BNP asks EC to defer parliamentary by-polls

BNP on Tuesday asked the Election Commission not to hold the parliamentary by-polls to Bogura-1 and Jashore-6 on July 14 next amid this pandemic situation.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sent a letter to the EC asking the Commission not to keep its polls symbol in the ballot paper if it holds the elections in this situation.

A two-member BNP delegation, led by its joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, handed over the letter to EC Senior Secretary Md Alamgir at the latter’s office in the city’s Agargaon area.

“We’ve asked the EC to back off from its decision to arrange the by-polls in the current situation and hold that when the situation becomes normal,” said Alal while talking to reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

He said they informed the commission that if it holds the elections in this situation, BNP will not participate in the polls.

Another member of the BNP team is Mosharraf Hossain MP (Bogura-4).

While talking to reporters, the EC Secretary said the by-elections are being held at this time due to its constitutional obligation.

He said there is no scope for dropping election symbol from the ballot paper after the date of withdrawal of candidature.

 The Jashore-6 and Bogura-1, which fell vacant following the death of Awami League MPs Ismat Ara Sadique and Abdul Mannan respectively, were supposed to go to polls on March 29.

But the EC had to postpone the election schedules of the two constituencies in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.

The Commission has recently announced the fresh schedule for the parliamentary by-elections fixing July 14 for balloting.