BNP to make it formal later
Already in a difficult situation, the BNP will decide its next course of action on the Dhaka city corporation polls after assessing the fate of the candidatures of its mayor favourites and their bail prayers, party leaders said.
Mirza Abbas, Abdul Awal Mintoo and Abdus Salam filed nomination papers on Sunday through their representatives.
Abbas, a member of BNP national standing committee; and Salam, party's financial affairs secretary; filed nominations for mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) while Mintoo, an advisor to the BNP chief, for the same post of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The three are on bail in some cases while their lawyers will move the High Court for bail in some others. Lawyers will file bail petitions with the HC after it reopens on April 1, BNP insiders said.
“We are taking preparations for seeking bail from the High Court and lower courts for the leaders who are either behind bars or on the run,” senior advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain told The Daily Star yesterday.
If the government is sincere about creating a congenial atmosphere for the elections, it won't oppose the bail prayers, added Mahbub, also an adviser to BNP chief Khaleda Zia.
The returning officers will start scrutinising the nomination papers on April 1. The Dhaka north, south and Chittagong city corporations will go to polls on April 28.
BNP leaders fear the returning officers might reject the nominations of party favourites citing various reasons, including the pending cases against them.
Alongside over 60 cases, Mirza Abbas has been facing an arrest warrant in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
A Dhaka court on February 24 had declared him a fugitive and issued the arrest warrant as he was absent in the court that day.
The electoral law disqualifies a fugitive from contesting the city polls.
A senior BNP lawyer said, “His [Abbas'] case is very critical. The only option for him now is to surrender before the court and seek bail. Even if he is not granted bail, he would then not be considered a fugitive. This would allow him to contest the election.”
Police are scheduled to submit a report to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court of Dhaka on April 28 on the status of the arrest warrant.
Under such a situation, the BNP will wait for a few more days to announce its stance on the city polls.
“We will announce our stance on the city corporation elections after April 2,” said Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman.
If the BNP-blessed candidates cannot contest the mayoral polls, the party would have no other option but to focus on the street agitation, mentioned Mahbub, a member of BNP national standing committee.
However, the situation in Chittagong is not so complicated for the party. The local BNP-led alliance has backed M Manjur Alam for mayor of CCC and started working for him.
PRESS STATEMENT
The BNP-led alliance yesterday in a statement said people hope that the Election Commission and the government will take up proper initiatives to hold the city elections in a free, fair and neutral manner.
The 20-party combined alleged that the EC has been “favouring” the ruling Awami League-backed candidates in the elections.
“Tough speeches” of ministers, ruling party lawmakers and high officials of the law enforcement agencies on the election process are making the polls environment more “biased and panicky”, said the release signed by BNP Joint Secretary General Barkat Ullah Bulu.
“The Awami League-backed aspirants are conducting electioneering in a very aggressive manner violating the electoral code of conduct, while the candidates supported by the opposition parties are not getting minimum scope to this end.”
PROFESSIONALS MEET KHALEDA
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is observing whether the government and the EC are working on creating a congenial atmosphere for the Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation polls, said Ruhul Amin Gazi, acting convener of Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad.
He was speaking to newsmen after a meeting with Khaleda at her Gulshan office last night.
“The BNP is yet to decide on extending support to the candidates. Khaleda Zia discussed nominations of party favourites with all. After securitisation of the nominations [by the Election commission] on April 2, the party will finalise its favourites,” he added.
The nine-member delegation of the pro-BNP platform met Khaleda at 7:40pm. Shawkat Mahmud, an adviser to the BNP chief, was present, among others.
Comments