Dhaka: BNP on senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Thursday warned that people will foil any attempt of vote rigging in Tuesday’s Khulna City Corporation polls.

‘You (AL) have staged a drama by going to the Election Commission with a complaint that there’s no level-playing field (in Khulna). You did it as you have a plan to rig votes,’ he said.

Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader further said, ‘We would like to say don’t dare rig votes as the people of Khulna are ready to foil any such plan.’

Khaleda Zia Mukti Parishad and Ganotantrik Sangskritik Jote arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, demanding BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release from jail.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, claimed that Awami League has got worried as a mass wave has been created in favour of BNP mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Monju in Khulna.

He termed absurd Awami League leaders’ comment that there is no level-playing field in Khulna as police and the administration are under their control.

The BNP leader alleged that police arrested around their 150 active leaders and activists in Khulna as part of the ruling party’s move to indulge in irregularities during the voting.

He said people will not allow the government and the Election Commission to hold the next general election without Khaleda Zia’s release from jail.

Mosharraf also said it will not be possible to free Khaleda without a movement only by carrying out a legal battle.

He urged BNP leaders and activists to get ready for creating a mass-upsurge like that of anti-quota movement to free Khaleda from jail and ensure a participatory and credible election.

The BNP leader said formation of an election-time non-party government, dissolution of parliament and deployment of army are crucial to hold a credible election and restore people’s confidence in the election system.