Sirajganj, Dec 25 (UNB) – At least 14 people were reportedly injured after the election campaign of BNP’s Sirajganj-3 constituency candidate was allegedly attacked by Awami League activists in the Sadar Upazila.

The ruling party’s local unit rejected the allegation.

BNP’s upazila unit General Secretary Shamsul Islam said they held a rally in front of the party office in Dhangora Bazar with the permission of the election official and police. After the rally, BNP candidate Mannan Talukdar and his supporters started canvassing in the area.

“Awami League activists attacked us in presence of police,” he claimed.

The attackers vandalised a motorcycle and several benches and chairs of the BNP office, he added.

But AL’s upazila unit General Secretary Shariful Islam Sharif said the BNP activists had first attacked Awami League men. “Four to five of our activists were injured. A running battle took place when the locals tried to stop the attack,” he said.

Raiganj Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Panchananda Sarkar said there was a pitched battle between BNP and Awami League activists. “We rushed to the spot but did not find anything,” he said.

Narayanganj, Dec 25 (UNB) – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday urged voters to go to polling stations on December 30, defying “obstacles and threats from the government.”

“The opposition parties have united to wage a movement for change with the ‘sheaf of paddy’ (BNP’s electoral symbol),” he told a road rally near Kanchan Bridge in Rupganj Upazila.

Fakhrul urged the people to vote for his party “to ensure the freedom of [BNP Chairperson] Khaleda Zia and the people.”

“As the owners of the land, you will have to elect your representatives to run the country for the next five years,” he said.

BNP’s Narayanganj-1 candidate Kazi Moniruzzaman, Khaleda’s adviser Taimur Alam Khondakar, among others, attended the rally.

Brahmanbaria, Dec 25 (UNB) – Law Minister and Awami League candidate for Brahmanbaria-4 constituency Anisul Huq on Wednesday claimed that there will be no freedom of speech and liberty if Jatiya Oikyafront comes to power through the next election.

“Dr Kamal Hossain, the leader of those who speak of freedom of speech, has curbed journalists’ right to question asking them to shut up (khamosh). The word ‘freedom of speech’ doesn’t suit them. It’s evident that people’s freedom of speech will be curbed if they come to power,” he said.

Anisul was addressing an election rally at Shikarpur Govt Primary School ground in Kasba upazila.

On December 14, Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain lashed out at a journalist in Dhaka and asked him to shut up when he asked about his stance on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami which had openly opposed Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.

About BNP’s demand for either giving it a scope of fielding alternative candidates or rescheduling the election in the seats where its candidates have been declared ineligible by court, there is no law to fulfill their demand. “A new law will have to be formulated if their demand has to be met.”

Kasba upazila parishad chairman Anisul Haque Bhuiyan, joint convener of upazila unit Awami League Rashedul Kawsar Bhuiyan and Kharera union parishad chairman Kabir Ahmad Khan were, among others, present on the occasion.

Keraniganj, Dec 25 (UNB) - At least 25 BNP leaders and activists, including its candidate from Dhaka-3 constituency Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, were injured in an attack reportedly by ruling party men during electioneering at Chunkutia in South Keraniganj on Tuesday.

Kawsar Ahmed, local BNP leader, claimed that a group of Awami League men equipped with sticks swooped on the BNP activists during an election campaign in front of Poricharja Hospital around 6 pm.

The miscreants also hurled brick chips at the BNP campaigners.

The attack was launched when Gayeshwar, a BNP standing committee member, was going to Kadamtali from Chunkutia, leaving 25 people, including Gayeshwar, former upazila BNP secretary Advocate Sultan Naser, South Keraniganj thana unit general secretary Abu Bakar Siddique Kawser and Dhaka district Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Haji Masum, injured.

Gayeshwar got his skull fractured in the attack and he was kept confined to a shop with his head profusely bleeding, said witnesses.

Later, the attackers left the spot after the journalists rushed in on information, said BNP leader Abdus Salam Azad.

The injured were first taken to Mitford Hospital from where they were shifted to Islami Bank Hospital at Kakrail in the capital.

Shah Jamal, officer-in-charge of Keraniganj South Police Station, said they have heard the news.
 

Dhaka, Dec 25 (UNB) – BNP on Tuesday voiced frustration over the ‘growing’ incidents of violence across the country, even after the army deployment.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also said their party leaders and activists were attacked by ruling party men and police in 28 constituencies, injuring over a hundred people, including 19 candidates, on Monday. 

“Yesterday (Monday) was the most violent day. Police and ruling party cadres attacked the rallies and campaigns in favour of Sheaf of Paddy at different parts of the country,” he said.

The BNP leader further said, “The situation didn’t improve, even after the deployment of army. We had expected that the situation would mark a substantial improvement with their deployment…we call upon the army to take steps for ensuring a peaceful election atmosphere.” 

He alleged that the situation has turned so worse that police have started spraying bullets on opposition leaders and activists. “Police used to charge batons in the past and hardly used bullet, but now they are firing shots on the leaders and activists of Sheaf of Paddy’ instead of charging batons.”

The BNP candidates who came under attack on Monday include Moudud Ahmed in Noakhali, Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie in Lakshmipur, Abdul Moyeen Khan in Narsingdi, Hafizuddin Ahmed in Bhola, Miah Nuruddin Apu in Shariatpur, Sunsila Jabrin Priyanka in Sherpur and Akhtaruzzaman and Shariful Alam in Kishoreganj.

Rizvi said the ruling party men are gradually getting desperate, and taking preparations to ‘capture polling stations and rig votes’ on December 30.