National polls
Not elections, but drama being staged: BNP tells EU delegation
The government is set to stage a drama in the name of an election slated to be held on 7 January, BNP leaders have said.
The opposition leaders made the remark in a virtual meeting with a visiting election expert team of the European Union (EU).
The government is going to hold a one-sided election without the opposition, which is not an election at all, the leaders added.
BNP standing committee members Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, party chairperson's advisory council member Ismail Jobiullah, International affairs secretary Humayun Kabir, organising secretary Shama Obaid and human rights affairs secretary Asaduzzaman joined the meeting that lasted for about an hour on Wednesday afternoon.
None of the sides briefed the media about the meeting.
Sources said BNP leaders provided the EU election experts with information and evidence as to how the 7 January election will openly be managed and staged. Those who will be given votes are candidates of boat, electoral symbol of ruling Awami League, or dummy candidates or Awami League's rebel candidates.
BNP leaders also pointed out that those who are being shown as the oppositions, how the government has shared seats with them for the upcoming election.
The BNP leaders placed what the roles different agencies including the law enforcing agencies are playing.
Sources said BNP leaders provided the EU election experts with information and evidence as to how the 7 January election will openly be managed and staged. Those who will be given votes are candidates of boat, electoral symbol of ruling Awami League, or dummy candidates or Awami League's rebel candidates.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Abdul Moyeen Khan said, "So far we have understood they will submit a report on the situation of the election. They are collecting information for that. We placed the realities, this is not an election rather a drama is being staged."
Earlier, BNP representatives of Sylhet division held a meeting with two EU election experts at a local hotel in Sylhet at around 12:00pm.
BNP chairperson's advisory council member Abdul Muktadir, Sylhet's former mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qauyum Chowdhury joined the meeting.
This is the second meeting of BNP leaders of the central committee with the EU delegation. Earlier, another meeting was held on 2 December. Besides, the EU delegation held a virtual meeting with the leaders of Chattogram division BNP. Chattogram north city unit BNP president Golam Akbar Khandaker, south unit convener Shahadat Hossain, Chattogram south district unit BNP convener Abu Sufian and BNP international affairs committee member Meer Mohammad Helal Uddin joined the meeting.