The BNP yesterday reiterated its demand to deploy the Army during the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election scheduled to be held on December 22.  “Godfathers have started flexing their muscles soon after the announcement of the poll schedule. We strongly demand Army deployment for the sake of a transparent and credible election in Narayanganj,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference at the party's Naya Paltan headquarters.
Earlier, BNP-backed mayoral candidate Sakhawat Hossain Khan had demanded deployment of the Army during the poll. But the ruling Awami League (AL)-backed candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy, said there was no such need.
The BNP leader said the Election Commission (EC) must remove politically motivated government officials, recover illegal arms and ammunitions, and ask people to deposit their legal arms to create a congenial atmosphere for the election. He alleged that all sorts of illegal and legal arms were being brandished in Narayanganj.
He urged the EC to take immediate steps to recover illegal arms and even receive the legal ones. Reacting to Ivy’s statement that she was against deployment of the Army for the poll, Rizvi said the Awami League leader’s claims were based on her belief that she would get government assistance during the election. “When she contested the NCC polls earlier, she sought deployment of the Army, sensing that she would not get any help from the government,” he added. The BNP leader advised the EC to ensure a congenial atmosphere so that voters can cast their votes without any fear. Replying to a question, Rizvi said the EC should  play an active role to ensure a free and fair election. He said people were waiting to see whether the EC would ensure their voting rights at the fag end of its tenure.