Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of the Awami League, has expressed his satisfaction over the election atmosphere in Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet city polls.
"The people are casting their votes in a festive mood." The minister made the remarks at a press con ference at the party headquarters in Dhaka's Dhanmondi on Monday. "The Awami League is dedicated to holding free and fair elections. Voting in the three cities is underway and the mood is free, fair and festive," Hanif said.
People across Bangladesh are looking to the Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporation polls as an indication of the upcoming parliamentary elections, he said. BNP candidates have claimed election rigging and other irregularities against the ruling party and alleged that their agents were barred from the election booths.
Barishal BNP mayoral candidate Mazibor Rahman Sarwar has already pulled out of the race. "It is a blatant example of election rigging by the Awami League," the BNP said at a press conference in Dhaka. AL leader Hanif rejected the claims and instead turned the allegations against the BNP.
"The BNP candidate forced Awami League agents out of Syeda Majidunnesa polling centre in Ward-1. Later they were allowed to enter the booths after the allegation was made," he said.
"The BNP tried to force our agents out of polling centres in Ward-18. They tried the same at Ward 17 but failed."
He also claimed that the BNP has tried to stoke fears in Sylhet. He said the polls have been fair aside from several small incidents and that the BNP is claiming irregularities fearing losses.