"We’ve information that the ruling party didn’t allow our polling agents to go to centres in today's (Saturday’s) municipal elections. They were driven out from the centres in many places,” said BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
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Speaking at a programme in BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also alleged that the BNP supporters were also not allowed to go to polling stations to exercise their right to franchise.
“Awami League supporters captured polling stations with support from the administration. “They resorted to the same irregularities in the municipal elections as they had done in national elections,” the BNP leader said.
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He said ruling party leaders and activists think mayors can be made the same way the MPs were done.
Mosharraf said the current government in connivence with the Election Commission has destroyed the country’s election system.
He said some Awami leaders have started saying about the real scenario of the election and the polling stations in the country. “If a genuine election is held, Awami League candidates won’t find any escape route. An Awami League candidate made this remark and that’s the fact.”
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The BNP leader criticised the Election Commission for using the EVMs in the polls when people are not allowed to go to polling stations. “There’s an evil motive behind EVM use in elections.”
The voting in 60 municipalities across the country began around 8am and continued until 4pm on Saturday in the second phase of the staggered municipal election.
Of the 60 municipalities, EVMs were used in 29 while the voting took place with traditional ballot papers in 31 others.
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At the programme, Mosharraf said they have decided to form different regional committees comprising pro-BNP expatriate Bangladeshis living in different countries to celebrate the golden jubilee of independence outside Bangladesh.
He said they will form the regional committee in countries like the ones in the Middle East and European ones, including the UK, to celebrate the event in a befitting manner outside Bangladesh.