Level playing field on Ishraque’s mind
With only two days to go for Dhaka city corporation elections, BNP’s mayoral nominee for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Ishraque Hossain spent a hectic day of electioneering, raising a strong demand for establishing level playing field.
“There is no level playing field ahead of the elections. Because of this, we are afraid that this city corporation elections will be another joke, like all previous elections [during the incumbent government’s regime],” Ishraque said.
He was speaking at a mass rally in front of Jubo Dal’s office at Bangshal, before starting his yesterday’s campaign in different parts of Old Dhaka.
“A mass uprising has spread across the country in favour of us, so none could stop such public spirits,” said Ishraque, son of former undivided Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.
Calling upon people to cast their votes on election day, he said, “Don’t be afraid, don’t feel threatened; all of you are the owners of this country, so you will have to cast votes on February 1, to restore democracy again in the country -- which was the spirit of our Liberation War.”
After ending the rally at around 3pm, Ishraque went door-to-door for over six hours in different areas amid inclement weather, including Wari, Sutrapur, Gendaria, Laxmi Bazar, Jagannath University and Ray Shaheb Bazar intersection consequently.
In the evening, his campaign gained momentum with the participation of an increasing number of BNP leaders and activists, halting traffic on many spots.
Ishraque, holding a sheaf of paddy [BNP’s electoral symbol], shook hands with people, hugged them, exchanged greetings, and distributed leaflets.
As loudspeakers blared songs in favour of the candidate, enthusiastic leaders and activists showered flower petals on him from both sides of the streets.
This correspondent found him ending his day’s campaign at Ray Shaheb Bazar area at around 8pm.
Earlier in the day, the candidate condemned attacks on his party leaders and activists at different parts of the city recently.
“EC and law enforcers are yet to take any action against those who carried out attacks on our activists,” he alleged while talking to journalists at his Gopibagh home.
BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain read out a written statement there.
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