Quader: Attack on Ishraque's campaign uncalled for

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has termed the attack on BNP Dhaka South mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain’s campaign as uncalled for.

The senior Cabinet member made the remarks while speaking to the media at his secretariat office on Monday.

He has also assured of nabbing the perpetrators.

"Sunday's attack on the campaign of BNP's Ishraque Hossain was uncalled for, but it will not affect the polls. The perpetrators will be identified from CCTV footage and will have to face justice," Quader said.

Dismissing an election commissioner's comments that “no level-playing field exists within the commission itself,” Quader said: "Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar's statement is not true. He made it up."

On BNP's allegations of its councillor candidates being harassed by police, he said the police are acting in line with orders of the Election Commission not the government. "The allegations are baseless."

On Sunday, at least 10 people including journalists injured in a clash between supporters of BNP-backed mayoral candidate for Dhaka South, Ishraque Hossain, and Awami League's Fazle Noor Taposh during electioneering in Gopibag of Dhaka.

Several gunshots were heard during the clash that took place around 1pm on Sunday, witnesses said. The two groups clashed with sticks and hurled brickbats at each other. Several vehicles were also vandalized during the chase and counter chase that lasted for around half an hour.