Dhaka: Voicing displeasure over the Election Commission's retreat from its decision of army deployment during the city polls, Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday alleged that the commission is trying to hold farcical elections to the three city corporations on 28 April.

‘The Election Commission through an entente with the government is trying to hold farcical polls in the city corporations,’ said BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah.

He came up with the allegation while addressing a press conference at BNP-backed Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayoral candidate Mirza Abbas' Shahjahanpur residence.

Hannan Shah, the convener of BNP's election steering committee formed to oversee the DSCC polls, also alleged that the ministers are making evil efforts to hold a stage-managed election to ensure the victory of the ruling party-blessed candidates.

He claimed that they have information that the ministers and ruling party leaders are dictating the returning officers, polling agents and others to be engaged in voting as to how they will work for Awami League-supported candidates during the polls.

The BNP leader alleged that state minister for home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Awami League joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif have already instructed the EC officials to work in favour of their party-sponsored candidates in the Dhaka North City Corporation polls.

He said police arrested BNP-supported 15-no DSCC polls ward councillor candidate Badsah while he was carrying out electioneering along with Mirza Abbas' wife Afroza Abbas.  

‘The way government is showing aggressive attitude, we now think 99% polling stations are very vulnerable. When the three-time Prime Minister has been attacked repeatedly who will ensure voters' security,’ he observed.

Slamming the Election Commission (EC) over its revised decision of keeping army in cantonments as a reserved force during the elections to three city corporations, the BNP leader said the commission has created confusion in public mind through its trick over the army deployment.

He said the EC's latest decision made happy the ruling party cadres and terrorists.

Opposing the EC's move, Hannan Shah said, ‘Cantonment areas are out of purview of the city corporation. It's necessary to bring the members of the army from the Cantonment, if the EC wants to engage them in the polls. How will army tackle any problem from the Cantonment if it happens at Shyambazar or Gendaria?

Voicing his strong optimism, the BNP leader said all the BNP-backed candidates, including Abbas, will come out successful with big margins if voters can freely exercise their franchise in a congenial atmosphere.