Withdraw police, admin high-ups of Barishal-4: BNP
Barishal district BNP yesterday urged the returning officer (RO) to withdraw the high-ups of police and administration of Barishal-4 constituency (Mehendiganj upazila) for the sake of a free and fair election.
They said this at a press conference at the party office in Barishal city in the afternoon.
At the press conference, Mejbahuddin Farhad, BNP-nominated aspirant for Barishal-4, claimed that at least 20 of his party men were injured in attacks in three places -- Launch Ghat area, Badarpur and Patarhat -- of Mehendiganj upazila between 12:30pm and 2:30pm on the day.
He alleged that Awami League men carried out the attacks to create panic among BNP men so that they stayed away from election campaigns.
He also alleged that AL nominee continued to violate the election code of conduct, but no action has been taken against him. “Police are searching houses of BNP leaders and activists. There is no level-playing field in Barishal-4,” he claimed.
Other district BNP leaders were present at the press conference.
Contacted, AL nominee Pankaj Devnath denied the allegations. About the attacks, he claimed that the incidents were “results of BNP's internal conflict”.
Asked, Mehendiganj UNO and Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Dipok Kumar Roy said, “I ordered police to take prompt action. They have already visited the spots.”
SM Ajior Rahman, RO of Barishal, said they are investigating the incidents.
Shahin Khan, officer-in-charge of Mehendiganj Police Station, said, “Upon hearing about the incidents, police visited the spots and brought the situation under control.”
Meanwhile, a case was filed yesterday over the altercation between two rival groups of BNP men when party leader Mojibor Rahaman Sorwar was submitting his nomination paper to the returning officer for Barishal-5 (city corporation and Sadar upazila) on Wednesday. The scuffle left two party activists hurt.
The case was filed with Barishal Kotwali Model Police Station, said OC Nurul Islam.
Syed Chowdhury Khokon, former joint convener of the city unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), filed the case against 25 persons including city unit Jubo Dal secretary and a former JCD president.
Comments