BNP slams arrest of leaders ahead of municipal elections

By Mizan RahmanDhakaAccusing the government of arresting its selected candidates even after the announcement of election schedule, the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) yesterday doubted whether the December 30 municipality polls will be fair and competitive ones.“Police on Monday arrested Mymensingh’s Nandail municipality sitting mayor and our selected mayoral candidate Azizul Islam. We find no reason behind his arrest now,” said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.He added, “We’ve a serious doubt whether the municipality polls will be free, fair and competitive as the election commission (EC) has turned a blind eye to the arrest of mayoral candidates even after the announcement of the election schedule.”The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office.He also feared that the commission is going to implement the government’s ‘blueprint’ through the municipality polls as they did during the January 5 national election in 2014.“People don’t want to see another January 5 like election. The government also should not try to hold such an election as it will further stigmitise the ruling party both at home and abroad,” the BNP spokesman observed.He urged the EC to take initiative to stop arrest of BNP leaders and activists and release those who have already been arrested for the sake of a fair election. Expressing his party’s anger over the rejection of its demand for deferring the municipality elections by 15 days, Ripon said the commission did it as it does not care about voters.He said the EC has succumbed to the government’s pressure of power and turned into a subservient and incapable institution.“This commission, in fact, has lost its capacity to hold a free and fair election long ago as it always thinks what will make the government happy or annoyed. We hope the EC will try to regain its ability for holding a neutral election.”