Online Desk:  The BNP has decided to officially boycott the upcoming Upazila elections, saying that the government has failed to create a fair and peaceful voting environment.

The party had previously stated it would boycott the polls and so it is determined to stick to it, said BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press conference on Monday.

The National Standing Committee – the party’s top policymaking body – finalised the decision that night at a meeting led by Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

The decision was then communicated in a press release signed by Rizvi under the party’s masthead on Tuesday.

“The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP has boycotted the National Assembly and local government elections held earlier under the government led by Sheikh Hasina and the Election Commission she arranged and because of the openly one-sided role of the administration and the police.

“There is a logical reason not to participate in the upcoming Upazila elections as the environment for fair and peaceful elections has not yet been created and the existing anarchic situation has further deteriorated.

“This government has subverted the fundamental rights of people including voting, the Constitution, the expression of dissent, and multi-party elections in a brutal crackdown. The only basis of Awami League’s politics is to retain power by scaring people. “Therefore, as a result of the widespread proliferation of this violent terrorism, the BNP, determined not to be a party to the anti-political electoral farce staged by this illegal government, has decided to boycott all phases of the Upazila council elections starting from May 8,” the announcement read.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, polls will be held in 152 Upazilas in the first phase on May 8. Monday is the last day to submit nomination papers for three posts in these Upazilas. Then the applications will be scrutinised on Apr 17. Candidates can withdraw until Apr 22 and symbols will be allocated on Apr 23.

The second phase of the polls will be held on May 23, the third phase on May 29 and the fourth phase on Jun 5.

Rizvi said, “Representatives elected through fair elections who are accountable to the people in every case are an essential condition of democracy. In the absence of this condition, tyranny manifests itself violently. Currently, Bangladesh is experiencing a severe dictatorship. The occupying Awami ruling group has been in power for a decade and a half and has eliminated free, fair, peaceful and inclusive elections from Bangladesh. During their tenure, national and local government elections have never been free nor fair.”

“The candidates of opposition parties at all the national parliament and local government elections under the ruling party have been attacked, sued and harassed in various ways. Collection and submission of nomination papers and election campaigning were obstructed along with attacks and physical assaults. Many were not even allowed to submit their nomination papers.”