BNP sees conspiracy behind DCC split

The cabinet's decision to bifurcate Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) into two separate units is a 'conspiracy.' Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque alleged this at a human-chain in the city Tuesday morning, reports bdnews24.com. Zia Sangskritik Jote organised the human chain demanding declaration of National Revolution and Solidarity Day (November 7) as a 'public holiday'. "The govt is going ahead with the proposal only for electing their party candidate as the 'city mayor'. We are completely against this conspiracy", the BNP chief whip said. The cabinet, at its regular meeting Monday, approved the proposal to amend the Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009. As per the proposal, the civic body will be split in two -- north and south. The new northern city corporation will be formed with 36 of the total 92 wards and the southern one will have the remaining 56. Opposing the proposal, he said, "Most of the traditional cities of the world have one city corporation. However, the government is planning to split DCC into two out of political chicanery." "It (Government) is not holding the DCC polls for fear of defeat. Now they are trying to split the DCC so that they can ensure that their party-backed candidate is the winner in the next DCC elections through a conspiracy", he added. The BNP leader also raised allegations against the government that it had manipulated the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) polls, held Sunday. "I came to know from newspapers that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had told one of the Australian mayors during her recent visit to Australia that Bangladesh would have its first ever female mayor," he said "It proves that she already knew the election results", he alleged. Dubbing the election commission (EC) as a 'puppet body of the government' he has once again warned," BNP will never participate in the general elections under this 'controversial' constitutional body." "It has to be reformed after discussing with all political parties", he added.