Staff Reporter :
Two pro-Awami League political parties have tilted to the opposition camp as they finally withdrew their candidates from contesting the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections in the belief that the polls will not be held in a free, fair and participatory manner.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has long been demanding for holding the national election under a neutral government as such election never be fair and free under any kinds of partisan government.
Raising the accusation of a lopsided poll going to be held on January 7, Zaker Party and Islami Okkya Jotewithdrew their candidates from the poll race on Sunday, the last date of withdrawal of candidatures.
Meanwhile, Sammyabadi Dal top leader Dilip Barua also withdrew his candidature.
Besides, activists of Jatiya Party (JaPa) have protested over the decision on taking part in the upcoming national polls.
The agitated JaPa activists asked their party leaders including Chairman GM Quader to boycott the election.
Many activists gathered in front of the JaPa Chairman’s Banani office and chanted slogan to move away from the upcoming election.
However, Zaker Party withdrew over 200 of the party’s candidates in the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections, Shamim Haider, the party’s secretary general said on Sunday.
“We are apprehending the national elections will not be participatory as all the seats are already been distributed between ruling party and its allies through understanding. So, I will withdraw my nomination today. We have less than 10 candidates participating in the election,” he said in reply to a query.
