BNP’s allegations are clear and specific, Fakhrul to EC

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the party’s allegations against the election officials and police are clear and specific.

The BNP leader said this in response to Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed’s remark on Tuesday that the EC will not take any random allegations against its officials and police into cognisance but will act if the allegations are specific.

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Actions cannot be taken on random allegations: EC secy

“The Election Commission has termed our allegations as random. We want to say that BNP does not make any random allegation. BNP made very clear and specific allegations,” Fakhrul told reporters today on the last day of interview of the party’s nomination seekers.

“We have always said that the Election Commission has to work neutrally. It is its constitutional responsibility and it will be held accountable before the countrymen if it fails to deliver this responsibility. We hope, and also believe, that the EC will fulfill the expectations of the countrymen by delivering its responsibility properly,” he said.

The government would not be able to hold back the “tide of paddy sheaf” by repression and oppression, the BNP secretary general said.

“Arrests and harassment of our party men have continued even after the announcement of the election schedule. Still, the way people are responding to our call despite the arrests and harassment, it only proves that nobody will be able to hold back the rise in tide of support for paddy-sheaf,” Fakhrul said.

Replying to a query, the BNP leader added that they would soon sit with the other parties in its Jatiya Oikyafront and 20-party alliances to decide on seat sharing in the upcoming national election.

“We will sit with the alliances soon and finalise our nominations. Everything will be completed in time. Since we are contesting the polls, we will do it properly.”

WHAT DID EC SECRETARY SAY?

The Election Commission will not take any random allegations against its officials and police into cognisance but will act if the allegations are specific, the commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said on Tuesday.

He came up with the remark after BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sent five separate letters to the EC yesterday urging the commission to act on some issues “which are impediment” to ensuring a level playing field for all political parties.

BNP also sought punitive measures against the EC secretary.

Replying to query on the allegation against him, Helal Uddin said, “The secretary is the spokesperson of the EC. The EC secretary does not have a separate entity; the commission takes all decisions and the secretary executes those besides carrying out secretarial duty.”

About the alleged briefing of ROs at the PMO, he said the commission is “unaware” of such development.

On BNP’s allegation against the field administration including DIGs and their reshuffle, he said the commission will not take such random allegations into cognisance.

“The EC will not accept the proposal of gross reshuffle; allegations have to be specific. The commission will take steps after inquiry if there is a specific allegation.”