N'Ganj City Polls: BNP writes to EC for army deployment
The BNP yesterday submitted a letter to the chief election commissioner, demanding army deployment in Narayanganj ahead of the December 22 city corporation polls.
A BNP delegation, led by party's Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed, handed over the letter to EC Secretary Mohammad Abdullah at its secretariat.
Since the announcement of the Narayanganj City Corporation polls schedule, the BNP has been demanding the EC deploy army to ensure a free and fair election.
Talking to journalists after handing over the letter, Rizvi said his party was hopeful that the current Election Commission would take good initiatives to improve its image as it was reaching the end of its tenure.
“We've demanded deployment of army in Narayanganj seven days ahead of the polling day to ensure a fair election,” said the BNP leader.
The returning officer himself classified all the polling stations as vulnerable to violence, Rizvi said, adding that the EC will have to take proper steps, considering the overall situation in the electoral area.
In the letter signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the party also called for ensuring a level playing field, recovering illegal arms and creating a congenial atmosphere so that voters can safely go to polling stations and cast their votes without any intimidation.
BNP's other demands include keeping election officials free from political influence, providing candidates with the list of election officials 10 days ahead of voting, ensuring security for polling agents and deploying adequate number of law enforcers at every polling stations.
20-PARTY TO BACK SAKHAWAT
Leaders of the BNP-led 20-party alliance yesterday decided that BNP mayoral nominee Sakhawat Hossain Khan would be considered as the combine's candidate.
The decision came at a meeting of the alliance leaders at the BNP chief's Gulshan office last night, with party Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the chair.
The meeting also decided that the alliance components will not field any candidate at the January 20 zila parishad polls as the electoral system “conflicts with the constitution”, said National People's Party Chairman Farhad Hossain, who was present at the meeting.
The alliance called upon the government to provide shelter for Myanmar Rohingyas, he added.
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