Dhaka: Claiming that her party will get eighty percent votes if there is no manipulation and rigging in the 30 December municipal polls, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Monday demanded deployment of Army in the election.

‘I can predict, BNP will get 80 percent votes if the election is held fairly. But a worthless and spineless person [CEC] is there in the Election Commission and you cannot expect proper polling from him,’ she said.

Speaking at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh at Ramna in Dhaka, Khaleda further said, ‘Deployment of Army is a must to hold credible municipal polls. We can expect a fair election to some extent if the Army is deployed.’

The BNP chairperson came up with the demand just nine days ahead of the elections to the country’s 235 municipalities.

She, however, observed that Sheikh Hasina will not agree to deploy army as she does not want the force to be there in the field, reports UNB, a local news agency.

Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal organised the programme marking the 45th Victory Day.

In her around 51-minute speech, the former prime minister also came down hard on the EC for not taking action against the ruling party men for regularly violating the election code of conduct.

‘Even the Prime Minster [Sheikh Hasina] herself violated the election code of conduct and a complaint was lodged with the Election Commission, but it remained silent about it.’

The BNP chief said people will cast their votes in favour of the sheaf of paddy if they get the opportunity to go to polling stations freely.

Khaleda urged the freedom fighters to go to the polling stations braving any obstacle and cast their votes for BNP candidates to restore democracy in the country.