AL men set afire BNP’s election office: Moulvibazar-3 BNP candidate

BNP’s Moulvibazar-3 candidate M Naser Rahman alleged that Awami League activists set afire his party’s electoral office in the Sadar upazila on Friday night.

He also accused the ruling party supporters of attacking his vehicle, reports UNB.

Naser told the media at his residence that he had gone to municipality mayor’s office on Friday night after being tipped off that about 50,000 ballot papers were taken there for stuffing.

He said he had requested police assistance.

“The Juba League and Chhatra League activists removed the sacks filled with ballot boxes at the mayor’s order as police took their time to reach the place,” Naser claimed.

Municipality mayor Md Fazlur Rahman rejected the allegation, saying the ballot papers are kept with the presiding officer.

Naser said he tried to contact the returning officer but the latter did not receive calls, prompting him contact the army - but nobody showed up in a while. Minutes later, he tried to get in his car and leave the place.

“But Juba League and Chhatra League activists surrounded my vehicle claiming I had black money with me and vandalised the vehicle,” Naser said. “They also attacked and damaged the vehicles of former municipal mayor Fazlul Karim and former parliamentarian Begum Khaleda Rabbani.”

Soon after that, the ruling party men took out a procession in presence of police, he said, claiming: “They attacked the BNP office near Sylhet Road and set it on fire after vandalising it.”

He said police arrested a number of his supporters and were threatening BNP activists. “The ruling party men are desperately trying to stop me from winning,” the BNP candidate alleged.

Mayor Fazlur rejected accusations of vandalism and arson. “It is a plot by the BNP to discredit the ruling party,” he added.