BNP submits written complaint to EC over polls irregularities

BNP today submitted a written complaint to the Election Commission over irregularities centring the ongoing Dhaka North and South city corporation elections.

A BNP delegation led by the party’s Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury handed over the complaint to the commission.

“BNP’s party symbol, ‘Sheaf of Paddy’, was not seen at many polling centres. Polling agents of BNP nominated candidates were not allowed to enter the voting centres in different areas of the capital. In many cases, they were physically assaulted and driven away from the centres,” Amir Khasru told journalists after submitting the party’s complaints to the EC.

“All our concerns regarding the efficacy of using electronic voting machines in the polls, and possible ill-motives behind using the EVMs, have been proved,” he said.

“Also, many voters have complained that they were not able to vote since they were asked to leave the booths after their fingerprints were entered for biometric identification. Their votes were cast by others,” the BNP leader alleged.

Khasru also alleged that many of the irregularities happened in presence of law enforcement officials but they did not take any steps in this regard.

“Whether BNP will accept the results of the election held in this manner, is not the question,” he said.

“The real question is, whether the people, who hold the spirit of democracy within themselves, will accept the results of the polls,” Khasru added.