Scared of defeat, govt uses legal excuse: BNP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the by-election to Dhaka North City Corporation has been stayed as the government has anticipated its inevitable defeat.

"I think the government has used the opportunity (writ) as it knew that it would be defeated in the mayoral by-polls in the Dhaka North City Corporation," Mirza Fakhrul told Prothom Alo.

The High Court on Wednesday stayed the DNCC by-election for three months, following a write petition challenging the demarcation of areas in the city corporation.

In his instant reaction, the BNP leader also termed it a failure of the election commission. "The election commission announced the election schedule without proper demarcation of the boundary," he said.

There were rumours that the by-election might not be held on the scheduled date. Also, a section of the ruling party leaders informally said they considered the election  in Dhaka risky ahead of the general election.

The mayoral position at DNCC fell vacant due to death of Annisul Huq on 30 November.