“We’re observing with serious concern that the Election Commission has become active to fulfill the government’s desire even after unprecedented scandal in the national election,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also alleged that the EC has taken a position against the will of people only to bring the election results in favour of the government through tricks by using the EVMs.

The BNP leader urged the Commission to take proper steps for holding a credible election discarding its plan to use the EVMs.

He claimed that it was proved through different research works that EVM is not a transparent voting system, and it is not conducive to democratic practice. “It’s impossible to have credible results from EVM in polls as this machine can easily be tempered.”

Rizvi said not only BNP but also all other responsible political parties and election experts and observers are against the use of EVMs in the election. “All are saying EVM is one of the weapons to rig votes, but the Election Commission is not paying heed to it.”

The elections to the Dhaka South and North city corporations will be held on January next 30, according to a schedule announced by the EC.

The entire elections will be held using electronic voting machines (EVMs) instead of traditional ballot papers.

BNP decided to join the polls and declared its mayor candidates for Dhaka south and north city corporation election race on Saturday.