Khaleda’s candidature cancelled at govt behest: BNP

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Sunday alleged that its chairperson Khaleda Zia's nomination was revoked by the election commission (EC) at the behest of the government, reports UNB.

"Ignoring the right judgement of a commissioner, the other commissioners, led by chief election commissioner, scrapped her (Khaleda's) nomination through a dissenting and questionable order," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at the party's Naya Paltan central office, he also said the EC unnecessarily bought time in disposing of the appeal of their chairperson against returning officer's rejection of her nominations for Feni-1, Bogura-6 and 7 seats.

Before the EC's final order, Rizvi said Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader at a press conference in Noakhali said Khaleda Zia could not join the election legally while an Awami League delegation-led by Jahangir Kabir Nanak went to the commission to warn it about the matter. "Few hours later, the commission cancelled her nomination."

He alleged that the Awami League delegation went to the EC to ask it to reject Khaleda Zia's appeal.

On Saturday, the election commission upheld returning officers' decisions cancelling the candidature of jailed BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for forthcoming national election.

Chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda and three election commissioners --Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury -- rejected Khaleda's appeals, while election commissioner Mahbub Talukder accepted her candidature.

Rizvi said though there was no legal bar for Khaleda to joining the election, the EC made her ineligible for the election as part of a deep-rooted plot.

He said the commission announced valid the nominations of many convicted candidates like Pankaj Debnatth, Haji Selim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and Nazmul Huda. "Then why not of Begum Zia? The CEC cancelled Khaleda Zia's nomination being dictated by the Sheikh Hasina (PM)."

About demonstration by the supporters of their party's aspirants who were not given party tickets, Rizvi hoped that they will end their protest soon and work as a team to ensure the victory of the party for having Khaleda Zia freed from jail.