Senior BNP leaders on Friday alleged that the stay order on the mayoral by-polls to the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is due to a behind-the-scene role of the government and the Election Commission.
"The DNCC by-election was stayed due to a behind-the-scene role of the government and the EC," alleged BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while talking to journalists after placing wreath at his party founder Ziaur Rahman's grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar marking his 82nd birth anniversary.
The BNP leader also alleged that the government did it to avoid its sure defeat in the by-polls.
Earlier on Wednesday, the High Court (HC) stayed for three months the DNCC mayoral by-polls following two separate writ petitions. As per the schedule declared by the EC, the by-polls were scheduled for February 26.
Fakhrul said the EC has also demonstrated its incompetence and failure by announcing the schedule for the by-polls without completing all the necessary activities.
About the 11th parliamentary polls, he said the government must reach an understating through talks with political parties for holding the election in a fair and credible manner.
"If a level-playing field is not created and Khaleda Zia is not relieved of all the political cases against her a credible election won't be possible," Fakhrul observed.
Meanwhile, speaking at a discussion at the National Press Club, BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed said if the government was sincere in holding the by-polls it would have moved the Appellate Division challenging the HC order.
"But they (government) are inactive on the issue. It appears that the High Court's order is permanent and no appeal can be made against it. Their silence amply proved that the government and the EC were in favour of the stay order," he observed.
Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) and its student wing arranged the discussion to mark JAGPA Chhatra League's founding anniversary.
The former law minister also came down hard on Attorney General Mahbubey Alam for not appearing before the High Court during the hearing on the writs seeking stay on the by-polls.
"Our attorney general is very active to protect the interests of his party and the government. Even, he appears before the court on issues of a ruling party-backed Union Parishad chairman or a member. But he was not present at the court for two consecutive days during the hearing on the writ," Moudud said.
The BNP leader said even the EC lawyer played an inactive role in this regard as it also wanted such order from the court.
