BNP finds EC circular fishy

Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Tuesday claimed that the Election Commission issued a circular restricting electioneering by outsiders in Narayanganj City Corporation polls within 72 before the polling hours knowing that the party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, would go there.
The party termed the circular ‘unprecedented’ and said the EC did it ‘intentionally’.
However, Khaleda Zia in a statement, signed by her press secretary on Monday night, said despite her wish, she could not go to Narayanganj due to her appearance before court in cases, illness and other engagements and problems but did not mention the circular.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a news briefing at the party’s central office on Tuesday said Khaleda Zia could not participate in electioneering for the party-nominated candidate in NCC polls due to the restriction enforced by the Election Commission.
Despite cases, she could go for electioneering anytime in Narayanganj responding to voters’ appeal and sensing it the circular was enforced, Rizvi said. 
The government made the EC issue the circular in fear of mass upsurge in favour BNP mayor candidate if Khaleda took part in electioneering, he said.
He said Khaleda was scheduled to go to Narayanganj on Tuesday to conduct electioneering for paddy sheaf, election symbol of the party.
‘In any election in the past, leaders, activists and supporters of political parties would be instructed to leave the election area 48 hours before the vote,’ Rizvi said, adding that this was the law and convention.
But this time limit was extended to 72 hours, he said.
He criticised the circular for using the word ‘outsider’ terming the word ‘un-parliamentary’, ‘indecent’ and ‘non-political’. 
The Election Commission insulted the whole nation by using the word ‘outsider’, he said. 
Rizvi alleged that they had information that armed activists of the ruling party were stationed in the entire election area.
Referring to media reports, he said more than three hundred ‘goons’ under political patronisation of the ruling party were roaming the city.

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