Dhaka: Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday claimed that the process of taking nomination seekers’ interview by ‘fugitive convict and corrupt’ BNP leader Tarique Rahman is illegal.

‘Our question is how a convicted man can participate in election activities sitting in London. It’s clearly a violation of the electoral code of conduct,’ he said, reports the UNB.

While speaking at a press conference at the AL president’s Dhanmondi political office, the ruling party leader also urged the Election Commission to take proper action in this regard. ‘There’s a High Court directive that no convicted person can participate in the election campaign. We’re looking forward to the Election Commission. We hope the EC will look into the issue.’

Asked whether they will take the issue to the court, he said they will take decision after discussion. ‘If there’s no remedy from the EC, we’ll place it before the people’s court,’ he said.

Without naming BNP, Quader alleged that a party is trying to foil the election under the banner of Oikyafront. ‘When a congenial environment is prevailing for a fair election, the party gathered its leaders and terrorists in the name of providing nomination forms, attacked police and burned their vehicles even after the announcement of the election schedule which left 20 policemen injured,’ he said.

Brushing aside BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s allegation that many innocent BNP men are being arrested, he said, ‘Most of the BNP activists are involved in crime. Resorting to firing, terrorism, torching buses and cutting roads is their job. They’re being arrested for their crime. Police don’t arrest any innocent person.’

Responding to a query about finalising the party nomination, the Awami League general secretary said they will announce the names of the party candidates before the dateline for filing nomination ends.

He also dismissed the list of party candidates published in the media as totally baseless.

Meanwhile, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed on Monday said the Commission has nothing to do with BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s participation in taking interview of their party candidates through videoconferencing.

‘As Tarique Rahman joined the BNP nomination board through videoconferencing from abroad, the electoral code of conduct is not applicable for him and the EC has nothing to do with it,’ he said while talking to reporters after an EC meeting at the Nirbachan Bhaban.