Censuring the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) for his comment about the attack on a mayoral candidate in Barishal City Corporation polls, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said the current Election Commission cannot hold a credible national election.

“The Chief Election Commissioner said he was very satisfied with (Monday’s) city elections. Charmonai Peer Faizul Karim, a mayoral candidate in Barishal city polls, was beaten by the ruling party cadres, shedding blood from his body, but they (EC) couldn’t resist it,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a road march programme arranged by Dhaka South City unit BNP in the capital's Gopibagh area, he said the EC has failed miserably to ensure the security of even a respectable Alem and a mayoral candidate.

Also read: Attack on Faizul Karim proves again credible polls never possible under AL: BNP

“You (EC) say that you will be able to hold the national parliamentary election in a free and fair manner. You won’t be able to do it. We've seen enough," the BNP leader said.

He castigated CEC Habibul Awal for his remark that Fazlul Karim did not pass away in the attack by the ruling party activists during the voting.

“Did you want his dead body?  Did you want him to die? We strongly condemn it,” said the BNP leader.

As part of BNP’s countrywide programme, the party's Dhaka South City unit staged a march towards Roysaheber Bazar from Gopibagh Sadeque Hossain Khoka Community Centre protesting the ongoing loadshedding across the country and widespread corruption in the power sector.

Also read: Barishal city polls: Woman says Islami Andolon supporter attacked her over recording video

Dhaka North City unit BNP also marched towards Karwanbazar from Mohakhali on the same ground. BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the programme.

In an address before the start of the march, Fakhrul said the government has hiked the power tariffs repeatedly, but people are facing load-shedding across the country. “But they (govt) celebrated the success of gaining self-sufficiency in power with a spectacular firework and laser show a few days back.”

He said the government set up quick rental power plants by taking away money from people’s pockets and paying money to even to power plants that remain out of production.

“This government’s only job is to cut public pockets. We used to shout and catch when anyone pickpockets in any meeting. It’s now the time to catch the current regime which is the real pickpocket. It’s cutting our pockets every day by raising the prices of everything, including the essential items,” the BNP leader observed.

He said 10 pro-ruling party businessmen are controlling the power sector and siphoning off huge money abroad. “We are to pay Tk78,000 crore as capacity charge every year.”

The BNP leader said the government is now unable to supply the required power for the lack of fuel and energy.  “So, economists are now saying the role model of Bangladesh’s development has now become a reason for headache."    

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Referring to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s remark asking BNP to join the polls to probe its political strength, Fakhrul urged the ruling party to arrange the next polls under a non-party government to see its real popularity.

“Come to the field quitting power and leaving the police and administration. Let's have an election in a real sense under a neutral government and then you will see who has the power. If you want to see the power of the people then the election must be held in a free, fair and neutral manner under a non-party government,” he said.

The BNP leader also urged his party leaders and activists to 'wake up' to force Awami League to quit handing over power to a caretaker government through a fierce movement.

"There is still time to arrange the election under a neutral government. Otherwise, no matter how hard you try, you will not find a way to escape,” he observed.

Also read: Khulna city polls: BNP orders activists, supporters to stay away from voting

Fakhrul alleged that the government has denied the contributions of Serajul Alam Khan to the Liberation War as it did not issue any statement after his death.

“He (Serajul Alam) was one of the organisers of the Liberation War… he formed a nucleus of the rebellious young for Liberating the country. You (govt) did not even issue a condolence message showing respect to him at the end,” he observed.

Also read: No compromise on caretaker government: Fakhrul