UZ polls fair, peaceful: HT Imam

Refuting the BNP’s allegation of vote fraud in the third phase of the Upazila (UZ) Parishad polls, the Awami League (AL) has claimed the election was largely peaceful though its leaders and activists were attacked by their opponents and law enforcers at different parts of the country. “AL-blassed candidates and their supporters faced political and administrative attacks at different parts of the country. The administration and the law enforcers worked neutrally. Even then they didn’t spare our contenders,” Prime Minister’s adviser HT Imam has claimed. On Saturday night, at a press briefing at the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, BNP spokesman Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the ruling party men attacked opposition candidates, their supporters, blocked voters, forced out the agents of the BNP-led 19-party alliance-backed candidates from polling stations, snatched ballot boxes and rigged votes in different UZs with the help of law enforcers and local administrations. Dismissing the allegations, HT Imam said “The election was fair and neutral. Army members alongside Rab and police forces worked as striking force during the polls to ensure fair balloting. So, no one can raise any question about the polls,” according to UNB.