Police excesses overshadow Khulna polls

Police excesses overshadow Khulna polls

Dhaka, May 12 (Just News): Police action, just two days before Khulna city polls, has taken centre stage, surpassing candidates' election campaign and contest.

According to opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Khulna Metropolitan Police and district police arrested at least 108 BNP leaders and activists in the past two weeks.

BNP leaders alleged that the police would raid the homes of its activists in the night, but now they conduct the raids even in broad daylight.

The policemen, BNP said, detained party activists even from the election campaign programmes of the BNP's mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Manju.

Law enforcers have also started interrogating presiding officers over phone. They have been asked questions on several issues.

Several presiding officers, seeking anonymity, told Prothom Alo that law enforcers wanted to know whether they or their family have any past or present involvement with politics.

Some of the presiding officers also alleged that policemen in plainclothes visited their homes to inquire about them, making them and their families scared.

KMP commissioner Md Humayun Kabir did not want to comment on this and referred to the police spokesperson.

KMP additional deputy commissioner (media) Sonali Sen told Prothom Alo that the police do not have any list of presiding officers and interrogating them is not task of the police.

Officers at the election commission, however, said that a list of 289 presiding officers (names and phone numbers) has been finalised and it has been handed over to the police for scrutiny.

A few of the presiding officers have even been changed, they added.

The BNP's mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Manju also complained to the returning officer that presiding officers were being pressurised and requested them not to deploy politically biased officials as presiding officers.

Returning officer of Khulna City Corporation election Md Younus Ali told Prothom Alo that the BNP's Nazrul Islam Manju alleged that ruling Awami League's mayoral candidate met a number of teachers who may be recruited as presiding officers. The EC has taken this allegation into cognizance, he added.

The police on Friday afternoon detained a BNP activist, Monowar Hossain, from BNP candidate Nazrul Islam Manju's electioneering programme in the city's ward 9 Bastuhara Colony.

Three BNP leaders, Maniruzzaman, Mehedi, and Hassan who came to Khulna city from Satkhira, were also held by tbe police in the afternoon.

About the police action, BNP candidate Nazrul Islam Manju said, ''The police show up wherever I conduct electioneering. They note down names of my leaders and activists and take photos.”

He also said that he had to spend a sleepless night on Thursday visiting different police stations to meet the arrested party men. He said the police arrested at least 17 BNP leaders and activists from Thursday noon to midnight and conducted raids in more than 500 residences.

According to the BNP, leaders and activists coming to Khulna city from outside also fall victim to police arrest. A total of 55 such leaders and activists have so far been arrested.

The election commission has sought an explanation from police on arrest of leaders and activists. Election commissioner Mahbub Talukdar sought the explanation at a meeting of divisional coordination committee on Thursday evening. Police claimed the accused are arrested on specific charges.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mahbub Talukdar said, after the announcement of the election schedule, the commission gave a clear message that none will be arrested on new cases. And the commission will discharge duties as per the constitution. A fair election will be held. The commission will not let the election to be controversial.

But there are instances that arrests were made on fresh cases after the announcement of the election schedule.

Police have filed two cases with Khalispur police station last week. A case has been filed on charges of conspiracy to thwart the election. Eight BNP men have been arrested in this case. Arrests are also made in a case filed for a reported attack on the officer-in-charge of Khalishpur police station.

Except the Awami League mayoral candidate, three other mayoral candidates are not taking the arrests of BNP leaders and activists easily. They feel this is creating doubts over a fair and neutral election. A sense of fear is prevailing among the voters, they said.

The ruling Awami League, however, is considering the step as a means of ensuring a fair election.

Coordinator of Khulna city election conduct committee of the party, Kamal Hossain said police are arresting those who are sued in different cases including arms and toll collection to hold a fair election.

Asked why AL men are not among the arrested persons, Kamal Hossain said the leaders and activists didn’t throw bombs and set fire to vehicles although the party is in power for nine years. There are no such cases against them. Police are taking steps after receiving information about their illegal activities, he added.

Mayoral candidate of Communist Party of Bangladesh Mizanur Rahman said the issue of arrest is nothing new ahead of election. BNP did it earlier, now AL is doing it. Arrests are being made to make the ruling party happy, he added.

Mayoral candidate of Jatiya Party Shafiqur Rahman said he heard that those who are sued in different cases are being arrested.

Mayoral candidate of Islamic Andolon Bangladesh Mozammel Haque said the election atmosphere is being hampered by the arrests. Voters are frightened. They have questions in their mind and are in fear. They apprehend the election will not be free and fair.

Suspicions and fear about the fair election are increasing as the election is nearing, he added.

A clear instruction was given that arrests will not be made without the charge-sheets or arrest warrants.

BNP lawyers said the majority of the arrested leaders and activists are not the accused but arrest warrants were issued against them. Many were arrested in the category of unidentified accused in different cases.

Khulna police spokesman Sonali Sen said no fresh case was filed after the announcement of election schedule. Two people have been arrested in a case filed in connection with attacking the officer-in-charge of Khalishpur police station. Those who are being arrested were sued in different cases earlier, she added.

Asked whether any of other party people were arrested, Sen said arrests are based the political affiliation. Leaders and activists of political parties including BNP are among the arrested, she added.-Prothom Alo


(Justnews/ys/2320hr)