NCP accuses govt officials of bias ahead of election

National Citizen Party (NCP) has warned that senior government officials, including intelligence chiefs, are openly favouring a party ahead of the national election, putting democracy at risk, , reports UNB.

"We've seen various government officials and chiefs of different intelligence agencies seemingly fix their focus on a single party office and visit it regularly. We believe this is a serious threat to democracy in Bangladesh," said NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan.

He made this remarks after leading a four-member NCP delegation in a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the latter's office in the capital's Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital on Tuesday.

"We have observed with great concern that over the past few days, following the return of the chairperson of a particular party, whom we welcomed both personally and on behalf of our party, what has followed is a troubling sign for Bangladesh's democracy," said Asif Mahmud, also the chief of the NCP election steering committee.

He alleged that practices reminiscent of what he termed 'illegal conduct during the period of Awami fascism are resurfacing.

"We always saw in Bangladesh (in the past) that the administration has a tendency to be biased towards those who are in power, but we will never accept such audacity before the people give their mandate and someone comes to power," he said.

The NCP leader urged both the government and the Election Commission to take swift action against such officials who, he said, have clearly violated government service rules as such conduct has dampened public enthusiasm for exercising voting rights in the upcoming elections.