Dhaka: BNP on Monday alleged that the nominations of its nearly 50 leading candidates have been revoked as the Election Commission (EC) is working like a puppet and the government is pulling the strings from behind.

‘The nominations of our 50 heavyweight candidates, including our chairperson Khaleda Zia and former MPs and popular leaders, have been scrapped with lame excuses. But the nomination of no Awami League nominated candidate has been cancelled as the Election Commission considers them as saints,’ said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, reports the UNB.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said the wholesale cancellation of opposition candidates’ nominations has exposed it that the EC cannot take any step without the ‘Prime Minister’s order’.

‘The Election Commission is dancing like a puppet as the strings are being pulled either from Ganobhaban or from the Prime Minister’s Office,’ he observed.

The BNP leader said no ruling party candidate’s nomination has been turned down as the Election Commission’s all the activities are run under the full control of the government. ‘Even, their (AL’s) convicted candidates’ nominations have been declared valid. Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal’s nomination has not been cancelled though he didn’t submit necessary documents with his form. It’s now clear that this is a Commission of Sheikh Hasina.’

Rizvi said ailing ruling party ex-general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam’s nomination has been declared legal though he did not sign his nomination form, and no bank account against his name was mentioned.

He said they came to know from a credible source that the 3G and 4G mobile services will remain suspended on the voting day while the social networking sites like Facebook are being monitored from today with an evil intention.

Replying to a question, Rizvi said their party will take decisions on the seats where BNP has no candidate once the appeal process is completed.

He said their party’s many leaders and activists were arrested on Sunday at different parts of the country, including Chattogram, Narsingdi and Bagerhat, as the law enforcers continued their drive against opposition activists.