Pro-BNP academic Prof Emajuddin Ahmed today warned the Election Commission of dire consequences if it fails to hold the upcoming Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation polls in a free and fair manner.

“Release those candidates and voters on bail who are arrested under Section 54 and allow them to carry out election campaigns,” he said at a discussion at the National Press Club in Dhaka this afternoon. 

“Casting votes in elections is not everything,” he said adding that the candidates need congenial environment to go to voters and seek their supports.

Bangladesh Buddhist Front, a pro-BNP organization, arranged the discussion.

In the same meeting, BNP standing committee member Maj Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said BNP is interested to participate in the April 28 elections and it has public support to “face the election”. 

“But we will not accept if the election is held in the same style like the January 5, 2014 farcical elections.”