Shawdesh Desk: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday described the Election Commission (EC) as ‘biased and useless’ body as it has failed to take any action against those attacked the electioneering of their party’s mayoral candidates of the two city corporations in Dhaka.

He also alleged that the government and EC have taken a move to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the February-1 elections to favour the ruling party.

Fakhrul came up with the remarks while carrying out electioneering in support of Ishraque Hossain, their party’s mayoral candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), in the High Court Mazar area.
“The Election Commission has been playing a complete biased role. The processions of Ishraque and Tabith were attacked after the start of their electioneering. Our north city mayoral candidate Tabith was physically attacked on Tuesday, but the useless Election Commission couldn’t take any action in this regard,” he said.

The BNP leader demanded immediate arrest of those involved in the attack on Tabith Awal.

He urged the voters to elect Ishraque as he is a very competent person to lead the DSCC as its mayor.

Fakhrul alleged that the government is playing a game over the elections as it has no ability to win a fair and credible election. “They’re going to hold the election with EVMs as they know it’s not possible for them to hold the polls in their style without EVMs.”

Claiming that there has been a mass wave in favour of ‘Sheaf of Paddy’, the election symbol of BNP, he said people will thwart all the evil designs of the government and defeat the evil forces with united efforts.

The BNP leader said their party-backed councillor candidates are coming under attacks and obstructed them from carrying out campaigns by the ruling party ‘cadre.
He said the government has failed to create a congenial atmosphere for holding a neutral election. “The Election Commission still could not probe its impartiality.”

Ishraque urged voters to go to polling stations on February 1 braving all obstacles and intimidation to exercise their right to franchise.

He said the country was liberated by freedom fighters to make people the owners of the country, but the current government is trying to establish political dynasty exposing a feudal attitude.

Later, Fakhrul together with Ishraque distributed leaflets among people and sought their votes for the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’.