centres for the Dhaka north and south city corporation elections.
He said: "We told the Election Commission that local and foreign observers would have to stick to the law on voting day so that no one could exert any influence on the election."
Citing an example, HT Imam said India did not allow foreign observers at its elections. Other countries allow them in but at the same time imposed restrictions and rules on how they ought to conduct themselves.
"But observers, in the name of election observation, disrespect our sovereignty," he said.
"Bangladesh is not now in conditions it was in earlier. We brought about a change in rules which must be maintained and obeyed by the observers. We also want that they observe the elections peacefully.
"They must obey the electoral code of conduct, the constitution and the international law."
Responding to a question, HT Imam said diplomats of different embassies would have to maintain the existing law pertinent to the polls.
"They should keep in mind that they cannot do anything they want," he said.
"We have had such experiences as an ambassador going to a polling booth with a camera in the last election. We do not want a repetition of such incidents."
To another query, he said from the beginning BNP had been working on two issues -- making the Election Commission controversial and creating such a situation that free and fair elections could never be held under the present government.
On allegations of goons of the BNP gathering in Dhaka ahead of the polls, he claimed: "We have already informed the commission with documents on the matter. The law enforcement agencies are also working on the issue."
He said the election atmosphere was now good and the Awami League had assisted the commission in this regard as it also wanted a peaceful election."
