AL leaders violated electoral codes in Gazipur
Ruling Bangladesh Awami League candidate and its campaigners violated electoral codes of conduct in Gazipur, alleged opposition BNP leaders.
Gazipur City Corporation goes to polls Tuesday (26 June) and the election commission had asked outsiders not to enter city corporation areas since Saturday 12:00am.
One of the outsiders who joined the AL mayoral candidate's electioneering despite such restriction, was AL leader Talukder Abdul Khalek who was recently elected mayor of Khulna City Corporation amid massive allegations of rigging, manipulation, intimidation and arrest of the opposition activists. Facing criticism, he left the area.
The AL’s organising secretary Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel was seen holding meeting and addressing a press conference on Sunday. Nowfel later left Gazipur expressing regret.
The AL candidate, Jahangir Alam, held a press conference ahead of the poll. It was attended by former BGMEA president and mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation Atikul Islam and Sramik League leader Roy Ramesh Chandra.
However, the leaders left the area as soon as they came to know about the restriction.
When asked, AL mayoral candidate Jahangir Alam said, “There will be no further violation of electoral codes as I was the most vigilant against outsiders’ movement in the area.”
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has complained about the AL leaders entry into Gazipur from outside, according to returning officer Rakibuddin Mondal.
“We warned the Awami League candidate verbally,” he added.
The AL leaders are, however, optimistic about victory in the GCC polls as they think people will vote for the AL following their win in Khulna polls.
Many of them believe that postponement of the city polls earlier acted as boon in disguise for the Awami League.
It might not have been possible to win had the voting taken place on 15 May, said several AL leaders on condition of anonymity.
The AL candidate for GCC polls visits all over the city for electioneering. Addressing several street rallies and press conference, Jahangir Alam focussed on the government’s development works.
Denying the allegations of the BNP candidate Hasan Uddin Sarker, he claimed that the BNP was carrying out such 'baseless propaganda' as they lacked public support.
The AL leaders also claimed that that Gazipur saw no major development activities during the tenure of BNP-backed first mayor MA Manna, elected in 2013.
Mannan was imprisoned for 22 months after the election. He spent significant amount of time in Dhaka for his treatment.