Eight BNP bodies to watch over Dhaka South polls

FE Report
The BNP urged the Election Commission (EC) on Friday to ensure a level-playing field and deployment of the army seven days before the city corporation elections scheduled to be held on April 28.
It (BNP) would not retreat from the forthcoming city corporation electoral race whatever adverse situation might be there, said BNP leaders on the day.
The BNP-backed 20-party alliance formed on Friday eight committees in 57 wards to look after the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) polls.
"The committees will remain vigilant in all the polling booths until the final results are declared," standing committee member of the BNP Brigadier General (retd) A.S.M Hannan Shah told journalists after the election coordination committee's meeting at the party's central office at Naya Paltan in the city on the day.
The committees started working from Friday afternoon, party sources said.
"We repeatedly called upon the Election Commission (EC) to ensure a level-playing field. But they (EC) are yet to pay any heed to our pleas," he said. He urged the EC for deployment of army without any delay.
"If the voters cast their votes like other city corporation elections held previously, then our (BNP) candidates will surely defeat the government-backed candidates by a margin of more than 1,00,000 votes," he said.
He said that BNP-led 20-party backed candidates and supporters were facing difficulties at every stage of their election campaigns.
"The EC seems to be taking no concrete initiatives for creating a level-playing field for all candidates in the upcoming city corporation elections," he said. He demanded of the EC for deployment of the army at least seven days before the elections.
BNP vice-president Altaf Hossain, law affairs secretary Nitai Roy Chowdhury, president of Jubo Dal Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and party central leader Jahurul Huq Sahjada Mia among others were present.
The BNP would not retreat from the elections whatever adverse situation might be there, said another standing committee member of the party Barrister Moudud Ahmed on the day.
"The EC has been showing a discriminatory attitude. The BNP candidates are being arrested and tortured," he told reporters after a meeting with election coordinators for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral candidate Tabith Awal at the party's Gulshan office in the city.
In the meeting, Mr Tabith Awal said people were eagerly waiting to cast their votes in favour of BNP-backed candidates in the city corporation polls.
President of the Supreme Court Lawyers Association Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain demanded on Friday setting up of close-circuit cameras at all polling booths of the city corporation elections.
"It is time to resist. The government will fall through a democratic movement," he told a protest meeting at the conference lounge of the National Press Club on the day.
The meeting, which was organised by Swadinata Parishad, demanded immediate return of missing party leaders Ilias Ali and Salahuddin Ahmed.     
"The law-enforcing agencies are yet to take any steps to return my husband even after one month and 10 days of his missing. I seek cooperation from the Prime Minister, the law enforcing agencies and the people to get back my husband," Hasina Ahmed, wife of BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed said.  
President of the Parishad Abu Naser Mohammad Rahmatullah and BNP chairperson's adviser Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan, among others, were present.
Meanwhile, Awami League-backed Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayoral candidate Syed Khokon appealed to the people to cast their votes in his favour as he prefers peace. Other candidates resort to terrorism and militancy, he said.
"My late father (former mayor of undivided Dhaka) Mohammad Hanif until his death had worked for development of Dhaka city. If you (voters) elect me, then I will also work for development of the city like my father," he said while conducting his mass election campaign after Juma prayers at Jurain in the city.
"You (voters) elect me as a mayor. I will serve you (voters) not as a city father but like your son," he said.
He offered his Juma prayers at Hazrat Khawja Abu Nasar Mohammad Nazim Uddin (Rh) shrine mosque there. He was accompanied by local Awami League leaders.
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