Khaleda seeks army in Gazipur

Khaleda Zia has demanded deployment of Army in Gazipur to ensure free and fair city corporation elections which she claimed were at risk of being rigged.

The BNP Chairperson made the demand when newly elected Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury and councillors saw her at her Gulshan office.

The opposition chief said they had information that the ruling Awami League activists were planning to rig the vote. So, we’re demanding deployment of army there for sake of fair polls.”

The Election Commission sees no need for deploy troops since the June 15 elections to Rajshahi, Sylhet, Khulna and Barisal city corporations were held peacefully without the help of army. The Commission says police, BGB and RAB are good enough to maintain law and order.

But Khaleda criticised the Election Commission that it was working in favour of the government from the beginning.

The former Prime Minister was happy with the massive win of her party-backed candidates in the June 15 polls but warned party supporters against complacency. She asked them to prepare for the movement demanding restoration of the non-party caretaker government system.

Khaleda claimed that the minority Hindus, Buddhists and Christians had voted for the 18-party alliance-backed candidates in the civic elections.

“The Awami League isn’t a secular party. They’ve grabbed the lands of the Hindus, vandalised the temples of the Buddhists and repressed the minority groups. The Awami League is such a tyrant!”

She attacked the government for delaying the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected mayors. “I ask the government to arrange the swearing-in ceremony for the mayors-elect without further delay.”

Khaleda again asked the government to restore the caretaker government provision by passing a bill in Parliament or face movement after the Eid-ul-Fitr. “This programme will be for ousting the government.”