Nazrul Islam Khan, a member of the BNP Standing Committee and chief of the party’s Election Steering Committee, has questioned the “indifferent and silent” role of the Election Commission (EC).
He raised these concerns during a press conference held on Wednesday evening at the BNP’s election office in Gulshan.
During the briefing, Nazrul reiterated the demand for the 12 February elections and emphasised that all political parties should be granted the opportunity to participate. He further disclosed that BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has postponed his tour of the northern region to prevent any confusion regarding the upcoming polls.
“We are making every effort to maintain a conducive electoral environment, and we hope all other parties will likewise adhere to the electoral code of conduct to maintain a peaceful atmosphere,” Nazrul stated.
The BNP leader lamented that, unfortunately, the heads of some political parties in the country are currently violating the code of conduct.
He expressed his expectation that the Election Commission and its officials would take legal action against everyone equally, just as they enforce strict laws against general candidates.
Nazrul further asserted that the indifference of the commission and the silence of electoral officials are obstructing the creation of a fair environment for the polls. He described this behaviour as “inappropriate” and urged the authorities to rectify their conduct.
Regarding the “level playing field,” Nazrul stressed the necessity of equal opportunities for all, regardless of whether they represent large or small parties, or are influential individuals or ordinary citizens.
He stated that the party is working to ensure that citizens who have been unable to vote for many years can finally exercise their franchise safely and peacefully and requested public cooperation in implementing their programmes.
Nazrul also raised specific concerns regarding postal ballots, alleging that the BNP’s symbol is being placed “under the fold” while the symbols of other parties remain highly visible. He claimed this was clearly intentional and called upon the Election Commission to correct the issue immediately.
Furthermore, he reported a worrying incident involving an individual named Humayun Kabir, identified as a Jamaat worker, who was allegedly found working with multiple ballot papers in “Oman’s garage.”
Nazrul described these developments as “extremely concerning” and requested the Election Commission to take punitive measures against those involved in such irregularities to ensure a credible election in which the public can have confidence.
