Dhaka: Dismissing BNP’s allegation of preventing its candidates from submitting their nominations in the Union Council polls, Awami League presidium member Obaidul Qauder on Friday said the party has resorted to falsehood as it did not find anyone to field as candidates in those union councils.

‘We’ve heard the BNP candidates were prevented from submitting their nomination papers. No one obstructed them…the fact is that they (BNP) could not find any candidates in those union councils,’ he said.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, was speaking at a preparatory view exchange meeting at Awami League’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue ahead of the party’s March 7 rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, reported UNB.

He said their party high command has no direction to obstruct any candidate. ‘You (BNP) can specifically say if anyone obstructs locally.’

The Awami League leader also said though the government did not do anything, BNP leaders were accusing it of creating obstacles to getting its council venue. ‘The same way, the party is bringing the allegation of obstruction to its candidates.’

Quader questioned how BNP got permission for using the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) for its council when there has been an obstruction by the government. ‘In fact, the party itself could not determine where it will hold its council.’

Earlier on Thursday, BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that in the first and second phases of Union Parishad polls, their 162 candidates were either prevented from filing nominations or forced to withdraw their candidatures or their nominations were cancelled on lame excuses.

He also said they got permission from the authorities of the IEB to hold their sixth national council on March 19.