BNP to EC: Stop arrests, reshuffle admin

BNP has again urged the Election Commission to have the arrests and raids on the homes of opposition leaders and activists stopped ahead of the 11th parliamentary polls.

The party has also demanded reshuffling of public administration officials who are engaged in controversial activities wuth regard to the polls slated for December 30.

A BNP delegation reiterated the demands at a Saturday meeting with Commission officials, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda, at the Commission office in Dhaka’s Agargaon.

BNP’s National Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed led their party’s delegation during the meeting which started around 3:15pm and ended around 5pm.

Briefing reporters afterwards, Moudud said: “Police drives are still continuing across the country alongside wholesale arrests. Our leaders and activists cannot stay at their homes. But nothing is being done to stop that.”

He said that seven possible BNP candidates were also arrested and sent to jail. "It’s become difficult to get bail for our leaders and activists from the lower court as it remains under the government’s control.”

"There's no minimum environment to hold a fair election and it’s getting worse day by day. The Election Commission has failed to resist the government's move to implement its blueprint," said Moudud.

The party also submitted a number of letters to the Commission regarding their demands.

In one of them, BNP demanded the withdrawal and transfer of controversial officials of the Election Commission, Public Administration and Home Ministries, Police Headquarters, and local administrations.

Moudud said they were demanding the reshuffling as the existing civil and police administrations were pre-set by the government.

He said that CEC Huda had acknowledged their demands and complaints, and assured them of taking measures to address them.

However, the BNP leader added: "The election will finally turn into a farce. But we do not want that to happen. It's the last test for our nation. If we cannot pass the test, we do not think we will be able to restore democracy in Bangladesh.”

The other members of the BNP delegation included senior party leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chouwdhury, Mirza Abbas, and Abdul Awal Mintoo.