BNP blames AL for rifts in alliance

It's a tough road ahead for the BNP mayoral candidate. Not only Ariful Haque Chowdhury has to face a rebel BNP candidate, but also a Jamaat-e-Islami-backed independent candidate in the July 30 Sylhet city polls.

BNP leaders blamed Awami League for mechanising the rift inside the 20-party alliance and alleged that the two other candidates shared “close ties” with the ruling party.

The candidates (ruling party, rebel and Jamaat-backed ones), however, denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, many voters are bothered about the issue.

Dulal Miah, a rickshaw-puller in Akhalia area, said, “If BNP continues to quarrel among themselves, Awami League will win easily.”

Sharif Ahmed, a businessman in Rikabibazar area, said the BNP candidate's votes would be split in three ways, which would eventually benefit the AL candidate.

Ali Ahmed, general secretary of Sylhet district unit BNP and a member of Ariful's election management committee, alleged that rebel candidate Badruzzaman Selim and Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer, ameer of city unit of Jamaat-e-Islami, have close ties with AL's Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran.

“Jamaat leaders are facing hurdles everywhere except for Sylhet as AL leaders are involved in business with them. We saw how Jamaat's candidate started campaigning months before the election without any problem,” he alleged.

He said Badruzzaman Selim has been suspended from the party as “we are sure he is working in favour of the ruling party candidate”.

AL leaders in Sylhet Selim and Jubayer denied the allegation.

Selim said, “For the last 39 years, I worked hard for BNP. All I wanted was to get nominated by the party, but they underestimated me. I'm contesting the election on my own. I wasn't influenced by anyone.”

BNP suspended him on July 10 as he did not withdraw his nomination paper.

When asked, Jubayer said, “This is a false statement that AL influenced me... The 20-party alliance is for national elections and that's why I'm contesting the local government election with my party's permission.”

Asad Uddin Ahmed, general secretary of Sylhet city unit AL and member secretary of Kamran's election management committee, said, “This shows how desperate BNP is as they are blaming us instead of themselves. They failed to keep unity in their 20-party alliance.”

COMPLAINTS, COUNTER-COMPLAINTS

Yesterday, both Awami League and BNP filed complaints with the EC's Sylhet regional office over violation of electoral rules by their counterparts.

Ali Ahmed, a member of BNP's election management committee, said they filed the complaint against AL's Kamran for building a huge gate in front of his election camp in Mirjajangal area.

On the other hand, Dibakar Dhar Ram of AL's committee filed a complaint against BNP's Ariful alleging that he used two loudspeakers inside a vehicle while campaigning.

On Thursday, chief election agent of Jubayer (Jamaat-backed candidate), complained to the EC that supporters of AL candidate were using loudspeakers after 10:00pm while BNP candidate's supporters hung huge banners, among others.

Jubayer also alleged that the AL candidate's followers barred his supporters from campaigning in many areas.

Contacted, Proloy Kumar Saha, assistant returning officer, said the returning office will forward the complaints to police soon for evaluation. “No action has been taken against any candidate so far,” he added.