We are contesting against govt, not party: Amir Khasru

The government is implementing an “election project” and staging drama at regular intervals, BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said yesterday.

He made the comment during a press conference at his residence in the port city.

Asked about a recent survey, which said ruling Awami League may win 248 seats in the election, Amir Khasru said all attacks and arrests of opposition men are pre-planned and part of the government's “election project.” 

“The government has set all of this earlier...,” the BNP leader alleged.

The BNP leader said the prime minister and other AL leaders in their electioneering have alleged that BNP will use money to influence the polls.

“From where will we get money? Everybody knows who has the money and where it has been deposited,” he added.

Rejecting AL's allegations that BNP will publish fake ballot papers, Khasru said ballot papers are published in government press.

“As AL is spreading these propaganda, we doubt whether they have already planned to stage another drama with ballots,” he added.

Stating that there is no level playing field in the 11th national election, Amir Khasru said they are contesting polls against the government instead of a political party.

“It looks as if the government has nominated candidates to run the electoral race,” he said.

Amir Khasru said that the upcoming election is undemocratic, because their opposition is the government.

“We were capable of contesting polls politically if our opposition was a political party. But when the opposition is government, how can anyone contest against it?”

The BNP leader said all government institutions including administration and law enforcement agencies are being used in favour of the government, claiming that mothers of three local BNP leaders died of cardiac arrest recently, after police stormed their houses.