PM flouting election law: BNP

The prime minister is flouting electoral laws by sponsoring the candidates of Dhaka and Chittagong city corporation polls, BNP complained today.

According to laws, a political party cannot sponsor an aspirant of the mayor elections, BNP said in a statement that said it was from the party’s standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan. “High-ups of the government cannot advertise for them.”

“But the country can see that the prime minister announced her support for Dhaka’s mayor candidate Annisul Huq – first in her cabinet meeting and later declared him party candidate at a meeting in her Gono Bhaban residence,” said the press release.

“The move has raised eyebrows in numerous talk-shows and newspapers. Though the Election Commission has earned criticism in this regard, they turn a deaf ear.”

Nazrul said the government had suddenly decided to hold city polls in Dhaka and Chittagong in a bid score in the absence of the real opponents with most 20-party leaders in jail.

He also pulled up the Election Commission for scrapping Abdul Awal Mintoo’s nomination for Dhaka north city corporation.