The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) yesterday alleged that the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) by-election has been stayed as per the will of the Awami League (AL)-led government.

“I think the government used the writ petitions, as it knew that the ruling party would be defeated in the mayoral by-poll,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

The BNP leader was talking to reporters over the issue on the premises of Alia Madrasah at Bakshi Bazar yesterday.

Fakhrul was accompanying BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia as she appeared before the makeshift court at Bakshi Bazar in connection with the Zia Orphanage Trust Graft case.

The BNP secretary general said the HC stay order on the DNCC by-election reflects the “utter failure” of the Election Commission (EC).

The High Court (HC) yesterday stayed the DNCC by-election for three months, following a write petition challenging the demarcation of areas in the city corporation.

In his instant reaction, Fakhrul also termed the stay order as a failure of the EC. “The EC had announced the election schedule without proper demarcation of the boundary,” he added.

The BNP leader further said that demarcation of the election area is a must before declaring the election schedule. But the EC had declared the date of DNCC polls without the formalities, he alleged.

Earlier, there were rumours that the by-election might not be held on the scheduled date. Besides, a section of ruling party leaders informally told this correspondent that they considered the by-election for the DNCC mayoral post as risky ahead of the general elections to be held later this year.

The mayoral position at the DNCC fell vacant due to death of Annisul Huq on 30 November.