Election candidates from BNP are taking more advantage in the Dhaka North and South City Corporation polls than their other contestants, said H T Imam, co-chairman of Awami League National Election Steering Committee on Wednesday.
“As per the rules, lawmakers cannot take part in the election campaigning. Sadly we are noticing that the Election Commission seems to be favouring the BNP candidates without considering the level playing field,” Imam told reporters after a meeting with the Election Commission.
“We cannot campaign while the EC is allowing the BNP candidate to continue such activities which are completely in violations of the EC rules,” he added.
The AL delegation, led by HT Imam, met with officials of the Election Commission at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Wednesday, a day after BNP met the EC officials.
However, election commissioner Mahbub Talukder said that ministers and MPs cannot take part in the election campaigning and related activities in the city polls as per the electoral code of conduct.
“Very important persons (Ministers and MPs) can’t participate in any election activities and campaign. They can only cast their votes,” he added.
Imam, also the advisor to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on political affairs, said that BNP has already launched silent war as they raised allegations against AL regarding the polls.
About meeting with the election commissioner, HT Imam said “We want to know about the training and awareness programme of electronic voting machine (EVMs) and number of polling agents including women. The EC told us that they have taken massive awareness programme about EVMs. The EC has appointed technician about recovering any technical glitches.”
About BNP allegation to rig vote through EVMs, Imam said, “BNP had been saying this from the beginning of the use of EVM. There is no scope of rigging vote through EVM. The commission will take final decision on the matter,” he added.
The Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder headed the EC as chief election commissioner (CEC) in Chattogram for election related works.
