Opposition candidates attacked, campaigners prosecuted

Opposition candidates for the December 30 general election have alleged that without taking any action against continued attacks on them and their electioneering by ruling Awami League activists, the police continue prosecuting their campaigners, including elected representatives, for those incidents.
Talking to New Age on Tuesday, they also alleged that after being attacked, they could not file any case against the attackers identified, but the police in most of the cases brought charges of attack against the oppositional campaigners and their relatives too. 
Being refused by the police, the opposition campaigners also approached the Election Commission or the respective returning officers, but got no remedies, they alleged. 
New Age spoke to a dozen of injured candidates of the main opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front and the main oppositional party Bangladesh Nationalist Party who also alleged that police continued arresting opposition candidates and their campaigners and keeping many of the arrested secretly detained for days in violation of the law.
According to BNP leaders, four of their activists were killed after the Election Commission announced the schedule of the 11th parliamentary elections on November 8. 
The opposition party tally showed 4,450 of their leaders, activists and campaigners were arrested in one month after the announcement of the polls schedule. 
The tally showed that 195 cases were filed against opposition activists and campaigners and 2,225 of them were arrested in December 10-19.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, also a top leader of the Jatiya Oikya Front, in a function in Dhaka on Sunday said that prime minister Sheikh Hasina had broken her promise she made during dialogues with their leaders that no opposition leaders and activists would be harassed or arrested after the announcement of the election schedule.
He said such oppression of the opposition candidates was unprecedented. 
The ruling Awami League on Sunday urged the Election Commission and administration to ensure a level playing field.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s political adviser and AL election steering committee co-chairman HT Imam at a press conference in Dhaka claimed that AL activists and campaigners came under attacks by opposition activists.
He also claimed that at least five AL leaders and workers were killed and over 250 activists came under attack during electioneering that began on December 10.
Dismissing HT Imam’s claim, the opposition candidates accused both the police and ruling party activists for attacks on their electioneering.
On December 15, BNP candidate for Noakhali 1 Mahbub Uddin Khokon and three other party activists sustained bullet injuries and 20 others were injured in an attack allegedly by AL activists at Sonaimuri.
Khokon went to the Election Commission and demanded removal of Sonaimuri police station officer-in-charge Abdul Majid.
‘Before the officer-in-charge left the police station, he filed two cases against my supporters, leaders, and campaigners,’ Khokon said, ‘but, he did not receive my complaints.’
He said that at least 14 cases were filed against 3,000 opposition leaders, campaigners and expected polling agents, and 80 of them were arrested in December 15-23.
He said that he could manage to file a complaint with Sunaimuri police station finally on Monday after repeated attacks on his campaigners. 
A motorcade of front leaders Dr Kamal Hossain and ASM Rob came under attack on December 14, when they went to Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at Mirpur to pay tribute.
BNP candidate for Dhaka 14 Syed Abu Bakar Siddique Saju filed a case with Darus Salam police station on December 16 naming 12 ruling AL activists for the attack.
The police, however, filed a case against 107 opposition activists and supporters of BNP candidate on December 15 and arrested 19 opposition activists, who were still in jail, said Abu Bakar. 
‘They were arrested first and then named in the case,’ he said, adding that they were denied of bail.
On December 16, the police recorded another case against 133 opposition leaders and activist and arrested seven of them at Mirpur on charge of sabotage.
At least 95 leaders and organisers have been arrested so far in the constituency, said Abu Bakar, adding that he was getting no remedies.
He alleged that his electioneering came under attack on Monday by the AL activists who were named in the case he filed for the attack on Kamal Hossain.
BNP leaders said OIkya Front candidate for Sirajganj 2 Rumana Mahmud and 20 other activists were injured in police firing and baton charge on December 15.
Police sub-inspector Badruddoza Jimal filed a case against 173 BNP leaders and activists for the incident. 
BNP vice-chairman and former minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku told New Age that they approached the police but their complaint was not received instead their supporters and campaigners continued being arrested, attacked and harassed.
As of December 24, over 400 complaints were filed with the commission by different parties, mostly the opposition alliance.
Oikya Front candidate for Satkhira 1 Habibul Islam Habib and his team came under attack, leaving five of his campaigners critically injured on December 14.
Habibul’s family said they could not reach the then Kolaruo police station officer-in-charge Sheikh Maruf Ahmed as the he used to seek vote for AL in the public forum.
Following the attack, a case was filed with Kalarua police station against 46 BNP leaders and activists while on the same day another case was filed against 30 other BNP activists on charge of sabotage.
Habibul sought cooperation of the commission against the officer-in-charge on December 21, resulting in the transfer of the officer-in-charge but situation now turned worst as AL supporters kept his house cordoned off and continued threatening his family members.
‘None of the attackers were arrested...our five campaigners are still in the hospitals,’ said Habibul’s wife Sahanara Parvin Bakul. 
Oikya Front candidate for Barishal 4 KM Nurur Rahman Jahangir and his supporters were attacked allegedly by AL activists during campaign at Patharhat Bandar of Mehendiganj. 
Nurur said that not only during electioneering but he came under attack by AL activists even inside his house. ‘I sought assistance from the police but they took one hour and a half to reach to my place which is basically five-minute walking distance.’
He was hospitalised due to the attack and said, ‘Seven of my supporters were arrested when they visited me at the hospital. Where should I go?’
Murad Nagar BNP candidate KM Mujibul Hoque’s supporters came under attack by AL activists on December 14. 
Mujibul told New Age that everyone saw how his motorcade came under attack and what happened next, but the police filed cases against his supporters and campaigners and continued arrests. 
‘The police even prosecuted my brother who was abroad. The police doctored a photo of my brother and showed him in a procession. I submitted original passport of my brother on his return,’ he said.
Netrakona 1 BNP candidate Kayser Kamal came under attack twice allegedly by AL activists at Kalmakanda upazila on December 20 and December 22.
Kayser alleged that police recorded two cases following the attack on December 22 and in one case 65 of his campaigners were named and in the other case 50 others were prosecuted.
He said that 23 cases were filed so far against several hundred of his campaigners since December 12, and the attacks on his campaigners continued.
BNP candidate for Dhaka 3 Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and 30 others were injured in a clash with AL activists at Keraniganj Tuesday evening.
Goyeshwar, also BNP standing committee member, sustained injuries in the head and admitted to Islami Bank Central Hospital at Kakrail.
No case was filed so far.
Police headquarters spokesperson assistant inspector general Sohel Rana said that the police sometimes filed cases on their own considering the circumstances and even when it was related to explosives.
‘We definitely look into any specific allegations,’ he added.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net