TDS Desk:

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has said, “Under pressure from the BNP, the Election Commission (EC) has validated the nomination papers of loan defaulters and dual citizens. If the EC does not immediately return to a neutral position, the 10-party alliance, including NCP, will be forced to take to the streets.”

He said these things at a press briefing on Monday evening after a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at state guest house Jamuna.

Criticising BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, Nahid Islam said, “Does he then want to pressure the EC to come to power again through another rigged election? Does he want to send loan defaulters and dual citizens to parliament? Is this his plan? If they try for such an election again this time like the last three elections, the people of the country will not accept it.”

Alleging that for the past two days, student wings have been mobilising in front of the EC, the NCP convener said, “If loan defaulters and dual citizens can be saved by applying pressure, then we will take to the field. We will take to the field demanding that loan defaulters and dual citizens be kept out of the election.”

Nahid further said, “We are being issued show-cause notices for campaigning in favor of the Yes vote. Yet, even though banners and festoons of Tarique Rahman are hung all over Dhaka city, the EC remains indifferent.”

NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said, “31 loan defaulters and an equal number of dual citizens have had their nominations validated. Most of them are from the BNP. This will not be accepted. We will take legal action and, if necessary, take to the streets.”

He said, “We discussed the events of the last two days. Even though the chief adviser talks about the fairest election, we have informed him that there is no sign of it. We have also clearly stated that if the election is not fair, the government will have to take responsibility for the resulting situation.”

Asif Mahmud said, “We urge all stakeholders and all parties to act responsibly. Otherwise, no one will sit idle. The EC should understand what action people took against EC officials not long ago for their responsibility in a rigged election here.”

A four-member representative delegation of the NCP, led by Nahid Islam, held a meeting with the chief adviser at around 5pm.