BNP briefs diplomats on ‘irregularities’

Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday briefed foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka on the ‘violation of electoral code by the ruling party’, the ‘biased’ role of the administration and the ‘subservient’ role of the Election Commission in the municipal polls to 234 municipalities slated for December 30.
A team led by BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan briefed the diplomats at the party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office.
A BNP leader present at the meeting said at the briefing they raised the issues of the latest situation in the municipal polls, violation of election code by ruling party lawmakers and ministers, mass arrests, subservient role of the incumbent Election Commission, partisan role of the administration, obstruction of campaigns of opposition candidates and attack on opposition leaders.
Representatives of Australia, Pakistan, Singapore, USA, UK, India, Nepal, Sweden, Germany, Turkey, Canada, Japan, EU and UNDP attended the meeting that lasted about an hour, starting at 11am.
BNP handed over to the diplomats some news clippings on irregularities in the local polls, sources said.
After the meeting, Abdul Moyeen Khan told reporters they discussed the upcoming municipal polls, the overall situation of the country and the state of democracy.
He said there was no democratic freedom now in the country where an opposition cannot carry out any political activity.
Moyeen said already seven mayors and about 150 councilors have been elected. He said this was possible as opposition candidates were not allowed to submit nomination papers by ruling party men.
He said a ruling party lawmaker flying by helicopter went to his area to submit nomination paper along with the nominated candidate. ‘We were surprised’ he said.
He said more than 1,000 leaders and activists were arrested all over the country in the last two weeks. ‘How will a level-playing field be created if the party’s leaders and activists cannot stay in field during election?’
Asked about the reaction of diplomats, Moyeen told journalists to ask them latter.
BNP leaders Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Reaz Rahman, Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, Sabih Uddin Ahmed, Asaduzzaman Ripon, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and Zeba Khan were present at the meeting.

- See more at: http://newagebd.net/187101/bnp-briefs-diplomats-on-irregularities/#sthash.kMoEC2dP.dpuf