As the balloting in four city corporation goes on with high turnouts of voters, opposition BNP on Saturday alleged that the government is crafting various evil designs, including intimidating the voters, to have the election results in favour of the ruling party-backed candidates. “The government is conspiring in many ways. The ruling party men are terrorising the voters and forcing out the agents of the BNP-supported candidates,” BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said. Talking to reporters at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi brought the allegations a few hours after the start of elections to four city corporations - Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal, reports UNB.
Rizvi identified Barisal City as the most vulnerable as what he said the armed ruling party cadres are carrying out terrorist activities there and beating up and harassing the supporters of BNP-supported candidate. The BNP office secretary alleged that the BNP-backed candidate Ahsan Habib Kamal repeatedly tried to lodge complaints to the returning officer in this regard but he has apparently gone into hiding. “Even the returning office is not picking up phone.” He also alleged that the local DC and SP did not take any effective measures even after they were being informed by Kamal and his representatives. The BNP leader said it was decided unanimously that there would be 27 magistrates during the election to Barisal City Corporation but ultimately it got 15 magistrates on duty. “All indications are there the government is doing everything possible to manipulate the polls.” Rizvi also alleged that the ruling party men with the help of law enforcers forced out the agents of BNP-backed candidate Moniruzzaman Moni from different centres in Khulna to rig the vote. Besides, he said, Rab members beat up an agent of BNP-backed candidate Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul in Rajshahi and the ruling party men assaulted his supporters and tore up their badges. Rizvi also alleged that local administration and law enforcers are working in favour of Awami league-backed candidate in Sylhet and intimidating voters there. “All these incidents are parts of government’s conspiracy.” The BNP leader said a BNP delegation, led by opposition MPs Barkatullah Bulu and Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anee, is going to Election Commission’s Agargaon office to bring the allegations to their notice.
