Upazila polls won't be fair under AL govt: Fakhrul
Upazila polls won't be fair under AL govt: Fakhrul
The upcoming upazila election will not be fair under the current government, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam alleged today, a day before the beginning of the first phase of the four-phase election.
“No election held during an Awami League regime can be fair. The upazila elections will not be fair amid what the government is doing,” Fakhrul said during a discussion at Jatiya Press Club of the capital.
The Dhaka city unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student wing of BNP, organised the discussion demanding immediate release of its arrested leaders.
“The government resorted to attacks, killings, arrests and forced disappearance against opposition leaders ahead of the election,” the BNP leader alleged.
The government is using police, Rab, BGB and joint forces to wipe out the opposition leaders who engage themselves in election campaigning, he added.
Fakhrul also accused the Election Commission of being loyal to the government.
“By manipulating the latest election, it was proved that no election can be fair under the EC,” he said.
The country witnessed a "controlled democracy" after the 10th parliamentary election on January 5 and only “dogs” were seen roaming on the polling centre premises on the very day.
Fakhrul also denounced the claim of several ministers linking BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to the recent audiovisual message said to be from al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri.
“When the government is unclear about the authenticity of the message, such statements connecting BNP and Khaleda Zia indicates a deep conspiracy,” he insisted.
Out of 487 upazilas of the country, elections to 97 will be held on February 19 and one on February 24 in the first phase, 117 on February 27 in the second phase, and 83 on March 15 in the third phase. Elections to the remaining 97 will be held on March 23.