DHAKA: The BNP has accused the government as well as the ruling Awami League of intervening in postponing the by-polls to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to avert debacle.

Speaking at a discussion on Wednesday (January 17), BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said that the Awami League used the High Court in postponing the DNCC by-polls, as the party came to know that they won’t win the polls.

Swadhinata Forum, a pro-BNP organization, arranged the discussion on ‘Multi-party Democracy and Shaheed Zia’ at the National Press Club in the city.

President of the forum and BNP’s central executive committee member Abu Naser Mohammad Rahmatullah chaired the discussion, while BNP vice chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu, chairman of Bangladesh Kalyan Party Maj Gen (retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim Birpratik, BNP’s central leaders ABM Mosharraf Hossain and Dhaka city unit vice president Farid Uddin also spoke it, among others.
 
The DNCC by-polls were scheduled to be held on February 26. But, the High Court on Wednesday (January 17) stayed the polls following two separate writ petitions.

The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed stayed the by-polls for three months.

Dr Mosharraf said that the government conducted different surveys over probable results of the by-polls. The intelligence agencies in their reports informed the government that the ruling party won’t be able to win the polls. So, the Awami League asked its party men to file writ petitions so that the High Court stays the polls, he added.

The BNP leader said that his party will take part in the next general elections to restore the voting rights of the countrymen. The next polls will be held under non-party government, he said.

Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir blamed the Election Commission (EC) and the government for the stay order.

Echoing the same as Dr Mosharraf, he said that the government conducted several surveys and came to know that they won’t be able to win the polls. So the elections were stayed.

The BNP’s spokesman further said that the HC stay order reflects failure of the EC, as the commission declared the date of DNCC by-polls without the formalities.

BDST: 1440 HRS, JAN 17, 2018
EHJ