Electoral code of conduct being \\\'publicly\\\' violated

A senior BNP leader has claimed his party’s participation along with its allies in the Upazila polls has made the government go crazy. Ruling party MPs and ministers were ‘publicly’ violating the electoral code of conduct, alleged Gayshwar Chandra Roy at an event at the National Press Club on Friday. “It is doubtful whether those who did not vote in the Jan 5 polls would be allowed to cast their vote now,” he said, adding “the government has gone crazy after the BNP decided to join the polls”. Candidates backed by the BNP and its allies were being harassed by implicating them in cases, he alleged. The BNP leader said, “Ministers are campaigning for their candidates.” They are also threatening the election agents of BNP-backed candidates that they will not be allowed at voting centres.” BNP’s Juba Dal’s Vice President Abdus Salam Azad, Swadhinata Forum President Abu Naser Muhammad Rahmatullah, among others, took part in the discussion, with Swadesh Jagaran Parisad President Kamruzzaman Selim in the chair, according to a news agency.