AL for watch on polls observers
BNP alleges harassment, arrest of its activists
The Awami League yesterday urged the Election Commission to keep an eye on the observers and prevent them from exerting influence.
But a BNP delegation alleged that AL men were looking forward to win by taking control of the polling centres.
The AL election coordination committee co-chairman HT Imam yesterday said, “Observers should abide by the laws and regulations. No country should exert influence.”
After meeting the election commissioners at the EC Secretariat, Imam told reporters that on some occasions, the observers made comments that were tantamount to hurting the country’s sovereignty.
“We want the observers to observe the elections properly and freely. We also hope that they will follow the electoral code of conduct,” he said.
In the last parliamentary election, the ambassador of a country entered a polling booth with a camera, breaching the conduct, he said.
“We do not want a recurrence of the incident. We respect ambassadors, but no one should take advantage of our hospitality.”
A BNP delegation met the election commissioners after the AL delegation left.
After the meeting, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said, “We complained to the Election Commission repeatedly about the breaches of electoral code of conduct, but we didn’t get the answer to a single question.”
He alleged that BNP leaders and activists were harassed and detained by the law enforcers en masse despite the EC’s promise that no one would be arrested unless there was a visible offence.
The EC should be there to protect peoples voting rights but this EC is protecting the AL’s interest only, he said.
“Among the 22 local observers, 18 have no website and one person is at the helm of two organisations. These organisations are sponsored by Awami League.”
Asked about BNP’s allegations, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said the EC didn’t ask law enforcement agencies to conduct raids.
“But we are discouraging people from coming to Dhaka without a valid reason. We asked voters to leave the polling centres after casting their votes and not to gather in front of polling centres in groups,” he said.
“Compared to other times, a congenial atmosphere is prevailing. Candidates are campaigning. Voters are participating in processions and rallies,” the CEC told reporters.