Dhaka: Accusing the government of trying to influence the city polls by giving new appointments, promotion and making development allocation in two Dhaka city corporations after the announcement of the election schedule, Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday urged the Election Commission to act to stop such ‘illegal activities’ until 28 April.

‘According to rules, there can’t be taken any development project, made new allocation and recruitment in the electoral areas after the announcement of polls schedule. But it’s a matter of regret that the partisan administration is illegally doing all this in the two Dhaka city corporations,’ said BNP office spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.

He came up with the allegation at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office.

Referring to media reports, Ripon, also the party’s international affairs secretary, said a process is going on to recruit 109 people to various posts like computer operators, stenographers, caretakers and sweepers in the two city corporations violating the rule.

‘Not only that, they’re also promoting ruling party men to give them undue reward and allotting funds for various development projects in a bid to influence the elections, the BNP leader alleged.

He said the government is hurriedly trying to put their party cadres in the two city corporations sensing their debacle in the elections to Dhaka south and north city corporations. ‘To make difficult the jobs of the elected representatives of the city corporations, the government has moved to recruit partisan people to the two city corporations.’

Ripon further said, ‘We think the ruling party is now busy exercising ‘April final’ as elected representatives will take over charge of the two city corporations in May (after the polls).

Explaining ‘April final,’ he said contractors often try to spend all the amount of the allocated money for any particular project before June (new budget), no matter whether they complete their works or not. ‘Like the contractors, the current illegal regime and its partisan administration are busy with April final.’

He urged the EC to intervene in stopping the unlawful activities of the government for the sake of a fair election. ‘Or else, people will get a message that another Januar-5-style election is going to be held on 28 April.’  

Ripon also warned that the current city corporations’ authorities will have to be accountable to people one day for carrying out illegal activities.

He alleged that the ruling party men attacked the campaigners of BNP-backed mayoral candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation Mirza Abbas in different areas of the city on Saturday during their electioneering.

Expressing his utter frustration over the inaction of the EC to take action against the violators of election code of conduct, the BNP spokesman said it will be very difficult to hold a fair election if the commission continues to play a silent role and pamper the troublemakers.