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GAZIPUR, KHULNA CITY POLLS

EC snubs BNP over army deployment, EVM use

Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission ruled out BNP's demand for deployment of army and avoiding electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Gazipur and Khulna city corporation elections scheduled to be held on May 15.
The commission has no plan to deploy army and if the party has any specific objection about EVMs, it is welcomed to see those, said EC acting secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.
Regarding another demand for withdrawal of Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun-ur-Rashid, Helal Uddin said the commission will take a decision after holding a meeting. The commission will ensure security in the polling centres to create a level playing field, appoint neutral polling officers and give neutral election observers access to the centres, he said.
The EC acting secretary was addressing a press briefing at Nirbachan Bhaban after a meeting with a six-member BNP delegation led by Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda and other election commissioners were present at the meeting held at Nirbachan Bhaban.
At the meeting, BNP placed a six-point written proposal including deployment of army, creating level playing field for all candidates, deployment of Ansar-VDP "carefully" at the polling centres, not using EVMs and scrapping the coordination committee headed by divisional commissioner.
The party also sought immediate withdrawal of the superintendent of police and other "partisan” officials in the police and administration.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mosharraf said the commission assured them of considering their logical demands.
Holding of the elections is an acid test for the election commission, said Mosharraf.
"These two elections are very important before the upcoming parliamentary election. These elections will indicate whether the parliamentary election will be free, fair and neutral," he said.
The party also talked about the next general election. It told the commission that without BNP chief Khaleda Zia the election will not be participatory. Replying to a query, Mosharraf said they urged the commission to take steps so that no lawmaker and minister can seek vote anywhere in the country in favour of boat (symbol of Awami League) as it is the violation of electoral code of conduct.
The other members of the delegation included party stranding committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and vice-chairman Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf.