Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday alleged that the Election Commission is playing a subservient role as it did in the past to help the government gain its ‘agenda’.

‘A move is on to implement a plan of manipulating the municipal polls. Though the Election Commission has knowledge about the plan, it’s playing a puppet role to assist the government to attain its unbridled greed,’ said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the allegation while speaking at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

The BNP leader said a wholesale arrest of opposition leaders and activists and violation of the election code of conduct by ministers and MPs are vitiating the election environment.  

‘An awful situation is prevailing in the country. No credible election is possible if this situation continues to prevail,’ he observed.

Describing how the ruling party men manipulated elections, including that to city corporations and upazilas, in the past, Rizvi said, ‘It won’t take much time to offer a janaza for the moribund democracy if the EC plays the same role it played in the previous polls.’  

He urged the Election Commission to play a responsible and neutral role in holding a free and fair election on 30 December.

Rizvi demanded the government release the arrested BNP leaders and activists shunning its plot to destroy the party.