Shoto Nagorik Committee convener Professor Emajuddin Ahmed on Tuesday night said Bangladesh Nationalist Party will in no way boycott the upcoming elections to Dhaka and Chittagong city corporations.

‘Question doesn’t arise to boycott the polls by BNP. We want the Election Commission (EC) to create a congenial atmosphere so that all the candidates can reach their voters and the electorate can cast their ballots for the contenders of their choice,’ he told reporters after a meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Earlier, a seven-member delegation of the Shoto Nagorik Committee, a platform of pro-BNP professionals, led by Prof Emajuddin, entered Khaleda’s Gulshan office at about 7:45 pm and had a long meeting with the BNP chief. 

Emajuddin, also a former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, said voters will hate the EC if it fails to ensure a congenial election environment and arrange fair polls.

He, however, hoped that the EC will play a positive role in ensuring a healthy atmosphere in the three cities so that all the candidates can get equal scope for carrying out electioneering.

As his attention was drawn to an election commissioner’s remark that law enforcers need not take any permission from the EC to arrest any candidate, Emajuddin said he hoped everything will be done as per the law. ‘If necessary, BNP will take legal steps.’

Ex-DU Prof Mahbub Ullah, former DU Pro-VC Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, DU Prof Sukomal Barua, senior journalist Mahfuz Ullah, Eng ANH Akhter Hossain and advocate Fahima Nasril Munni were in the delegation.