Dhaka: Raising different types of blames before any election has turned into an old mania of BNP, what the party does only out of its fear of defeat, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

The minister came up with the observation while giving reply to different questions of journalists at his ministry on Tuesday morning.

‘They (BNP) brought similar allegations in the city corporation elections as well; though they won the polls, proving all their charges baseless,’ local news agency quotes the minister.

Replying to a query, Quader said, ‘Our party, being a ruling one, has asked its leaders and activists to refrain from showing any provocative attitude regarding the municipality polls so that the government’s image is not tarnished any way. And as a directive from the party chief, Sheikh Hasina, we have conveyed its message to all the party men.    

Brushing aside the allegation of indiscriminate arrests of BNP leaders and activists, he said, a considerable number of ruling party leaders and activists have also been arrested over breach of the electoral code, as the law enforcers are acting as per directive of the Election Commission (EC), not the government.

‘We are only extending help to the EC to ensure holding of a free and fair election,’ he added.