Dhaka: Describing the voting in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) polls like farcical one, BNP on Tuesday claimed that the ruling party men captured over 150 polling stations forcing out of the agents of its mayoral candidate.

The party, however, will decide whether it will accept or turn down the election after observing the results, reports the UNB.

‘Ruling party cadres resorted to various irregularities at almost all centres. As per the information we’ve received so far, the armed Awami League cadres captured over 150 voting centres. It’s nothing but like a farce what happened at the voting centres all day long in the name of election,’ said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He further said, ‘The voters of Khulna City Corporation are shocked, insulted and deprived of their voting rights due to today’s (Tuesday’s) vote terrorism.’

The BNP leader said their party’s many male agents were driven out and beat up while in many centres women agents tortured and obstructed from entering the polling stations.

Rizvi said they have come to know from different sources that the Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner directed the law enforcers involved in election duty to unilaterally stuff ballots in favour of the ruling party candidate from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

Showing journalists a poster, he said Awami League mayoral candidate Talukder Abdul Khalek pasted a poster at different parts of the country two days back congratulating people on electing him Mayor. ‘He did it as he was confirmed that such a flawed election would be held.’

The BNP leader said they lodged various complaints with the Election Commission in the capital since morning about irregularities in the election, but it did not take any action. ‘The election Commission can’t do anything instead of executing the government’s orders.’

Earlier at another press conference, he alleged that the Commission has surrendered to the government forgetting its own authority as an independent body. ‘This Commission is like a photocopy of the government.’

He said the ruling party men have got desperate to indulge in election irregularities due to the inactive role of the Election Commission.

‘Ruling party cadres are desperate to snatch people’s right to franchise without obstruction. An awful situation has been prevailing in Khulna election areas,’ Rizvi said.

Voting in the in the KCC began at 8:00am and continued until 4pm to elect its new mayor and councillors.

Five mayoral candidates, 148 general councillor and 38 reserved-seat female councillor candidates are there in the election race.