City Polls 2018: BNP men allege harassment
With days left before the July 30 city corporation polls, police in Sylhet filed a case on Sunday accusing 39 BNP leaders and activists of obstructing the law enforcers from performing their duties.
Farid Ahmed, a member of Awami League mayoral nominee Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran's campaign committee, on the same day filed another case accusing 34 BNP leaders and activists of setting fire to a makeshift tent on Saturday night.
In Rajshahi, police picked at least four BNP leaders up, said Tofazzal Hossain, chief election agent of BNP in the city.
He alleged that at least 18 BNP men, including city BNP Secretary Motiur Rahman Montu, had been arrested since the election campaign began on July 10.
BNP leaders in both the cities alleged that law enforcement agencies were intimidating their party leaders and activists and sometimes arresting them in the campaign trail.
Amid such allegations, Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam yesterday said the commission was determined to hold fair elections.
Leaders in Sylhet said key organisers of BNP mayoral nominee Ariful Haque Chowdhury's campaign were accused in the case filed by police.
BNP mayoral nominee Ariful and about 100 activists on Saturday staged a sit-in before the office of deputy commissioner (South) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP).
Foyez Ahmed, sub-inspector of detective branch of police, said the case was filed in connection with that demonstration, accusing the BNP men of obstructing police from performing their official duties.
The accused include BNP chairperson's advisor Khandakar Muktadir Ahmed, Sylhet district BNP President Abul Kaher Shamim Chowdhury, Sylhet BNP President Nasim Hossain, BNP mayoral campaign Member Secretary Abdur Razzak, former Sylhet BNP president Shahriar Chowdhury, Sylhet BNP Vice-President Saleh Ahmed Khasru, Sylhet BNP Joint Secretary Ajmal Bakhth Sadek, Sylhet district BNP General Secretary Ali Ahmed, BNP leader Emran Ahmed and 30 other BNP men.
Police did not reveal the names of people accused in the case filed by Farid Ahmed, a member of Awami League mayoral nominee Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran's campaign committee.
BNP district General Secretary Ali Ahmed said, “It is a shame for political harmony in Sylhet, where such intimidation before an election never took place. The arrests, intimidation and filing of cases will destroy the harmony for good.”
BNP nominee Ariful at a press conference at his campaign office in Kazitula claimed that police raided many BNP leaders' houses only to intimidate them. He urged the EC to take steps into the issue.
“If the regional office of the EC does not take any action, we will meet the chief election commissioner soon,” he said
He also claimed that BNP leaders Sayeed Ahmed, Ruman Razzak, and Anamul Haque were arrested early Monday.
In Rajshahi, a group of plainclothes men and some uniformed policemen picked up Mohammad Sazzad, ward 26 BNP president, from his home in Chalkpara area early yesterday, said his brother Mohammad Alam.
Contacted, Iftekhar Alam, a Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesperson, said no BNP leader had been arrested.
BNP yesterday submitted a complaint to the returning officer in Rajshahi, alleging that four of its leaders were picked up by police.
Besides Sazzad, the complaint says the police picked up Jubo Dal leaders Domon, Bachchu, and Chhatra Dal leader Rana.
Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam, while speaking at a training workshop of the election officials at Rajshahi Model School and College yesterday, said the commission wanted to hold an “acceptable election at any cost”.
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