BNP against DCC split

Protesting against the government's decision to split Dhaka City Corporation, the main opposition BNP yesterday demanded an immediate election to an undivided DCC.
“The government should withdraw this politically motivated decision and hold election for undivided Dhaka City Corporation,” said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP acting secretary general, at a press conference at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office.
“This decision to split the city will create a fresh crisis,” he added.
Criticising the government's plan to appoint two administrators to run the city corporations, he said the government wants to delay the DCC election because it senses defeat due to their growing unpopularity among the public.
Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, also present at the conference, alleged that the government wants to remove him from DCC so that they can appoint administrators because the ruling party has no chance to win if the elections are held.
“They [govt] know they cannot remove me from the post of mayor due to the existing law and so they have decided to split Dhaka City Corporation aiming to implement their plan to oust me without holding any election,” he said.
Party standing committee member MK Anwar was present at the press conference.
KHALEDA ON PM's COMMENT
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia accused the prime minister of running a smear campaign and making indecent and non-political statements against the opposition party, claiming that the PM is polluting the political atmosphere through propaganda.
“The people will judge whether her frequent remarks go in line with the position of prime minister,” she said in a statement yesterday signed by her Press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan.
The BNP chairperson also slammed the government for what she said were efforts to obstruct road-march programmes organised by the opposition.
She urged all to be aware of “secret deals” concerning transit with India.
“I condemn the implementation of the secret transit deal without settling issues of national security and economic benefit and keeping people in the dark,” she said.