BNP breached electoral code complaining to foreigners on polls: Hasan

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DHAKA, Jan 27, 2020 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said raising complaints to foreigners about any election is one type of violation of election code and conduct.

“Raising complaints to foreigners about any election and some incidents that take place during election campaign are also one kind of violation of election code and conduct,” Dr Hasan said while speaking at a press conference at his secretariat office here.

He said BNP went to the High Court against the use of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), but the court did not give any decision in favour of them. The court rejected their appeal, he said.

“When the High Court did not give any verdict in favour of them and now raising same complaints to foreigners against is tantamount to the contempt of court,” said Dr Hasan, joint general secretary of Awami League.

If they (BNP) have any complaint about election they can raise the issue before the voters and the people, he said, adding that raising complaints about any local body polls to foreigners as considered by many are tantamount to the contempt of court also.

About BNP’s complaints about EVM, Dr Hasan said EVM is a modern technology which was used in the general election in India and no complaints were raised about it there. Even, EVM was used in the USA in receiving votes, he added.

“I cannot understand why BNP opposes the use of this modern technology in elections. BNP always opposes modern technology because it has phobia about any new modern technology,” said the information minister.

When BNP was in power it turned down the offer to connect Bangladesh to the submarine cable free of cost fearing that information will be stolen from the country. But afterward, Awami League government had to spent several thousand crores of taka to get the submarine cable connections,” said the minister.

EVM had already been used in different elections, he said, adding that EVM was used in some local body polls and also in Jatiya Sangsad elections and there were no allegations of forcibly capturing of booths and stamping ballot papers.

“Possibly, BNP is trying to create a ground so that it can make the election controversial sensing its defeat in the polls,” he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Hasan said the posts of Election Commissioners are constitutional ones like High Court judges.

The High Court judges do not raise their internal matters before the people because it is not the procedure, he said, adding that discussing the matters of those who hold constitutional positions in their own forum is reasonable.