The main opposition BNP on Sunday contended that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was using public money in her electoral campaign in violation of the electoral code of conduct.
“The prime minister is still in office. But she is visiting different places using government funds and addressing rallies and meetings to seek votes, which is a clear violation of the electoral code of conduct,” acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters after placing a wreath on the grave of BNP’s founder, Ziaur Rahman, to mark the party’s 35th founding anniversary.
“This also proves that a free and fair election is not possible under the incumbent government as they have started violating the electoral code even before the elections,” Fakhrul added.
The party spokesperson also claimed that the Awami League-led government was conspiring to stay in power after the term of the present parliament ends on October 25. He also said that a meeting was held at the law minister’s residence in this regard.
“The government is now hatching a conspiracy to stay in power for another three months after the expiration of the tenure of the parliament,” Fakhrul said.
“If the government tries to stay in power after the expiration of the parliament’s tenure, people will not accept it,” he added.
Portraying a gloomy picture of the country’s political, economic and law and order situation, Fakhrul said the government scrapped the caretaker government system ignoring people’s expectations and aspirations.
“We want to say clearly that any election without a non-partisan interim government would not be acceptable to the people of this country, and they will resist such an attempt,” he said.
BNP standing committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain also said the government had no choice but to accept the demand for a non-party caretaker government to ensure the participation of all parties in the elections.
“Ninety percent people of the country want elections under a non-partisan interim government. Many partners of the Awami League-led grand alliance also want the same. The UN secretary general also talked about participation of all political parties in the polls,” Mosharraf said, while inaugurating a book fair at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters in the capital. “So, there is no alternative to restoring the caretaker government system to oversee the next elections.”
Expressing concerns over the forthcoming elections, the BNP leader said the main challenge now was to protect democracy in the country.
“If you (the government) want to continue with the journey of democracy, establish a non-partisan interim government,” he said.
“The country is passing though a critical time. The government realises they have lost ground, and that is why they want to hold the elections forcefully under its own arrangement. People of the country will not accept such polls,” he added.
Meanwhile, at least 10 BNP activists were injured in a clash between rival factions while marking the party’s founding day at Hatibandha town in Lalmonirhat yesterday.
Police said the clash occurred when two rival BNP groups, one led by the party’s Hatibandha upazila president Mosharaf Hossain and another by district vice president Joynal Abedin, brought out separate rallies in the town and came face to face on the same road. The injured men were admitted to Hatibandha health complex, police said.
Tapos Kumar Sarker, officer in charge of Hatibandha police station, said additional forces were deployed in the area to contain the situation.
Both sides later blamed each other for initiating the attack, but no written complaints were filed, the police officer said.
