A senior BNP leader said on Wednesday the Election Commission's preparation for holding the next general election is questionable as it could not yet appoint election officials for 85 upazilas, report agencies.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the remarks while speaking at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office in the city.
Rizvi said people's apprehension over a credible election is gradually deepening due to the activities of the Commission and the ruling party leaders.
"The Election Commission's overall preparation for the election is questionable. We're observing that all signs for holding a unilateral election are getting clear with the passage of time," he said.
The BNP leader further said, "The Election Commission hasn't yet appointed election officials in 85 upazilas. A move is on to appoint pro-government officials from different ministries to those upazilas to conduct the election as part of a government plot."
Rizvi said the ruling party leaders are regularly holding meetings with government officials to turn the election results into their favour.
He said Awami League's game plan is very clear that only the ruling party and its cohorts will be there in the politics of Bangladesh.
The BNP leader also said the ruling party leaders' statements have indicated that they are planning to rig votes indulging in 'terrorism'.
He claimed deputy secretary Niyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, who was sent on forced retirement, was taken to the RAB-2 office from his residence on Tuesday night for an hour, but he did not return home until Wednesday morning. "It's an appalling message."
The BNP leader demanded the government ensure safe return of Bhuiyan to his home.
Rizvi alleged police raided the Shantinagar residence of late BNP leader Tariqul Islam's son and party candidate Aninda Islam Amith on Tuesday night. "We strongly condemn it."
He said police continued harassing his party leaders and activists at different parts of the country by raiding their houses.
The BNP leader also criticised Attorney General Mahbubey Alam for his remark that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia cannot participate in the election. "His remark is ill-motivated. The country's people have got stunned with his comment."
He claimed his chairperson is eligible for contesting the election, saying there is no legal bar in this regard as some ruling party leaders and ex-president HM Ershad earlier joined the election when their appeal was pending with the court.
Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Wednesday his party is taking part in the general election to have their chairperson Khaleda Zia freed from jail and people's voting rights restored.
"We're also in the election race to restore democracy and people's all rights," he made the comments while talking to reporters after submitting his nomination paper in Thakurgaon.
Fakhrul together with party leaders and activists went to the district returning officer's office around 3:30 pm and submitted his nomination paper to contest the election from Thakurgaon-1 constituency.
The BNP leader said he is also going to contest the polls from Bagura-6 parliamentary seat following the directives of the party high command.
"We hope democracy will win and the autocracy will fall through the election as per people's hopes and aspirations," he added.
Earlier, current MP and Awami League-nominated candidate from the same seat Ramesh Chandra Sen submitted his nomination paper to the returning officer around 11:30 am.
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