BNP rejects Khulna city polls results

BNP on Wednesday rejected the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) election results bringing the allegation of an ‘unprecedented vote rigging’ and irregularities.

The party also demanded the resignation of chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda for what it said his ‘inability’ to hold a ‘fair and impartial’ election, reports UNB.

“I, on behalf of our party, reject the results of Khulna City Corporation election,” BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

He also alleged that the current ‘illegal’ government has exercised its ‘illegal’ power to snatch people’s voting rights in Tuesday’s polls.

“It can’t be a healthy election system the way supporters of paddy sheaf (BNP’s election symbol), were subjected to harassment and obstruction at polling stations. The supporters of boat (AL’s election symbol) established their limitless supremacy,” the BNP leader observed.

He alleged that the ruling party men gave fake votes dividing different groups at many polling stations while the presiding officers helped them cast vote unilaterally and stuff ballots.

“They (AL men) stuffed the ballot boxes within a few minutes at many centres, but the on-duty magistrates overlooked such activities,” Rizvi claimed.

He also questioned how over 65 per cent votes were cast in the election while there was a very thin presence of voters.

“We think the turnout of voters could be less than 30 per cent. Voters couldn’t go to most polling stations due to attacks and obstruction by ruling party cadres,” Rizvi added.

Rizvi also alleged that the Election Commission neither has any good intention nor ability to hold a fair and neutral election. “That’s why people witnessed an unprecedented festival of vote rigging in the KCC polls.”

Awami League’s mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khalek won the KCC polls with a big margin defeating BNP’s Nazrul Islam Manju.

Read more : UN calls for fair polls in Bangladesh