General Secretary of Awami League Obaidul Quader has asked for proof of the Election Commission's alleged "hidden relationship" with the ruling party.
Addressing BNP's allegations – that election officials are rejecting the nomination papers of candidates from BNP, and other parties, following directives from the prime minister’s office – Quader said: "If there is any such proof regarding this issue, show it to us."
He commented this while talking to reporters – after paying his tributes, at Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy's grave, near the High Court – on Wednesday morning.
Talking about BNP's demands to reconstruct the Election Commission, Quader said: "The election is slated to begin in a mere 24 days. Those who are talking about reconstructing the commission at such a time are conspiring to foil the election. There is no provision to reconstruct the Election Commission now."
He further said: "Under BNP's regime, Bangladesh was declared as the most corrupt country—five times. The Federal Court of Canada has labelled BNP as a criminal party.
"A party with such a bad reputation of corruption and crime has no organizational discipline," he said. "This is why they have resorted to making a business out of securing nominations."
The Awami League and its associated student bodies paid their tributes, at the grave of Shaheed Suhrawardy, on the 55th anniversary of his death, on Wednesday.
Aside from Quader: Omar Faruq Chowdhury, chairman of Awami Jubo League, central President of Bangladesh Chhatra League Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon, President of Dhaka University Chhatra League Sanjit Chandra Das, and General Secretary of Dhaka University Chhatra League Saddam Hossain also paid their tributes.
Previously, on Tuesday, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed that while nomination papers of ruling party aspirants were cleared despite numerous faults, the Election Commission had rejected numerous BNP candidates following orders from the prime minister's office.
On Sunday, the nominations of 141 BNP aspirants and three Awami League contestants were rejected after scrutiny. According to the Election Commission, 555 BNP candidates and 278 Awami League candidates have been cleared to contest the upcoming polls.
Bangladesh’s upcoming national election is scheduled for December 30.
The commission scrutinized nomination papers on Sunday. December 9 is the deadline for withdrawing candidacies.
