Bhola by-election may not be free, fair: Hafiz      

Expressing grave concern over the on going terrorist activities in Bhola, BNP leader Maj Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (retd) said that the upcoming by-election to Jatiya San-gsad-3 seat of the district might not be held in free, fair and impartial manner.
He expressed this apprehension while talking to reporters at his Banani residence in the capital on Tuesday. Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said taking the advantages of having majority in the parliament, the ruling party is going to materialise BAKSAL in the country. As part of the plan, ruling party's activists under the shelter of law enforcing agencies and their political leaders are engaged in committing terrorist activities in Bhola as well as elsewhere in the country. If this situation continues, any election in the country under this government will not be held in impartial manner and participation of BNP in the election will not be possible too.
He alleged soon after the Supreme Court verdict, a number of ruling party cadres equipped with various weapons started creating anarchy in and around the area riding motorbikes. Due to the enormous repression, a number of local BNP leaders and activists are being compelled to leave their houses of the area. Besides, some thana and union level party offices were gutted down under the very nose of police and concerned administration.
"So far as I know, election schedule for holding by-election of the constituency is going to be published within one or two weeks. All sorts of preparations for holding a stage managed election have already been completed," he said.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said the government and the Election Commission should take necessary measures to curb the criminal offences which are being committed by ruling party cadres ahead of the upcoming by-election. Replying to a query, he said deleting Zia's name from Zia International Airport (ZIA) is an outcome of politics of revenge. Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman as a commander of Z force had announced country's independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He had given Zia BP award after independence. So erasing the name from ZIA is unreasonable and unacceptable.