AL welcomes BNP’s decision to file cases against polls results

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP has nothing to do except lodging complaints and cases after their miserable defeat in the 11th parliamentary elections, reports BSS.

“Everyone has right to lodge cases against any election result… We welcome the decision of lodging cases from the BNP’s district level against the national poll results,” he said, talking to the reporters at AL president’s political office in city’s Dhanmondi.

Earlier, Quader declared the names AL chairman contenders for the second phase of local government body upazila parishad elections in 122 upazilas scheduled to be held on March 18.

AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Organizing Secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, Publicity and Publication Secretary and Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam Amin and Deputy Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, among others, were present.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said BNP has no ability to run any movement. So, complaint and cases are their last resort, he added.

He said the names of AL candidates for the upazila polls will be declared on February 22 for the third phase polls, on February 23 for the fourth phase and in June for the fifth phase polls.

About an allegation against a candidate of upazila parishad, the AL leader said, “We will investigate the matter. Necessary steps would be taken if the allegation is proved.”

Replying another query, Quader said, “We are trying our best to follow the Election Commission’s rules. Even we didn’t give any nomination to the municipality mayors or upazila chairmen in the last parliament election. We also didn’t give any nomination to the municipality mayors or union parishad chairmen in the upazila polls till now. If we get any allegation, we will investigate.”

He said, “We are trying to ensure 33 percent women representation as per the RPO.”